Get a Free Quote

The quick answer

Do you need a license in Dubai?

Since January 2023 the personal alcohol licence is free for non-Muslim residents over 21. Drinking at a licensed venue needs no permit at all.

FreePersonal license, since Jan 2023
21+Non-Muslim adults only
2 shopsMMI and African + Eastern only
Which is which

Personal, tourist, and commercial licenses

The most common confusion in Dubai is mixing up three different licenses. Only the first two apply to individuals.

FactorPersonalTouristCommercial
Who it is forResident, home useVisitor, the tripA business
DocumentEmirates IDPassport + stampTrade license first
CostFreeFreeRegulated, higher
Validity12 months30 daysPer business license
What it allowsBuy and store homeBuy on the visitSell or serve

How to apply

How to get your Dubai alcohol license

A short process you can do from your phone. Residents apply with an Emirates ID; tourists with a passport.

  1. Have your ID ready

    Emirates ID for residents, or a passport with a Dubai entry stamp for tourists.

  2. Choose a channel

    The License DXB app or site, African + Eastern's app or site, or either store in person.

  3. Register and submit

    Enter your details and confirm you understand the rules on buying and transporting alcohol.

  4. Critical stage

    Get your virtual card

    Approval is quick; a virtual card in the app lets you buy the same day.

Official channels to apply

License DXBMMI app
MMIRetailer
A + ERetailer
Emirates IDResidents
PassportTourists

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.

DMCS.

Dubai Mainland Company Setup, by the team behind Riz & Mona

163+ Google reviews

Write a review
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

License DXB is shorthand for a Dubai mainland trade license issued by the Department of Economy and Tourism, commonly written as DET or by its predecessor name DED. DXB is the IATA airport code for Dubai, so the phrase simply means a business licensed to operate on Dubai's onshore mainland rather than inside a free zone or in another emirate. The name also reflects Dubai's move toward a unified commercial licence: a single licence number and a more streamlined registration process across the emirate's authorities.
A DET mainland license lets you trade anywhere across all seven UAE emirates, sell directly to UAE consumers and to federal or local government, take commercial or flexi-desk office space anywhere in Dubai, and sponsor employee and investor visas with no regulatory quota cap tied to the license itself. It also positions you for a corporate bank account, which UAE banks expect from onshore operators trading locally. Free zone companies, by contrast, face onshore-trading restrictions, often needing a local distributor or a separate mainland arrangement to sell inside the UAE, that a mainland license removes entirely.
For most activities, yes. The 2021 UAE Companies Law amendment removed the mandatory local-partner requirement for the great majority of commercial and professional activities, covering well over 1,000 DET-listed activity codes. A narrow set of activities of strategic impact: including certain telecoms, banking, and defence-related sectors, can still carry ownership conditions or a local-agent requirement. Eligibility is decided activity by activity, not by company type, so we confirm your exact codes against the current DET list before filing rather than assuming the general rule applies.
Budget from AED 12,500–18,500 for a single-activity professional license with one visa, AED 28,000–45,000 for a small commercial license with two to three visas, and AED 40,000–80,000 or more for regulated activities requiring external ministry approvals. Government line items include initial approval (AED 235), trade name reservation (AED 735), and MOA notarisation (AED 1,500–3,200). The final figure is driven by your activity type, whether you take a flexi-desk or a leased office, and the number of visas you need. We itemise every line: government fees, our fee, and any third-party approvals, before you commit, so there are no surprises at signing.
Yes. UAE corporate tax applies at 0% on the first AED 375,000 of net taxable profit and 9% above that threshold. Holding a DET mainland license does not exempt you, and corporate-tax registration with the Federal Tax Authority is a separate obligation from the license itself, with its own deadlines. Small Business Relief may let eligible companies be treated as having no taxable income where revenue stays at or below AED 3 million per period, through to the end of 2029 under current rules. We flag the relevant thresholds and registration steps when we structure your setup so tax is planned for, not discovered later.
WhatsApp

Free consultation

Talk to a mainland setup specialist about your exact requirements. No obligation.

100% privacy guaranteed. We reply within one working day.