🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates · Company Registration
Entity types, registration process, required documents, costs, and official registries.
Quick answer
In the UAE you can set up on the mainland (licensed by the emirate's economic department) or in a free zone (100% foreign ownership, own registry). The choice affects ownership, office requirements and where you can trade. A trade licence defines your permitted activities.
Companies can be set up on the mainland through the relevant emirate's Department of Economic Development, or in one of the many free zones, each with its own registrar. Since 2021, most mainland activities allow 100% foreign ownership.
- Mainland companies register with the emirate's Department of Economic Development (DED).
- Free zones (e.g. DMCC, JAFZA, ADGM, DIFC) offer their own registration and incentives.
- Most mainland commercial activities now permit 100% foreign ownership.
Step-by-step
- 1
Choose mainland or a free zone
Decide between a mainland company (licensed by the emirate’s economic department, e.g. Dubai’s DET) and a free-zone company (e.g. DMCC, DIFC, ADGM) — free zones allow full foreign ownership and their own rules.
- 2
Select the legal form and activity
Choose the structure (commonly an LLC) and the licensed business activity, which determines the licence type (commercial, professional or industrial).
- 3
Reserve the trade name and get initial approval
Reserve the trade name with the relevant authority and obtain initial approval (and any external approvals your activity needs).
- 4
Prepare documents and premises
Draft the memorandum of association (mainland LLCs notarise it) and secure premises — a tenancy contract (Ejari in Dubai) or a free-zone flexi-desk/office.
- 5
Obtain the trade licence
Submit the file and pay the fees to receive the trade licence from the emirate’s economic department or the free-zone authority; the licence is renewed annually.
- 6
Set up banking, visas and tax
Obtain the establishment card, apply for investor/employee visas, open a corporate bank account, and register for corporate tax and (if above the threshold) VAT with the Federal Tax Authority.
Checklist
- Mainland vs free zone decided
- Legal form + licensed business activity
- Trade name reserved + initial approval
- Memorandum of association (notarised for mainland LLC)
- Premises + tenancy contract (Ejari) or flexi-desk
- Trade licence issued (renewed annually)
- Establishment card + investor/employee visas
- Corporate tax + VAT registration (Federal Tax Authority)
Official authorities
- Ministry of Economy
Federal economy and business regulation.
- The UAE Government Portal (u.ae) — Business
Official guide to setting up a business.
Frequently asked questions
Mainland or free zone?
Free zones offer full foreign ownership and simple setup but historically limit direct mainland trade; mainland licences (now often 100% foreign-owned in many activities) allow trading across the UAE.
Do I need a local partner?
For most activities, recent reforms allow 100% foreign ownership on the mainland; some strategic activities still require Emirati participation.
What is a trade licence?
It is the licence defining your business activities (commercial, professional or industrial), issued by the relevant mainland authority or free zone.
Official-information aggregation, not legal advice. Always verify on the authority's own site.
Government portals
- The UAE Government Portal — Official UAE government portal — services, visas, residency
- Federal Authority for Identity & Citizenship (ICP) — Entry permits, residence visas, Golden Visa, Emirates ID
- Federal Tax Authority (FTA) — VAT and corporate-tax registration and filing
- Ministry of Economy — Company registration, business licensing, foreign investment