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Business setup in Dubai has two halves. The first is forming the company: choosing the activity, the legal form, and mainland or free zone. The second is the government paperwork that follows: the establishment card, labour file, visas and renewals. Typing centers and PRO teams do the second half. They are not the right place for company formation advice, and this site does not give it.
Mainland vs free zone in one paragraph
Since Federal Decree-Law No. 26 of , foreigners can own 100% of most mainland companies. These are licensed by the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) and need a business lease registered in Ejari. Free zone companies also allow full foreign ownership, but generally cannot sell directly into the mainland without a licensed distributor or a mainland branch. For tax, the UAE government portal gives corporate tax at 0% up to AED 375,000 of taxable income and 9% above; how it applies to your company is a question for the FTA or a registered tax agent, not this site.
What setup usually costs
These are published price lists of free zones and business setup consultants, checked . They are market ranges, not official fees, and they move with the activity and the package.
| Licence | No visa | With 1 visa |
|---|---|---|
| Dubai mainland (DET), government fees | about AED 13,900 to 16,200 | about AED 18,750 to 21,050 |
| Free zone, Sharjah zones such as SHAMS and SPC | from about AED 5,750 | about AED 11,700 to 15,000 |
| Free zone, Meydan or IFZA | about AED 12,500 to 12,900 | about AED 20,700 to 21,450 |
| DMCC, year one | not quoted | about AED 34,000 to 50,000 |
Office rent comes on top of the mainland figures. Renewal in year two is a separate bill; see trade licence renewal.
The mainland steps, in order
The UAE government portal lists the mainland route as: choose the activity, the legal form and the licence type; reserve the trade name; get initial approval; sign the MOA where the legal form needs one; register the location and lease, which in Dubai means Ejari; get any extra approvals for the activity; then pay and collect the licence. Pay within 30 days of the payment voucher, or DET cancels the application.
What a typing center or PRO team can do for you
| Task | Authority | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Establishment card | GDRFA | Needed before the company can sponsor anyone; GDRFA states 48 hours |
| MOHRE company file and work permits | MOHRE | Mainland staff; online or at a Tasheel business service center |
| Investor and staff visas | GDRFA | Entry permit, medical test, Emirates ID, stamping |
| Ejari for the office lease | Dubai Land Department | AED 177.75 online, AED 220 at a trustee center |
| Trade licence renewal | DET or the free zone | Needs a valid registered lease on the mainland |
| Document typing | Varies | Application forms, MOA typing, powers of attorney |
| Certificate attestation | MOFA and UAE embassies | Degrees for work permits, company documents |
Ejari fees: Dubai Land Department fee page, checked .
The establishment card fees are on establishment card in Dubai, and what a PRO retainer costs is on PRO services in Dubai. Renewal steps and the late fine question are on the trade licence renewal page. For the office lease, see Ejari at typing centers.
What it cannot do
- Tell you which free zone or legal form suits your business.
- Give tax, accounting or audit advice. That is for an accountant or a registered tax agent.
- Choose your licence activities. You know what the company will do; the form only records it.
- Guarantee an approval. GDRFA, MOHRE and DET make the decision.
If you work alone and only need your own residence, a freelance permit and visa may suit you better than a company.
Why the paperwork half still matters
A licence on its own sponsors no one. Until the establishment card is open, no visa can be filed, and until the MOHRE file exists, a mainland company cannot issue work permits (see the employment visa page). Staff in skilled work permit categories need attested certificates, and if a degree was issued abroad the attestation starts in that country; see certificate attestation in Dubai. Start those early, before the first hire.
After the licence: what the partner team files
Once DET or the free zone issues your licence, send a copy and the number of visas you need. The partner team opens the GDRFA establishment card, sets up the MOHRE file for mainland staff, registers the office lease in Ejari, then types and submits each visa and books every medical test and Emirates ID appointment. New companies most often lose weeks when the Ejari name does not match the licence. You avoid the Amer and Tasheel queues and keep one person tracking renewal dates. Each job is quoted as one total, government fees and the service charge itemised, before work starts.
