Dubai Mainland
Company Formation.
A DET licence lets you sell directly to UAE customers, hold a retail or food site and bid for government work. Government charges and our fee are itemised below — no bundles, no surprises.
Professional licence from AED 14,703
What the fixed fees cover
Every DET line below is charged by the authority. The DET administrative charge, Knowledge Dirham and Innovation Dirham are already inside these figures — they are not added again.
| Description | Amount (AED) |
|---|---|
| Trade name reservation | 786 |
| Initial approval | 290 |
| Payment voucher | 282 |
| Memorandum of Association — notarisation | 345 |
| Ejari registration (tenancy contract) | 210 |
| Establishment card | 660 |
| Labour card file & inspection | 660 |
| Sub-total — fixed fees | 3,233 |
| My Eloah service fee | 1,470 |
| Fixed fees + our fee | 4,703 |
The licence fee sits on top and depends on your activity category. We quote the lowest band for your category — DET sets the final figure on the payment voucher, and we confirm it with you before anything is paid.
Price your Dubai mainland licence
Pick your activity category and how many residence visas you need. Office lease is excluded — you arrange your own premises.
Licence, government charges and our fee. Residence visas and office lease are shown separately.
- Fixed government feesAED 3,233
- My Eloah service feeAED 1,470
- Licence feeAED 10,000
- Residence visasAED 0
What is not in the number
Office lease
Ejari registration is required before the licence issues. A virtual or flexi-desk starts around AED 2,500 a year for eligible activities; you arrange the premises yourself.
Market fee
DET collects 5% of your annual office rent with the licence, capped at AED 20,000 and recurring annually. We do not quote it because it follows your rent, not the setup.
External approvals
Some activities need a sign-off from Dubai Municipality, DHA, RTA, SIRA or KHDA. We tell you before you pay whether yours does, and what it costs.
Issuance takes 3 to 5 working days once the file is complete. Free with every formation: bank account opening support, FTA corporate tax registration, 500 business cards and a company stamp — worth AED 2,100.
Questions we get asked
Why is the licence fee shown as a from-price?
DET sets the final licence fee per activity on the payment voucher. We publish the lowest band for each category so you can plan, then confirm the exact figure with you before anything is paid.
Can I own 100% of a Dubai mainland company?
Yes, for most activities, under the amended Commercial Companies Law. A small list of strategic activities still requires an Emirati partner or agent — we check yours at the activity-search stage.
Investor visa or employment visa?
Each person takes one or the other, never both. The investor visa at AED 2,730 is for shareholders; the employment visa at AED 4,332 is for staff on the company's MOHRE file.
What is the change of status fee?
AED 700 per person, and only if the applicant is already inside the UAE on another status when the visa is processed. It does not apply to someone entering on the new entry permit.