You license the company with the Ajman Department of Economic Development. The standard route has seven steps, from reserving the trade name to issuing the licence, with an immigration authority approval for foreign owners along the way.
Ajman also runs a digital service called Go Business that issues a commercial licence in five steps through UAE PASS. NXTSTAR checks whether your activity can use it and handles either route.
Last reviewed: by the NXTSTAR team.
Rules are set by the authority and can change. Confirm the current position before you apply.
Who Ajman mainland suits
Ajman mainland suits small trading, service and workshop businesses that want low overheads and serve Ajman, Sharjah and the northern emirates.
The steps
- Reserve the trade name online or at a customer centre.
- Obtain the approval of the federal identity and nationality authority, for a foreign owner.
- Obtain approval from other government entities if the activity is classed as high risk.
- Authenticate the lease contract with the Municipality and Planning Department.
- Pay the prescribed fees.
- Issue the memorandum of association, for a company.
- Receive the licence.
Go Business bundles the licence, chamber membership and establishment card into one issue, which removes two follow-up steps. Activities that need outside approval still follow the standard route.
Documents
- Trade name reservation certificate
- Licence application
- Copy of a valid passport and ID card for the owner or every partner
- Security clearance, for residents
The Go Business service
- Log in with UAE PASS.
- Reserve the trade name.
- Register the activity details. The memorandum of association is documented automatically.
- Pay electronically.
- Receive the commercial licence together with the chamber membership certificate and establishment card.
After the licence
- Establishment card and labour file, before any visa.
- Residence visas for owners and staff.
- A corporate bank account, which the bank decides.
- Corporate tax registration, and VAT registration where it applies.
What NXTSTAR does, and what we do not
- We confirm the activity, legal form and ownership structure with you.
- We handle the trade name, approvals, lease registration and licence application.
- We continue with visas and the bank account file.
- We do not decide approvals. The Ajman Department of Economic Development and the other regulators do.
Common questions
Who issues a mainland licence in Ajman?
The Ajman Department of Economic Development.
What is Go Business?
A digital service from Ajman's economic department that issues a commercial licence in five steps through UAE PASS.
Do residents need security clearance?
Yes. Ajman lists security clearances for residents among the required documents.
How much does a mainland licence in Ajman cost?
We do not publish prices. Ask us for a written quote that separates government fees from our service fee.
Sources
The rules on this page come from the authority's own published material, checked on 7 October 2026.
Talk to NXTSTAR about a company in Ajman
Tell us what you want to do and we will tell you which route fits, what it involves and what we would need from you.