Structure
Ignoring the three-part structure
Most approved names are a distinctive word, an activity word, and the legal form together.
Do this instead: build the name in all three parts.
First setup step
What is trade name reservation?
The first step before your trade licence: reserving your business name with DET, from AED 620, valid 180 days and non-renewable.
AED 620Standard DET fee, from
180 daysValidity, non-renewable
Step 1Before your trade license
Two different things
Trade Name vs Trademark
People mix these up, but they are two different things from two different authorities. You need the first to trade, and the second to protect your brand.
Required to trade
Trade nameRegistered with DET
TrademarkRegistered with MoE
What it isThe core purpose
Your official business name
Brand and logo protection
AuthorityWho registers it
DET
Ministry of Economy
Appears onWhere it shows
License and commercial register
IP register
Needed to tradeCan you operate without it
Yes, required
No, optional
Legal basisThe governing law
DET commercial rules
Federal Decree-Law 36 of 2021
Protects your brandStops copycats
No, it only names you
Yes, as IP
You need
A trade name to legally operate and get your license.
A trademark if you also want to protect your brand and logo.
The simple split
The trade name lets you trade. The trademark stops others copying your brand. Most businesses need the trade name now and consider the trademark once the brand has value worth protecting.
The fee
What a trade name reservation costs
The government fee is small. The one thing that raises it is whether DET treats your name as premium. These are indicative 2026 figures, confirmed on your quote.
AED 3,120
Standard trade name · Rule-compliant name
Annual renewal
AED 620
Liability
One-off
We pre-check your name against the DET rules before filing, so you do not pay twice for a rejection.
Itemized breakdownAmount
Standard name
Baseline DET fee, rule-compliant name
Premium name
Foreign words, abbreviations, or Gulf
Agent service fee
Submission and a pre-check for you
AED 3,120
Government fee · at costDMCS service · fixed
Premium words cost more
Foreign or regional words, or abbreviations, can push the government fee toward AED 2,000.
A pre-check saves a re-file
Checking your name against the rules before you file avoids a rejected application and a wasted fee.
The fee is a one-off
Trade name reservation is a single setup fee, not an annual charge like your license.
Check before you apply
The DET naming rules to follow
DET has clear naming rules, and breaking one is the top cause of rejection. Check your name against these before you apply.
Legal form
Abbreviating the legal form
DET wants the legal form written out, not shorthand, on the reserved name.
Do this instead: spell out LLC, FZ-LLC, or Sole Establishment in full.
Activity
A mismatched activity word
The activity word has to fit your license. A marketing firm is not Trading.
Do this instead: match the activity word to your actual license.
Distinctive
Using one generic word
A single generic word like Trading is rejected on its own.
Do this instead: add a distinctive name to the activity word.
Personal name
Using someone else's name
A personal name in the title must be the owner's own full legal name.
Do this instead: use only your own full legal name.
Restricted
Restricted or offensive terms
Country, government, religious, or offensive words are blocked without approval.
Do this instead: avoid restricted terms or get prior approval.
The process
How to reserve a trade name
Five steps from name choice to a reservation certificate. A clean, rule-compliant name can be approved the same day.
- Critical stage
Choose name options
Pick two or three names in order of preference, each following the three-part naming rule.
Check availability
Confirm the name is free and rule-compliant on the Invest in Dubai platform before filing.
Submit to DET
Apply through Invest in Dubai with your activity and shareholder details.
Pay the fee
From AED 620 for a standard name, more if DET treats it as premium.
- Critical stage
Get the certificate
On approval, the reservation certificate issues and the 180-day clock starts.
Validity
How long a reserved name is valid
You get 180 days, and the clock starts the moment the certificate is issued. What you do in that window matters.
Validity factWhat it means
Valid 180 days from issuance
Six months, from the certificate date
Issue your license within it
The name is held only for your setup
Treated as non-renewable
Plan to finish licensing inside the window
A lapsed name can be re-reserved
If no one else has taken it meanwhile
The 180 days is your runway to complete initial approval, the MOA, and the license. Treat it as fixed and work back from it, rather than reserving a name long before you are ready to set up.
Why names get refused
Why DET refuses a trade name
Almost every rejection traces back to one of five naming rules. Here is each one, and how we prevent it before you file.
Send us your name ideas, we pre-check them
We check every proposed name against the DET rules before you file, and tell you which will pass and which will bounce, so you do not lose a fee to a rejection.
How we prevent it
We add a distinctive word so the name is unique and rule-compliant.
How we prevent it
We spell out LLC, FZ-LLC, or Sole Establishment in full, as DET requires.
How we prevent it
We align the name to your actual licensed activity before filing.
How we prevent it
We confirm any personal name in the title matches the owner's legal name.
How we prevent it
We screen against DET's restricted-terms list and swap anything that would be refused.
Where you reserve
DET or a free zone?
Where you reserve your name depends on where you set up. The process is similar, but the authority and rules differ.
| Factor | DET mainland | Free zone |
|---|---|---|
| For | Mainland company | Free zone company |
| Authority | DET | Free zone authority |
| Portal | Invest in Dubai | Zone portal |
| Fee from | AED 620 | Varies by zone |
| Validity | 180 days | Zone rules |
Why DMCS
Why reserve your trade name with DMCS
Name reservation looks simple, and then a rule you did not know about sends it back. We pre-check every name against the DET rules, so your first submission is your last.
Where reservations bounce
We pre-check the name so it passes first time
The top cause of rejection is a naming-rule break: a generic word, an abbreviated legal form, a mismatched activity. We check all three groups before filing, so you are not paying a second fee for a second try.
01
We pre-check against every rule
Three-part structure, spelled-out legal form, matching activity word, and the restricted-terms list, all checked before your name is filed.
02
We handle the premium-name question
We tell you up front if a foreign or regional word will push your fee toward AED 2,000, so the cost is not a surprise at the counter.
03
Reservation flows into licensing
The name we reserve feeds straight into your initial approval, MOA, and trade license, so nothing stalls between steps.
Reserve your trade name the right way.
Send us two or three name ideas and your activity, and we pre-check them against the DET rules, flag any premium-fee words, and reserve the one that passes. It flows straight into your license. No obligation.
No obligationTransparent pricing, zero hidden fees100% privacy guaranteed
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.
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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.
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