Ownership
Up to 100% foreign-owned
Available for most activities; regulated sectors can have additional conditions.
Dubai mainland licence
Dubai Mainland Company Formation
Build a Dubai company for direct UAE trade. We map the activity, ownership, office, visa, and compliance requirements before you pay government fees.
Local market
Direct UAE trade
Operate under the activities shown on the mainland trade licence.
Premises
Dubai address required
The office and Ejari requirements depend on the activity and visa plan.
Best fit
UAE-facing operations
Useful for local sales, projects, retail, contracting, and professional services.
Start with the operating model
Mainland company formation
A Dubai mainland company is licensed by Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism and can serve customers across the UAE. It is usually the practical route when your business needs direct local-market access, premises in Dubai, or the ability to tender for contracts that require a mainland licence.
What your first plan should confirm
- 01Exact licensed activity and legal form
- 02Shareholders, manager, and beneficial owners
- 03Office, visa, and banking requirements
- 04One-off fees, annual costs, and compliance
Structure fit
When a Dubai mainland company makes sense
Choose the structure around how the business will earn revenue and operate—not around the lowest advertised licence fee.
- ✓ You plan to invoice customers across the UAE without using a mainland distributor.
- ✓ Your activity needs a shop, clinic, workshop, warehouse, or client-facing office in Dubai.
- ✓ You expect to hire a local team and want visa capacity tied to a suitable office.
- ✓ Your customers or tenders ask for a Dubai mainland trade licence.
Sell directly to customers across Dubai and the wider UAE under the licensed activities.
Hold up to 100% foreign ownership for most activities, with exceptions for regulated or strategic sectors.
Lease commercial premises and build a local operating team in Dubai.
Apply for government and corporate tenders when the tender rules accept your activity and legal form.
Cross-border preparation
Setting up from Europe or Russia
Planning can begin before you travel. The decisive work is confirming the activity, shareholders, document route, and banking profile early enough to avoid preventable delays.
- Prepare clear passport copies, proof of residential address, and a concise explanation of the planned business activity.
- Corporate shareholders may need incorporation documents, board resolutions, legalisation, and certified Arabic translation.
- Banks conduct their own KYC, sanctions screening, and source-of-funds review. Company formation does not guarantee a bank account.
- Your tax residence and reporting duties outside the UAE do not disappear when a Dubai company is formed. Take advice in each relevant country.
From brief to licence
How the setup works
The sequence can change when an activity needs regulator approval, but every application should resolve the same core decisions.
Consultation & activity
We confirm your business activity and the right legal form — LLC, sole establishment, or civil company.
Trade name & approval
We reserve your trade name and secure initial approval from the Department of Economic Development.
Documentation & office
We arrange your office tenancy and Ejari and notarise your Memorandum of Association.
Licence issuance
We settle the licence fees and collect your commercial trade licence.
Visas & bank account
We issue your establishment card and process investor and employee visas.
Document checklist
Prepare the ownership file before filing
The authority, activity, shareholder type, and country of issue determine the final list. These are the usual starting documents.
Individual shareholders
- ✓Passport copy for each shareholder and manager
- ✓Recent proof of residential address
- ✓Proposed company names and business activities
- ✓Contact details and, where requested, entry or residence documents
Corporate shareholders
- ✓Certificate of incorporation and constitutional documents
- ✓Register of directors, shareholders, and beneficial owners
- ✓Board resolution approving the Dubai company
- ✓Legalisation and certified translation where required
What it costs
What changes the final setup cost
Mainland costs depend on your activity, the number of visas you need, and your office solution. Because government fees vary by emirate and activity group, we quote a fixed, itemised figure once your requirements are clear.
- •The licensed activities and any external approvals
- •Legal form, number of shareholders, and document legalisation
- •Office type, location, rent, and Ejari registration
- •Investor and employee visas, medical tests, and Emirates ID
- •Bookkeeping, corporate tax, VAT, payroll, and annual renewals
Common questions
Dubai Mainland Company Formation FAQs
Can a European or Russian citizen own 100% of a Dubai mainland company? +
Foreign investors can own up to 100% of most mainland businesses. Activities with strategic or sector-specific rules can require additional approvals or ownership conditions, so the activity must be checked before filing.
Do I need to live in Dubai to form the company? +
Not necessarily. Much of the planning and document preparation can be handled remotely, although signatures, identity checks, immigration steps, or bank onboarding may require your presence depending on the chosen route.
Is an office mandatory for a mainland licence? +
A physical business address is generally required. The suitable premises and Ejari requirement depend on the activity, regulator, and number of visas planned.
Does company formation include a guaranteed bank account? +
No. Banks assess the shareholders, residency, activity, expected transactions, customers, and source of funds independently. A clear operating plan and complete evidence improve the application but cannot guarantee approval.
How much does Dubai mainland company formation cost? +
There is no reliable single price. Government fees, activity approvals, legal form, office rent, visas, translations, and professional support all affect the total. An itemised quote should separate one-off setup costs from annual renewals.
Before you commit
Get the activity, cost, and document route in writing
Send us the operating plan. We will identify the questions that must be resolved before you choose a licence or pay authority fees.
Official references and photo sources
- UAE Government: full foreign ownership of commercial companies
- UAE Government: steps to start a mainland business
- Hero photo: Tommy Picone on Pexels
- Cross-border section photo: Martinschuschi on Pixabay
Requirements can change by activity, authority, and applicant profile. This page is general information, not legal, tax, banking, or sanctions advice.