How to Get a Mainland Trade License in Dubai

For an entrepreneur, 2026 is considered to be a great year to start a business in Dubai. Dubai’s tax-friendly atmosphere, world-class infrastructure and its strategic location between East and West continue to attract investors from throughout the world. A mainland trade license is your key to complete access to the local UAE market and the […]

The moment your mainland trade license passes its expiry date, your company is trading illegally in the UAE. Nothing stops working on your screen, invoices still go out, staff still show up, but in government records your business is no longer authorised to operate. From that day, fines start, visa services freeze, and your bank […]

Dubai is the preferred place for entrepreneurs, investors, and international businesses to establish a solid base in the UAE. Setting up a Dubai mainland company is one of the most significant decisions, especially for businesses that want to serve clients across the UAE. This is the question that most entrepreneurs ask: How much does it […]

To check if a business activity is available in a free zone, open the free zone authority’s official approved activity list, search for your exact activity, and match it to a listed activity code. Then confirm in writing with the authority that the code covers what you actually plan to do, before you pay any […]

You expand a free zone company into mainland Dubai by applying for a license or permit from the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, known as the DET, rather than by closing your free zone company or building a second one from the ground up. Since March 2025, under Executive Council Resolution No. 11 of […]

Over the last ten years, Dubai has taken down barriers that once made foreign growth difficult. If you already have a foreign business, opening a branch office in Dubai is now one of the simplest ways to enter the UAE market. You can continue to operate under your current name, keep full ownership, and avoid […]