Sheikh Zayed Road at blue hour from above, traffic drawn into ribbons of gold light between lit towers

Dubai · Mainland licence

Dubai Mainland

Direct access to the full UAE market, government contracts and the broadest activity scope. Licensed by the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism.

Foreign ownership, most activities
100%
Statutory fee lines in a licence
8 to 12
Blocks of government fees in every quote
4
Sell directly, bid for government contracts
UAE-wide
Ideal for
Businesses that sell across the UAE or bid for government work

Your Dubai Mainland figures

Get the Dubai Mainland cost, itemised, in your inbox.

A mainland licence is priced on your activity, your premises and your visa numbers. Tell us your plan and we email every government fee, at cost, and an advisor follows up to pin the details. No hidden costs.

How a mainland quote is built

Four blocks of government fees, then our fee.

Every mainland estimate sets out the same blocks, each against a pinned specification. Our fee is one line, stated apart: subject to your needs, we will discuss.

  1. 01

    Government and authority fees, one off

    Trade name reservation, initial approval, MOA notarisation, drawing of contract per partner, technical evaluation, typing and service centre charges, external regulator approvals, licence issuance.

  2. 02

    Government and authority fees, recurring annually

    Trade licence, market or municipality fee, chamber of commerce membership, Ejari registration, immigration establishment card, e-channel renewal, external regulator renewals.

  3. 03

    Premises

    Annual rent plus attestation, fit-out and signage permits. Stated against an assumed floor area and the visa quota it supports.

  4. 04

    Per person immigration

    Work permit for employees, entry permit or in-country status change, medical fitness, Emirates ID, residence issuance, health insurance and typing. Investor and partner visas need no work permit and consume no quota.

What we pin before we quote

  • The exact activity, and whether it triggers an external regulator
  • Floor area and annual rent, because the market fee is a percentage of it
  • Shell condition and fit-out scope
  • Headcount, because visa quota is bought with square metres
  • Whether a Local Service Agent is required for your structure

Limits

Visas
Set by registered floor area. Investor and partner visas consume no quota.
Activities
The broadest scope of any structure. Some activities need an external regulator.
Market
Sell directly anywhere in the UAE, and bid for government contracts.
Mainland in practice

Worth knowing before you choose.

  1. 01

    Who files it

    Mainland formations run through licensed execution partners while we hold the advisory relationship, with direct filing being built emirate by emirate.

  2. 02

    Ownership

    Most mainland activities have permitted 100% foreign ownership since the 2021 reform. We check yours before anything is filed.

  3. 03

    The hybrid route

    A free zone company with a Mainland Operating Permit sits between the two, where activity eligibility allows, with written scope limitations.

  4. 04

    Not sure yet?

    Free zone or mainland is the first decision that matters. Our structure matcher walks you through it.

Other routes into the UAE.

All free zones

Start here

Start with a conversation.

One no-obligation consultation. We discuss your goals, answer your questions, and recommend a clear path forward. No cost. No pressure. Just clarity.