DUDubai Mainland (DET)

Mainland licences in Dubai are issued by the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET). Some activities also need approval from another authority before the licence is issued.

We haven’t verified an official mainland price list for Dubai yet, so we don’t show a figure rather than guess. The total depends on your activity, your office lease and how many visas you need. For a quote, tap “Get help on WhatsApp” on this page, or compare Dubai free zones that publish their prices.

Mainland suits trading with UAE customers, retail, government tenders. Its main advantages: trade anywhere in UAE, government tenders. The trade-off: office cost extra, employee visas costlier. A free zone is usually cheaper and faster if your customers are mainly abroad or online — see free zones in Dubai.

For most commercial and professional activities, yes — UAE law has allowed full foreign ownership of mainland companies since 2021. A short list of strategic activities still has ownership limits, so confirm your activity with the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) before you apply.