Alcohol service
DTCM (hotels and approved zones only)
HIGH RISK
Food license · 2026
Restaurant license in Dubai
Opening a restaurant needs a DET trade license and a Dubai Municipality food permit.
- DET licence + DM food permit
- Restaurant, cafeteria or cloud kitchen
- 3 to 6 weeks to open
- 100% foreign ownership
15+ years10,000+ engagements4.8 Google, 163+ reviewsISO certified
Food and beverage
What is a restaurant license in Dubai?
Two approvals, not one: a DET trade licence with an F&B activity code, and a Dubai Municipality food establishment permit.
2Approvals: DET license + DM food permit
3-6 wkRealistic time to open
100%Foreign ownership on mainland
Who Approves Your Restaurant
One authority licenses your company, another your kitchen. DET initial approval opens the DM process; the food permit closes it.
| Authority | What they do | When you meet them | Key output |
|---|---|---|---|
| DET | Registers the company and the F&B activity. | First, for initial approval | Trade license |
| DM Food Safety | Reviews the layout, inspects, issues the food permit. | After initial approval | Food permit |
| Civil Defence | Fire-safety NOC on kitchen and premises. | During fit-out | Fire-safety NOC |
| Drainage | Approves drainage and waste setup. | During fit-out | Drainage approval |
| MOHRE | Establishment card and labour file. | After the license issues | Establishment card |
- DETIssues the trade license with your food and beverage activity code.You meet them:First, for initial approval
- DM Food SafetyApproves your kitchen and issues the food establishment permit.You meet them:After initial approval
- Civil DefenceClears the premises on fire safety before the food permit.You meet them:During fit-out
- DrainageChecks drainage and waste systems meet the standard.You meet them:During fit-out
- MOHRERegisters the company to sponsor and hire your staff.You meet them:After the license issues
Which activity
Restaurant, cafeteria, or cloud kitchen?
The food activity you register changes your approvals, your premises rules, and your cost. Pick the one that matches how you actually serve.
| Factor | Restaurant | Cafeteria | Cloud kitchen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Full dine-in | Counter service | Delivery only |
| Dine-in seating | Yes | Limited | None |
| Inspection level | Highest | Standard | Standard |
| Front-of-house rules | Full | Lighter | None |
| Own food permit | Required | Required | Often inherited |
| Typical premises | Dine-in unit | Small unit | Shared kitchen |
The sequence
How to get a restaurant license in Dubai
Seven steps, in the order they actually happen. A well-prepared file runs 3 to 6 weeks. A failed first inspection pushes it past 8.
- Critical stage
Register and get initial approval
DET registers the company and your F&B activity code. Initial approval is the green light to lease.
Reserve trade name and activity
Choose a name and the exact food activity. The wrong activity code triggers amendments later.
Lease an F&B-zoned unit
Sign a lease zoned for food and beverage, then register Ejari. A retail unit is rejected.
- Critical stage
Submit the kitchen layout
DM reviews the layout before fit-out. Changing it after fit-out restarts the inspection.
Fit out and clear Civil Defence
Build to the approved layout and pass the Dubai Civil Defence fire-safety check.
- Critical stage
Pass the DM food inspection
Municipality inspects the premises, then issues the food establishment permit.
Finalise the license and open
With the food permit and completion certificate in hand, DET finalises the trade license.
Two numbers, kept apart
Licence cost and fit-out, kept apart
AED 0
Restaurant, mainland · License + government
Annual renewal
AED 0
Liability
Limited
You get the license cost and the total project cost as two figures.
Itemized breakdownAmount
Initial approval
DET no-objection to the activity
Trade name reservation
F&B trade name
DET trade license
Restaurant activity
DM food permit
Food establishment permit
Layout + Civil Defence
Layout approval and fire NOC
DMCS service fee
Both tracks managed in parallel
AED 0
Government fee · at costDMCS service · fixed
License is not fit-out
The license and government cost is separate from rent, fit-out and equipment, a far larger budget.
Year two in writing
Both the license and food permit renew yearly. We put the renewal figure in writing first.
Compliance costs named
HACCP, PIC and food-handler cards are shown as their own lines, not buried in one number.
Permits by concept
Extra Permits Your Concept May Trigger
Beyond the trade license and food permit, your concept can trigger more.
Pork on the menu
Dubai Municipality
MEDIUM RISK
Outdoor seating
Dubai Municipality
LOW RISK
Delivery platforms
Requires active license and permit
LOW RISK
Ramadan hours
Dubai Municipality
LOW RISK
Food-safety compliance
HACCP, PIC and food-handler cards
Dubai Municipality gates the food permit on food-safety compliance, all under the Dubai Food Code.
A HACCP plan gates the permit
A documented HACCP plan is submitted with your permit application. A missing plan stalls the permit, however fast the license issues.
One certified Person-in-Charge per shift
Every operating shift needs a certified Person-in-Charge (PIC) under the Dubai Food Code. An expired PIC was a top fine in 2025.
A health card for every food handler
Each food handler needs a valid Occupational Health Card, renewed yearly and checked at inspection. Register on FoodWatch too.
The grade follows you into year two
Inspections carry a public grade. An outlet below B is re-inspected before the permit renews, so compliance is an ongoing cost.
What you bring
Documents for a restaurant license
For a mainland restaurant file6 items
- Passport and Emirates ID copies of owners and partners
- F&B-zoned tenancy contract and registered Ejari
- Detailed kitchen layout and floor plan
- HACCP food-safety plan for the premises
- Dubai Municipality food-safety and Civil Defence approvals
- Menu of the restaurant, with prices
The tenancy activity must permit food and beverage use. A unit built for food service clears municipality approval faster than a bare shell.
Full document checklistWhich is right for you
Mainland or free zone?
For a dine-in restaurant, the answer is almost always mainland. The one real exception is a delivery-only kitchen, where a free zone can fit.
Best for dine-in
MainlandDET license
Free zoneZone authority license
Serve walk-in dinersPublic-facing venue anywhere in Dubai
Anywhere in Dubai
Restricted to inside the zone
Delivery-only kitchenCloud or central kitchen
Works well
Often cheaper here
Foreign ownershipWho holds the shares
100% since 2021
100%, always
Food permit routeDubai Municipality approval
Full DM permit and inspection
May inherit a master permit
Corporate tax9% above AED 375,000
9% standard rate
0% on qualifying income
Best for
Any restaurant or cafe serving walk-in customers across Dubai.
Delivery-only cloud kitchens and food-trading companies.
The honest verdict
If diners walk through your door, you need a mainland license. A free zone cannot serve the public without an agent or a branch.
Worth correcting
Restaurant myths, corrected
The misreadings that cost first-time restaurateurs time and money.
Myth
One license is enough to open the doors
Reality
No. You need a DET trade license and a Dubai Municipality food permit. Serving food before the permit is a criminal offence.
Myth
You need a local partner to open
Reality
Not since 2021. Federal Decree-Law No. 32 of 2021 gives 100% foreign ownership for mainland restaurants.
Myth
A food business in Dubai is tax free
Reality
No. Profit above AED 375,000 is taxed at 9% corporate tax, and VAT at 5% applies once you pass the registration threshold.
Myth
Opening takes about a week end to end
Reality
3 to 6 weeks for a well-prepared file. The 7-day figure is only the trade license, not the food permit that gates opening.
Myth
Any restaurant can serve alcohol
Reality
No. A standalone mainland restaurant generally cannot. Alcohol needs a DTCM license, limited to hotels and approved zones.
Myth
Fire clearance can be dealt with after opening.
Reality
It comes before the food permit. Civil Defence clears fire safety and Dubai Municipality checks drainage, then the food permit closes the sequence.
Why DMCS
Why open your restaurant with DMCS
Restaurant files live or die on the Dubai Municipality and Civil Defence approvals. That is the part we manage, not just the trade license.
Where restaurant files stall
We pre-check the kitchen layout before you fit out
The most expensive mistake is fitting out to a layout the municipality then rejects. We get the layout approved before a single wall goes up.
01
Both tracks in parallel
We run the DET license and the Dubai Municipality food permit at the same time, not one after the other, which is where months get lost.
02
The full permit list up front
Alcohol, pork, outdoor seating, delivery. We map every permit your concept triggers before you sign a lease, not after.
03
License and total cost, separated
You get the license and government figure and the fit-out figure as two numbers, with the year-two renewal in writing.
Real results from our clients
What our clients say about working with us
Real Google reviews from founders we have set up and kept compliant on the Dubai mainland.
A
Abdul Sami3 months ago
Thank you to the team for supporting us with our company setup. Our case was not straightforward, especially the bank account opening, but they stayed committed and got it done.
P
Paolo Chua8 months ago
I had a great experience opening a corporate bank account. The process was smooth and efficient. The staff were friendly, professional, and explained everything clearly.
A
Amy Elliott Dunne4 months ago
The accounting and bookkeeping service has been exceptional. Attention to detail is impressive, and communication is always clear. Tasks are handled promptly.
R
Rashed Al Falasi5 months ago
They confirmed our activity grouping before filing and flagged an issue the bank would have raised. Licensed in under two weeks with no surprises on the invoice.
M
Marwa Khalil2 months ago
We came for a mainland LLC and stayed for renewals and PRO work. The same team answers the phone after the license is issued, which is rare here.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Get your restaurant license quote
Tell us your concept and location and we return an itemized quote with the license, every municipality approval, and the year-two renewal, kept separate from your fit-out budget. No obligation.
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