Trading License in Dubai

A Dubai company may apply for one of the following licenses:

• The trade license is also known as the commercial license in Dubai.
• The industrial license.
• The professional license.

Our company formation representatives in Dubai can offer complete information about each type of business license required in Dubai, including the general trading license in Dubai. We can also assist with the registration of a company in Dubai which implies obtaining a trade license, where such a permit is necessary.

Foreign investors starting any type of business in Dubai – UAE must pay attention to the requirements of the Company Law which provides for all the steps one must complete in order to have a company up and running. One must also pay attention to the business license he/she needs to operate in Dubai, as this reflects the operations the business will carry out.

What is a Dubai trade license?

Obtaining a business license is perhaps the most important part of setting up a company in Dubai. The most employed type of business permit is the trade license in Dubai, also referred to as the commercial license and which designates most of the activities that can be carried out across the UAE. The trade license is issued by the Department of Economic Development (DED) in Dubai.

Also known as a general trading license in Dubai, this business permit can be used for the following activities:

• For the import and export of goods, and it is usually requested by trading companies registered in Dubai;
• For carrying out various types of commercial activities, such as the sale of goods and services in Dubai;
• The general trade license can also be obtained by companies registered in Dubai free zones;
• The trade license can also be obtained by professionals offering services in a specific industry.

The trade license in a Dubai free zone

The requirements applicable to those opening companies on the mainland in Dubai also apply to those setting up companies in free zones in the city-state and seeking to obtain a general or professional trade license. Our agents can offer information about a Dubai free zone license cost.

The trade license, when applied for in a Dubai free zone, will be issued by the authority of the respective free zone. The particularity of the trading license issued to a free zone company is that it can only be used for completing trading or commercial activities in the respective free zone. Nevertheless, free zone companies come with many advantages, and our company formation experts in Dubai can also help foreign investors who want to register free zone companies with full foreign ownership.

The general trading license in Dubai

The general trading license in Dubai can be issued for companies dealing with import and export affairs. Goods like electronics, foodstuff, textiles, furniture, or equipment can be traded by a company in Dubai. This means that one should establish an import and export company for which a general trading license is issued by DED. It is important to note that such a license cannot be issued for companies with import and export activities dealing with cars, medicine, chemicals, or alcohol. There are specific conditions to meet in this direction and approvals to obtain from particular governmental and municipal authorities. The tenancy contract attested by Ejari plus the Memorandum of Association is among the necessary documents for a trading license in Dubai. DED will verify the license applications and issue the documents you need for your firm in Dubai. We have a dedicated team of specialists in company formation who will help entrepreneurs obtain the proper business license in Dubai.