Business Setup

In the United Arab Emirates, Dubai is considered to be the largest business city. As a dynamic and attractive location for business, investors from abroad are now welcome to own 100 percent of their mainland businesses in Dubai. By transforming its business environment, Dubai has become a global, central hub for business, attracting global investors and entrepreneurs.
Looking to start a business in Dubai? Professional help can make starting a business in Dubai simple. We offer business setup services related to Mainland in Dubai right from the very basics to Licensing, License renewal and a lot more. With prompt recommendations and support, we provide a helping hand to our esteemed clients. In our opinion, the greatest reward is to see our clients grow and succeed.
Establishing a conventional business in various emirates of the UAE by the conventional means requires a series of procedures and approvals from the Department of Economic Development and the other concerned authorities for official registration of the entity.
Steps in establishing a business in the UAE
There are several steps involved in establishing a business in the UAE, including:

1. Identifying the nature of the activity
   
   • The nature of the economic activity defines the legal form of the company and the type of license required.
   • There are six types of licenses, namely industrial license, commercial license, crafts license, tourism license, agricultural license, and professional license.
   • A license may include more than one business activity.
   • There are more than 2,000 various economic activities to select from in the list of businesses in the UAE.
2. Identifying the legal form
   The legal form mainly depends on the business requirements and identifies the laws and regulations to be complied with. One of the following legal forms may be selected in the State:
   • Partnership, limited partnership, limited liability company, public joint stock company, private joint stock company, branch of a foreign company.
   The legal form must be consistent with the economic activity.
3. Reservation and registration of the trade name
   The trade name is the name which distinguishes a license from other licenses to avoid confusion for the customer. The trade name must be related to the type of license or anything indicating the same.
4. Application for initial approval
   Initial approval means that the UAE Government does not have any objection to establishing the entity in the State and indicates that the next step for obtaining the commercial license could be taken. However, it does not constitute authorization to operate or to begin the practice of the business immediately. Foreign investors must obtain the approval of the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) before obtaining the initial approval.
5. Memorandum of association
   Depending on the legal form of the company, a memorandum of association may be required to be prepared and signed. A memorandum of association shall be made if the company takes any of the following legal forms:
   • Partnership
   • Limited partnership
   • Limited liability company
   • Private joint stock company
   • Public joint stock company
6. Selection of the location or address of the commercial activity
   All companies in the UAE must have an actual address for the economic activity. The commercial building and location must meet the requirements of the Department of Economic Development in each Emirate and the regulations of zoning by the municipality or the competent authority.
7. Obtaining the additional government approvals
   In certain cases, the activities require obtaining special approvals for licensing from (federal or local) government authorities regulating such activities.
8. Registration with the Chamber of Commerce
   Membership of the Chamber of Commerce of the relevant Emirate might be required before proceeding with carrying on the economic activity.