Jurisdictions
UAE Mainland Company Formation
Direct access to the UAE's local market and government tenders — for businesses that need to trade freely inside the country, not just from it.
- Setup from
- AED 15,000–25,000 licence fee (activity-dependent)
- Typical timing
- 1–3 weeks depending on activity approvals
- Visa capacity
- scales with office size (Ejari-registered)
- Office format
- physical office required, registered via Ejari
When Mainland is better
Yes, if
- You sell directly to UAE-based retail or corporate customers, or plan to bid on government tenders
- Your activity needs a real shopfront, clinic, restaurant or similar customer-facing premises
- You want to operate anywhere in the UAE without the restriction of a single free zone's jurisdiction
Not the best fit, if
- Your clients are entirely outside the UAE or in other free zones — a free zone licence (IFZA/Meydan/DMCC) will be simpler and usually cheaper
- You don't need a physical, Ejari-registered office — free zones offer a flexi-desk alternative that Mainland does not
Documents — typical
- Passport copies of all shareholders and managers
- Proof of address for individual shareholders
- Attested corporate documents for any corporate shareholder
- Ejari-registered tenancy contract (or a pre-approval letter before licence issuance)
- No Objection Certificate from a current sponsor, if applicable to the applicant's existing visa status
Process
1Choose activity and legal form (LLC is standard for most foreign-owned mainland businesses since the 2021 100%-ownership reform)
2Reserve trade name and obtain initial approval from the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET)
3Draft and notarise the Memorandum of Association
4Secure an Ejari-registered office or a pre-approval letter
5Obtain any external activity-specific approvals (food, health, education, construction, etc.)
6Pay DET fees and receive the trade licence
7Apply for the Establishment Card and visas; open the corporate bank account
Pricing — Mainland
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Professional licence (services/consulting) | from AED 16,900 |
| Commercial licence (trading, retail) | from AED 16,900 |
| Industrial licence | Price on request |
| Local Service Agent (where required for a foreign professional licence) | Price on request |
| Per visa (all-in) | Price on request |
Policy note
Since the 2021 federal reform, most commercial and industrial activities allow 100% foreign ownership on the mainland without a local Emirati partner. A minority of "strategic impact" activities may still require local participation — A&D verifies this per activity before quoting.
Final price depends on activity, structure and visa quota — request a fixed quote.
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REF · MAINLAND UAE
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