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Abdul Sami3 months ago
Thank you to the team for supporting us with our company setup. Our case was not straightforward, especially the bank account opening, but they stayed committed and got it done.
Trading Company Setup
Trading Company Setup in Dubai Mainland
One DET licence to buy, sell, import and distribute across all seven emirates.
- 100% foreign ownership, no local partner
- All seven emirates, no distributor
- 7 to 20 working days
- Year 1 from AED 25,000
15+ years10,000+ engagements4.8 Google, 163+ reviewsISO certified
Quick answer
What is a mainland trading licence?
A commercial licence issued by DET, in one of two shapes: single-activity, covering one product category or a closely related group, or general trading, covering a wider spread of goods at higher cost and with more scrutiny on warehousing.
DETIssuing authority
100%Foreign ownership allowed
7-20 daysTypical setup time
Legal structures
Choose Your Trading Structure
Most mainland trading businesses choose one of four structures.
If you areTwo or more shareholders, capped liabilityRecommendedLimited Liability CompanyIf you areOne owner, full control and liabilityRecommendedSole EstablishmentIf you areProfessional partnership, not goods tradingRecommendedCivil CompanyIf you areExtending an existing company's activityRecommendedBranch of a Foreign or Local Company
Product categories
Which Goods Need an Extra Approval
Some product categories clear on the DET licence alone. Others carry a second regulator.
Foodstuff and textiles
Standard categories, cleared on the DET licence alone.
Food products
Needs Dubai Municipality approval alongside the DET licence.
Medical and pharmaceutical goods
Needs Ministry of Health and Prevention clearance.
Telecom equipment
Needs TDRA clearance before the activity can be licensed.
General trading
A wider product spread under a single licence, at higher cost.
Settle the activity list before you reserve a trade name. Adding a regulated category later means going back through initial approval.
Setup process
Trading Company Setup Steps
Eight steps from activity confirmation to your first shipment and staff visas.
- Critical stage
Confirm activity and structure
Choose your trading activity and legal structure first.
Reserve trade name
Reserve a name with DET that meets naming rules.
Initial approval
DET confirms no objection to your activity and structure.
- Critical stage
Secure office and Ejari
Register a tenancy on Ejari, mandatory for licence issuance.
Draft and notarise MOA
Required for an LLC, done at a notary or DET typing centre.
External approvals
Municipality, Ministry of Health or TDRA if your activity needs one.
Pay fees and collect licence
Pay DET fees and receive your trading licence.
- Critical stage
Customs, bank and visas
Register an importer code, open a bank account, process visas.
Cost
What a Trading Company Setup Costs in 2026
Total first-year costs commonly fall between AED 25,000 and AED 70,000 or more, indicative for 2026.
| Cost item | Indicative range |
|---|---|
| Trade name reservation and initial approval | Small fixed fee |
| DET licence fee (commercial or general trading) | Varies by activity |
| MOA notarisation (LLC only) | Fixed notary fee |
| Ejari registration and annual market fee | % of annual rent |
| Establishment card | Fixed fee |
| Investor or partner visa | AED 3,500 - 6,000+ |
| Employee visa | AED 3,000 - 5,000 |
Visa costs scale with headcount and exclude office rent, which is a separate line item. Figures are indicative for 2026 and vary by activity, office type and visa count.
Indicative for 2026. Ask for a fixed, itemised quote before committing.
Documents
What DET asks for
Corporate shareholders add an attested document chain on top of the individual set.
- Passport copies of all shareholders and managers
- Passport-size photographs
- Residence visa and Emirates ID for UAE-resident shareholders
- NOC if a shareholder is sponsored elsewhere
- Corporate shareholder incorporation and board docs
- Draft MOA and Ejari tenancy contract
Regulated product categories add their own regulator-specific documents.
Check my documents
Mainland vs free zone
Mainland or Free Zone?
Where a mainland trading licence and a free zone company differ for a trading business.
Side by side
MainlandDET licence
Free zoneZone authority
Local market accessSell directly to UAE customers
Sell to any UAE customer directly
Needs a distributor or branch
Government contractsBidding on public tenders
Qualifies to bid on tenders
Generally not eligible
Visa quotaHow visas scale
Scales with leased office size
Often a fixed desk package
Customs and dutyCross-border goods movement
Standard mainland customs duty
Duty exemptions may apply
BankingCorporate account opening
DET licence and Ejari seen as standard
Can face more scrutiny
Emirate coverageWhere you can trade
All seven emirates, no distributor
Zone-bound without a branch
Setup costTypical starting cost
AED 25,000-70,000+ indicative
Often starts cheaper
Best for
Direct UAE sales and tenders
Duty-advantaged re-export
Bottom line
Neither route is universally cheaper or faster. Mainland suits businesses selling directly to UAE customers or bidding for government contracts.
One team instead of five government portals
We handle mainland trading company setup end to end, so you are not left chasing five government portals alone.
Activity and trade name
Activity selection and DET trade name reservation handled for you, before anything is submitted.
Office and compliance
Ejari-compliant office sourcing and MOA drafting, sized against your visa plan.
Customs and visas
Dubai Customs importer code, visa processing and FTA registration.
One point of contact
One team across DET, the notary, Ejari, Customs, MOHRE and the FTA.
- 7-20 daysTypical setup once documents are ready
- 7Emirates you can trade across on one licence
Get a cost breakdown for your activityBuilt around your exact activity, office and visa count.
Request a fixed quoteReal results from our clients
What our clients say about working with us
Real Google reviews from founders we have set up and kept compliant on the Dubai mainland.
P
Paolo Chua8 months ago
I had a great experience opening a corporate bank account. The process was smooth and efficient. The staff were friendly, professional, and explained everything clearly.
A
Amy Elliott Dunne4 months ago
The accounting and bookkeeping service has been exceptional. Attention to detail is impressive, and communication is always clear. Tasks are handled promptly.
R
Rashed Al Falasi5 months ago
They confirmed our activity grouping before filing and flagged an issue the bank would have raised. Licensed in under two weeks with no surprises on the invoice.
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Marwa Khalil2 months ago
We came for a mainland LLC and stayed for renewals and PRO work. The same team answers the phone after the license is issued, which is rare here.
FAQ