Are you at a dead end trying to figure out how you can start your business in Dubai? Perhaps you are already a seasoned entrepreneur who wants to move to Dubai and take advantage of the city’s optimal taxation laws, liberal commerce laws, and other economic benefits but you are also confused about the many conflicting information available over the Internet about the subject.
You don’t have to spend numerous hours reading up on what you need to do in order to get the ball rolling with your company set up in Dubai. Here we will lay out the most important information that will already get you up to speed on the entire company formation process. Once you have gone through these basics, you can always go ahead and speak to one of our company formation consultants so we can begin assisting you in the company formation process in Dubai.
Free Trade Zone versus Mainland Company
To begin with, when setting up your company in Dubai, you have to decide if you are going to have the business setup in a free trade zone or in the mainland of Dubai. Why? Because the location you choose will also dictate the type of business operation you are allowed to conduct.
If you decide to establish your company in a free trade zone, you can have full ownership of your business but you cannot conduct operations within the mainland city of Dubai. All your transactions are only allowed to be conducted within the free zone or outside the country. For example, if you are engaged in trade of goods, import, export, and similar services, then a free zone office is suitable for your business.
However, if you would like to set up a retail store for your products and want to sell to the local residents of Dubai, you would need to apply for a mainland office. This type of company allows you to have stores in different malls or business establishments in Dubai and freely sell your items or services to the local public.
You Will Need Business Licenses to Operate in Dubai
Before you can start your operation in Dubai, you will also need to acquire the appropriate company licenses. These licenses also have corresponding fees and may have different requirements for you to complete.
Commercial License – this is the license you need if your company plans to conduct businesses related to trade. For example, supplying goods like canned products, dry goods, or other consumer supplies.
Industrial License – this is the type of license issued to companies that will engage in manufacturing or other types of industrial activities.
Professional License – this license is for individuals or groups that would like to offer their expertise as services to the general public. For example, professionals, artists, crafts people would fall under this license.
When applying for these licenses, applicants will transact with the Department of Economic Development (DED) in Dubai, which is the government agency taking care of the issuance of various licenses and permits for businesses. If you are still overwhelmed about the selection process for your company, feel free to reach to one of our consultants today for a free consultation regarding company formation process in Dubai.