You license the company with the Sharjah Economic Development Department (SEDD). Before you apply you need a trade name, a technical evaluation of the premises, the electricity deposit paid to the Sharjah utility, an attested lease and the company contracts.
The application itself is online through UAE PASS, and SEDD issues the licence automatically once the fees are paid. NXTSTAR lines up the prerequisites so the online step goes through first time.
Last reviewed: by the NXTSTAR team.
Rules are set by the authority and can change. Confirm the current position before you apply.
Who Sharjah mainland suits
Sharjah mainland suits trading, light industrial and service businesses that want lower running costs than Dubai while staying within reach of it, and businesses serving Sharjah and the northern emirates.
The steps
- Issue the trade name. Initial approval of the name is handled through Tasheel service centres.
- Complete the technical evaluation of the premises.
- Pay the electricity deposit to the Sharjah Electricity, Water and Gas Authority and attest the lease.
- Complete the legal contracts for the chosen legal form.
- Log in to the SEDD website with UAE PASS and select licence issuance.
- Attach the documents and outside approvals, review and submit.
- Partners approve the application through their own UAE PASS.
- Pay. The licence is issued automatically after payment.
Because partners approve by UAE PASS, an overseas partner without a UAE identity can hold up the application. Tell us early if any partner is abroad.
Documents
- Certified copy of the lease contract or title deed
- Approvals from official authorities, depending on the activity
- Identity documents for each owner or partner
- Memorandum of association, for a company
- Licensing form
What is particular to Sharjah
- The utility deposit and lease attestation come before the licence, not after.
- Every partner confirms the application through UAE PASS, so each one needs it set up.
- SEDD also offers Eitimad, a home-based licence that is for UAE citizens only.
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 Sharjah Economic Development Department (SEDD) and the other regulators do.
Common questions
Who issues a mainland licence in Sharjah?
The Sharjah Economic Development Department (SEDD).
Can I apply for a Sharjah licence online?
Yes. SEDD's licence issuance service is online through UAE PASS, and the licence is issued automatically after payment.
Can a foreign resident use the Eitimad home licence?
No. SEDD describes Eitimad as a licence for citizens who want to run a business from home.
How much does a mainland licence in Sharjah 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 Sharjah
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.