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Trade directly with the UAE's largest market. A Dubai mainland license gives you unrestricted access to local customers, government contracts and premium locations, with 100% foreign ownership on most activities.
Downtown DubaiLicensed by the Dubai Department of Economy & Tourism (DET), a mainland company trades anywhere in the UAE without restrictions.
Dubai is the region's commercial capital, home to the UAE's biggest consumer market, its busiest ports and airports, and the widest choice of office and retail locations from Business Bay to JLT.
Foreign ownership on most Dubai activities
Working days to licence, typical
Visa quota, scales with office space
Trade with no territorial restriction
The activity groups we license most often in Dubai. If yours is not listed, ask us, the authority publishes hundreds of sub-activities and we will match the right one.
sell directly to the UAE market with no local distributor
consultancies, agencies, IT and management firms
construction, maintenance and brokerage activities
F&B, travel and hospitality licenses
local fulfilment and direct-to-consumer sales
clinics, training institutes and specialist practices
Mainland cost moves with three things: your activity, whether you need physical office space, and how many visas you want. The panel shows a typical professional setup.
Every Dubai mainland setup with Breeo includes activity selection, trade name reservation, MOA drafting, initial approval, licence issuance and PRO support for external approvals. You get a written cost breakdown before you commit, and we do not add service fees on government charges.
Indicative. Exact quote confirmed in writing before you commit.
The honest comparison. Mainland is right when you sell to UAE customers on the ground, but it is not the cheapest or fastest route, so compare before you commit.
| Free zone | Mainland | Offshore | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foreign ownership | 100% | 100% on most activities | 100% |
| Trade inside the UAE | Through a distributor or branch | Yes, unrestricted | No |
| Corporate tax | 0% on qualifying income | 9% above AED 375,000 | 0% on foreign income |
| Visas | Tied to package, scalable | Unlimited, scales with office | None |
| Office required | Flexi desk included | Physical office (Ejari) | Registered address only |
| Typical setup time | 2 to 5 working days | 5 to 10 working days | About 1 week |
| Indicative from | AED 5,750 | AED 14,500 | AED 12,000 |
| Best for | Consultancies, trading, e-commerce | Retail, contracting, government work | Holding, asset protection |
Indicative figures. Corporate tax treatment depends on your activity and qualifying income, we confirm your position in writing before you commit.
Yes, on most commercial and professional activities. A small list of strategic activities still requires an Emirati partner or agent, and we check your specific activity before you pay anything.
For a Dubai mainland licence, yes. You need a tenancy contract registered with Ejari, and your visa quota is calculated from that space. Free zone flexi desks do not satisfy this.
Typically 5 to 10 working days from document submission to licence, assuming your activity does not need external approvals. Activities like healthcare, education and legal take longer.
Licence plus office plus visas. The panel above shows an indicative professional setup, but the number moves with your activity and space. We give you an itemised written quote first.
Send us your activity and visa count. We will come back with an exact, itemised quote the same day.
Find out how much it'll cost to start your company. Get a clear estimate based on your activity, visas and office requirements. Plan smarter with full confidence.
A step-by-step tool that gives you an accurate cost range in under a minute.
Our team follows up with personalised guidance so you can choose the best setup option.
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