New Trade License in the UAE
A new trade license is the first legal step to trading in the UAE. It names your company, fixes the activities you are allowed to carry out, and ties them to a registered address.
This page covers the license itself: which type you need, what it costs, how the application runs, how to verify one, and what renewal involves. For visas, family sponsorship and the wider setup process, see business setup in Dubai.
Free-zone licenses from AED 3,699 · Commercial, professional, industrial & e-commerce · Tabby instalments available · Dubai, UAE
How the application runs
What is a trade license in the UAE?
A trade license is an official authorisation issued by a licensing authority that permits a person or company to carry out specific business activities in the UAE. Without one you cannot legally invoice, contract or open a corporate bank account.
Two things about it are worth understanding early, because they decide most of what follows.
It is activity-bound. A license does not permit “business” in general — it permits the activities listed on it. Adding an activity later is possible but costs more than including it at the outset.
It is address-bound. Every license is issued against a registered address, whether that is a flexi-desk, an office or a warehouse. The facility you hold also governs how many residence visas you can sponsor.
Which type of trade license do you need?
| License type | For |
|---|---|
| Commercial | Trading, buying and selling goods, general commerce |
| Professional | Services, consultancy, and skill-based work |
| Industrial | Manufacturing, processing and industrial activity |
| E-commerce | Online selling and digital services |
There is also the e-Trader license, a Dubai DED license aimed at home-based businesses and individuals selling through social media. It permits online trading under a personal name but does not allow a physical shopfront or, in most cases, visa sponsorship — so it suits a side business rather than a company you intend to grow.
Choosing the wrong category is the most expensive early mistake, because correcting it usually means re-licensing rather than amending.
If your activity involves food, hospitality, beauty or healthcare staff, their roles can also require an Occupational Health Card. We handle OHC processing in Dubai for individuals and companies.
How much does a trade license cost in Dubai?
A UAE free-zone license starts at AED 3,699 with us. That covers the license itself:
| Included in AED 3,699 | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Full ownership | 100% ownership, no local partner required |
| Flexi-desk address | The registered address the license is issued against |
| Up to 10 business activities | The activities your license permits |
| Memorandum of association | The company’s constitutional document |
That price includes no residence visa. If you need visas, the package changes:
| Package | Price |
|---|---|
| License only — no visas | AED 3,699 |
| License + 1 visa | AED 8,499 |
| License + 2 visas | AED 12,999 |
| License + 3 visas | AED 15,999 |
| License + 4 visas | AED 18,999 |
| License + 5 visas | AED 22,999 |
| Larger packages, up to 8 visas | On request, to AED 32,999 |
Tabby instalments available.
Mainland licenses are quoted differently. A free-zone license has a published fee, which is why we can state one. A mainland license does not — its cost moves with the activities you register and with the rent on the office or warehouse it is issued against, and those are not fixed by the government either. We scope a mainland setup first and quote second, rather than publish a number we would have to revise.
What sits outside these figures — the establishment card and immigration file, the annual renewal, and any attestation or translation — is set out in full on the business setup page.
How do you apply for a new trade license?
- Select the business activity — this determines the license type and which approvals apply
- Reserve the trade name — checked against UAE naming rules and registered
- Obtain initial approval — from the relevant licensing authority for your activity
- Prepare the documentation — memorandum of association, shareholder documents and registration forms, with attestation or legal translation where required
- Submit the application — to the licensing authority
- License issued — your company can now trade
We handle each stage and deal with the authority directly, including any query raised during review.
We work with both free-zone authorities and the mainland Department of Economy and Tourism, so the route is chosen on what suits your activity rather than on which one we can process.
How do I check or verify a UAE trade license?
Licenses can be verified with the authority that issued them. For Dubai mainland companies that is the Department of Economy and Tourism; free-zone companies are verified through their own zone’s registry. A valid license will show the company name, license number, listed activities, the registered address and an expiry date.
It is worth checking before you pay a supplier, sign a partnership, or accept a large order from a company you have not dealt with before. The two details that matter most are the expiry date and whether the activities listed actually cover the work you are contracting for — a company trading outside its licensed activities is a risk to you as well as to itself.
When and how do I renew a trade license?
A trade license is valid for a fixed term, normally one year, and must be renewed before it expires. Renewal generally requires a valid registered address or tenancy for the period ahead, settlement of any outstanding fees, and current company documents.
Two points people underestimate:
Renewal is not only the license. The establishment card, the facility agreement and each residence visa run on their own cycles. Budget them together, not separately.
Late renewal carries penalties. Fines accrue while a license is expired, and an expired license can hold up visa processing and bank operations in the meantime.
We quote renewal at the same time as setup, so the recurring figure is visible from the start rather than at the eleven-month mark.
Which emirate or free zone should you license in?
This decides your costs for as long as the company exists — the renewal, the visa allocation, the facility options and in some cases who you can invoice.
Licensing in Ajman, Umm Al Quwain or Ras Al Khaimah is typically cheaper on the license line than a central Dubai zone, and for a consultancy serving clients remotely that can be exactly right. If you need a Dubai address for credibility, walk-in customers or a specific activity approval, it is not.
We are authorised channel partners for Innovation City, RAKEZ, Meydan Free Zone, UAQ Free Trade Zone, Ajman Free Zone, ANC Free Zone, IFZA and Shams — so the recommendation comes from your activity and visa plan, not from which zone we happen to process.
Why choose Seal & Signature for your trade license?
- The full cost quoted up front — license, visas and renewal together, before you commit
- Authorised channel partners for the major UAE free zones
- Attestation and translation in-house — corporate documents do not go to a second provider
- We deal with the authority, including any query raised during review
- Based in Dubai, working across all seven emirates
Message us on WhatsApp at +971 55 937 1335 with your planned activity and visa count, and we will come back with the license type, the zone that fits, and the cost at setup and at renewal.
Frequently Asked Questions
A UAE free-zone license starts at AED 3,699 with us, covering full ownership, a flexi-desk address, up to 10 business activities and the memorandum of association. That price includes no residence visa — packages with visas start at AED 8,499 for one visa. Mainland licenses are quoted after scoping, because their cost depends on your activities and your office or warehouse rent.
Commercial for trading, professional for services and consultancy, industrial for manufacturing, and e-commerce for online business. Dubai also issues an e-Trader license for home-based and social-media sellers.
A Dubai DED license for individuals trading online or through social media under their own name. It does not permit a physical shopfront and generally does not carry visa sponsorship, so it suits a side business rather than a growing company.
It depends on the activity and the authority. Straightforward free-zone applications with complete documents are quick; activities needing external approvals take longer. We confirm a realistic timeline once we know the activity.
Verify with the issuing authority — the Department of Economy and Tourism for Dubai mainland companies, or the relevant free zone’s registry. Check the expiry date and confirm the listed activities cover the work you are contracting for.
Yes, normally annually, and before expiry. The establishment card, facility agreement and each residence visa renew on their own cycles. Late renewal carries fines and can hold up visa and banking processes.
No. The license registers the company; a residence visa is a separate application, and the company needs an establishment card and immigration file before it can sponsor anyone. See our business setup page for the full picture.
Licensing in the northern emirates is usually cheaper on the license line than a central Dubai zone. The cheapest option at setup is not always cheapest over five years once renewal, visa allocation and facility requirements are counted.
Get your trade license cost, at setup and at renewal
Send us your planned activity and visa count. We will come back with the license type, the zone that fits, and the cost at setup and at renewal.
