You license the company with the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET). The route is: pick the activity and legal form, register the trade name, get initial approval, sign the memorandum of association, register a lease through Ejari, obtain any extra approvals, then pay and collect the licence.
Once the payment voucher is issued you have 30 days to pay. NXTSTAR runs each step and keeps the approvals moving in the right order.
Last reviewed: by the NXTSTAR team.
Rules are set by the authority and can change. Confirm the current position before you apply.
Who Dubai mainland suits
Dubai mainland suits businesses that sell directly to customers and companies anywhere in the UAE, bid for government work, or need a shop, clinic, restaurant or office in the city.
The steps
- Identify the business activity.
- Select a legal form. The options offered depend on the activity.
- Register the trade name.
- Apply for initial approval.
- Draft and sign the memorandum of association and, where the structure needs one, a local service agent agreement.
- Choose premises and register the tenancy with Ejari.
- Obtain approvals from any other government body that regulates the activity.
- Submit the documents, pay within 30 days of the voucher, and collect the licence.
Initial approval is what lets you sign a lease and register it through Ejari, so premises cannot be finalised before it. For many industrial licences it is requested at the same time as the trade name.
Documents
- Initial approval receipt and the documents already submitted
- Tenancy contract registered through Ejari
- Attested memorandum of association
- Approvals from other government entities, where required
- Attested service agent contract, for civil establishments and some fully foreign-owned structures
Trade name rules in Dubai
- The name ends with the legal form, such as LLC.
- It does not offend public morals or public order.
- It matches the activity and legal status.
- It does not use the names of religions, governing authorities or external bodies.
- It has not been registered before.
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 Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) and the other regulators do.
Common questions
Who issues a mainland licence in Dubai?
The Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, through its licensing service.
Do I need an office for a Dubai mainland licence?
The standard route needs premises with a tenancy contract registered through Ejari before the licence is collected.
How long do I have to pay for the licence?
DET requires payment within 30 days of receiving the payment voucher.
How much does a mainland licence in Dubai 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 Dubai
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.