DET
Issues the mainland trade licence, the document that proves your company is registered.
Company registration · 2026
Company Registration in Dubai
The DET process that makes your business a legal entity able to trade, hire and bank.
Filed with DET and FTA since 2009.
The Exchange Tower, Business Bay, Dubai.
Start here
What registration actually involves
Registration and licensing happen together on the mainland. The trade licence you receive is the proof of registration.
At a glance
5–7 days
End to end for a straightforward case, once your documents are complete.
AED 15,500+
Typical all-in first year, licence, MOA notarisation and Chamber membership included.
100%
Foreign ownership on most mainland activities since the 2021 reform.
The short answer
What is company registration in Dubai?
Incorporating your business with DET: reserve a trade name, secure initial approval, notarise the MOA, register the lease, and receive your trade licence.
6steps from activity to trade licence
DETthe authority, formerly known as DED
3–5 dayslicence issuance once documents are complete
Where you register
Mainland vs Free Zone vs Offshore, by registration
Three routes, three different registers. What changes is who licenses you and where you may trade.
| At registration | Most commonMainlandRegistered with DET | Free ZoneRegistered with the zone | OffshoreNon-resident vehicle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trades directly across the UAE | |||
| Appears on Dubai's commercial register | |||
| Notarised MOA at registration | |||
| Ejari-registered lease required | |||
| Can sponsor residence visas | |||
| Registering authority | Dubai DET | The individual zone authority | A registered agent |
| Typical timeline | 5–7 working days | 3–10 working days, zone-dependent | 5–10 working days |
The route that trades anywhere in the UAE
Mainland
Registration with DET is what lets you invoice UAE customers directly and bid for government work.
Faster to register, narrower to trade in
Free Zone
Trading onshore normally means a distributor or a dual licence, added after registration.
A holding vehicle, not a trading licence
Offshore
No commercial register entry, no lease, and no residence visas.
RequiredSometimesNot required
Be ready
Documents required to register
For most mainland registrations this is the core list. Your exact documents follow your structure and activity.
Every applicant
Identity
Passport copy
Valid 6+ months, for every shareholder and manager.
Passport-size photo
Recent, white background, per UAE specification.
NOC from current sponsor
If a shareholder holds a UAE visa under another company.
About the company
Company
Trade name and activity
Reserved with DET, chosen from the DET activity list.
Initial approval certificate
DET's no-objection to your setup, before the licence is issued.
Notarised MOA
Mainland LLCs. Notarisation typically runs AED 2,000 to 3,500.
Premises and parent
Premises
Ejari-registered tenancy
DET will not finalise a licence against an unregistered lease.
Parent company documents
MOFA-attested, for branches and subsidiaries.
External approval
Only for regulated activities, confirmed before you pay anything.
When your shareholder is a company
A corporate shareholder adds two documents an individual owner never needs: a certificate of incorporation for the parent, and a board resolution authorising the investment. If issued abroad, both need MOFA attestation before DET will accept them.
Reserve the name first. The trade name reservation gates initial approval, so it is the first filing, not a later one.
Ejari is not optional. A signed but unregistered lease will not get a mainland licence past DET review.
The full checklist is separate. Structure-by-structure detail, and the attestation chain, are on the documents guide.
Who Registers Your Company
Registration is not one desk. Four bodies touch the file before a licence is issued, and a fifth after it.
| Authority | What they do | When you meet them | Key output |
|---|---|---|---|
| DET | Reserves the trade name, grants initial approval, issues the trade licence. | Throughout registration | Trade licence |
| Notary Public | Witnesses and stamps the MOA before DET will accept it. | After initial approval | Notarised MOA |
| Land Department | Registers the commercial lease DET requires before licensing. | After securing an office | Ejari certificate |
| Chamber of Commerce | Registers the company and issues certificates of origin. | After licensing | Chamber membership |
| Bank | Checks licence, MOA and, for some activities, a business plan. | After licensing | Corporate bank account |
- DETThe Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, formerly DED.You meet them:Throughout registration
- Notary PublicNotarises the Memorandum of Association for mainland LLCs.You meet them:After initial approval
- Land DepartmentRuns Ejari, the mandatory tenancy registration system.You meet them:After securing an office
- Chamber of CommerceMembership follows registration for most commercial activities.You meet them:After licensing
- BankReviews the registration file again for account opening.You meet them:After licensing
The process
How Registration Runs, Step by Step
Six steps from choosing your activity to holding the licence. A straightforward case runs 5 to 7 working days.
6 steps5–7 working days1 dedicated manager
- 1
Fix your structure and activity
Before filingLLC, sole establishment, branch or civil company, and an activity from the DET list. Getting either wrong causes most delays.
Structure confirmedActivity code - 2
Reserve your trade name
Day 1Filed with DET against the naming rules. The reservation costs around AED 620 and holds for a set window.
Trade name reservation - 3
Secure initial approval
Day 1–2DET's no-objection to your setup, priced by activity at roughly AED 120 to 1,020. It gates every filing after it.
Initial approval certificate - 4
Notarise the MOA
Day 2–4Mainland LLCs sign the Memorandum of Association before a notary. Notarisation typically runs AED 2,000 to 3,500.
Notarised MOA - 5
Register your lease through Ejari
Day 2–5Sign a commercial lease and register it. DET will not finalise the licence without the Ejari certificate in the file.
Ejari certificate - 6
Receive your trade licence
Day 3–5With documents and approvals in place the licence is issued, and your company appears on the commercial register.
Trade licenceCommercial register entry - Timeline indicative, confirm with DET
Registered and licensed
Trading, hiring and banking are all open to you from this point.
Straight answers
Registration Myths, Corrected
What founders are still told about registering in Dubai, and what actually applies.
Myth
DED registers your mainland company
Reality
DET does. The Department of Economy and Tourism replaced the DED name, and correspondence using the old one still circulates.
Myth
Registration and licensing are two separate steps
Reality
On the mainland they are one. The trade licence you receive is the proof of registration, and your entry on the commercial register follows it.
Myth
You need a local partner holding 51%
Reality
Not since the 2021 reform. Foreign founders hold 100% of most commercial and professional activities; a short strategic-impact list still carries conditions.
Myth
Registration takes about a month
Reality
A straightforward case runs 5 to 7 working days end to end. Regulated activities needing external approvals are what stretch to one to four weeks.
Myth
You can register against a virtual address
Reality
A mainland licence needs a commercial lease registered through Ejari. A signed but unregistered contract will not pass DET review.
Myth
Any activity can be picked and changed later
Reality
The activity sets your licence type and any external approvals, and it is checked against the DET activity list before the trade name is reserved.
Avoid these
Where Registrations Stall
The five errors that hold up a Dubai registration, and what each one costs.
Activity
Choosing the activity after the trade name
The activity sets the licence type and any external approval, so a late change can undo the reservation.
Do this instead: confirm the activity against the DET list before reserving anything.
Structure
Defaulting to an LLC without checking
Sole establishment, branch and civil company each register differently and carry different liability.
Do this instead: match the structure to the ownership and liability you actually want.
Premises
Treating a signed lease as finished
An unregistered tenancy contract will not satisfy DET, however complete the rest of the file is.
Do this instead: register the lease through Ejari before expecting the licence.
Approvals
Missing an external approval until the end
Regulated activities need a separate approval, and it is what turns a one-week case into a four-week one.
Do this instead: flag regulated activities at consultation, before any fee is paid.
Authority
Filing under the old DED name
DET replaced DED, and correspondence using the former still appears in older checklists.
Do this instead: use DET as the current name in all mainland correspondence.
Why choose us
Registered right the first time
The two decisions, made first
Structure and activity are confirmed against the DET list before a trade name is reserved, which is where most delays begin.
Itemised before you commit
Trade name, initial approval, licence, MOA notarisation and Chamber membership, each priced in writing.
Regulated activities flagged early
If your activity needs an external approval we say so at consultation, before any fee is paid.
One desk through to the bank
The team that registers your company opens the account, processes visas and handles renewal.
10K+
Companies formed
15 yrs
In business since 2009
50+
Nationalities served
4.8★
Google · 163 reviews
No obligation · no sales pressureTransparent pricing, zero hidden fees100% privacy guaranteed
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What to decide before you register
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
Register your company without the guesswork.
A free 30 minute consultation. We confirm your structure, activity and documents, then run the full DET registration as one file, and pre-screen your bank eligibility before you pay a fee.
No obligationTransparent pricing, zero hidden fees100% privacy guaranteed