Flexi-desk
Smallquota, indicative
Investor and a few employee visas. The lowest-cost entry, with the tightest hiring ceiling.
The honest verdict
Dubai mainland setup, reviewed
Mainland suits selling directly to the UAE market. Year one runs about AED 15,000 to 35,000, with 100% ownership and 9% tax above AED 375,000.
AED 15k+Year-one setup, standard
100%Foreign ownership, most activities
9%Corporate tax above AED 375,000
What reviews say
What clients value, and what to weigh
The freedom a mainland license buys is real, and so are its trade-offs. Here is what comes up most in real reviews, on both sides.
Recommended
Recurring4 signs
What reviews praise
- Transparent, itemized pricingThe market fee and renewals shown up front, not later.
- One team from start to finishLicense, visas, and banking through one point of contact.
- Real, practical banking helpA prepared file and the right bank, not just an introduction.
- Straight advice on structureTold when a free zone would fit better, before committing.
Honest4 signs
What to weigh first
- Higher cost than a free zoneMainland is a bigger year-one outlay to start.
- The 9% corporate tax appliesAbove AED 375,000 profit, unlike some free zone income.
- A physical office is requiredAn Ejari tenancy, not a virtual address.
- Renewal comes round every yearThe licence, the Ejari and the visas all renew annually.
The honest scorecard
How Dubai mainland setup actually scores
A fair review names the weak points too. Here is how mainland setup rates on the things buyers care about in 2026, marks and all.
| What buyers weigh | Mark | The honest note |
|---|---|---|
| Market access | Top marks | Sell to the whole UAE, government included |
| Ownership freedom | Strong | 1,000+ activities allow 100% ownership |
| Setup speed | Good | Often 3 to 10 days once papers are ready |
| Running cost | Higher | Office, renewal, compliance add up yearly |
| Compliance load | Moderate | Tax, VAT, bookkeeping need real planning |
| Banking access | Better | A DET license opens the widest set of banks |
Real 2026 costs
What a standard mainland setup costs
Reviews that quote a single low number are the ones to distrust. A standard mainland setup runs about AED 15,000 to 35,000 in year one. Here is where the money actually goes.
AED 22,090
Standard commercial · 1–2 visas · small office
Annual renewal
AED 15,000
Liability
Limited
Every figure is indicative for 2026 and reconfirmed against DET on your quote.
Itemized breakdownAmount
Trade name reservation
Standard name (add ~2,000 non-Arabic)
Initial approval
DET confirmation to proceed
DET trade license
Core fee, by activity group
MOA notarisation
For LLCs, by shareholder count
Ejari registration
Register your tenancy
Establishment card
Open your immigration file
Investor visa
Per person, all in
AED 22,090
Government fee · at costDMCS service · fixed
The DET fee is confirmed late
The government license fee is confirmed only when your payment voucher issues, so treat any earlier figure as indicative.
The market fee is real
5% of your annual rent is added to the DET license every year. Cheap package quotes leave it out.
One fixed quote
We give you an itemized, fixed quote for your exact business before you commit.
The process
How mainland setup actually goes
Six stages from first call to a live company. A standard setup completes in 10 to 20 working days with documents in order.
- Critical stage
Activity and structure
The decision that shapes your license, visa quota, and approvals.
Trade name and approval
Reserve the name and clear DET initial approval before leasing.
MOA and Ejari
Notarise the Memorandum and register your tenancy on Ejari.
License issuance
Submit to DET; your trade license issues on approval.
- Critical stage
Establishment card and visas
Open your immigration file, then process investor and staff visas.
Corporate bank account
Apply with a prepared file and manage through to activation.
Does the 9% Tax Apply to You?
The honest tax answer reviews often skip: a mainland company pays 9% corporate tax on profit above AED 375,000. The first AED 375,000 is taxed at 0%.
| Authority | What they do | When you meet them | Key output |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9% rate | Introduced under Federal Decree-Law No. 47 of 2022. | On annual profit | Standard corporate tax |
| SBR relief | The window is set to close on 31 December 2029. | At corporate tax filing | Small Business Relief |
| Must register | Miss the deadline and you face an AED 10,000 penalty. | After license issuance | FTA registration (TRN) |
- 9% rateOn taxable profit above AED 375,000. Earn less and you pay nothing.You meet them:On annual profit
- SBR reliefRevenue under AED 3M can elect Small Business Relief: no taxable profit.You meet them:At corporate tax filing
- Must registerEvery mainland company registers with the FTA, even owing nothing.You meet them:After license issuance
Banking, reviewed
What reviews say about opening an account
Banking is where the honest reviews diverge from the sales pitch. A mainland license improves your odds but does not guarantee approval. A resident applicant usually clears in 2 to 4 weeks, a non-resident in 6 to 12. We prepare and review your file to improve your odds, but cannot guarantee any bank's decision.
01
Match the bank to your business
We match your profile to the bank most likely to approve it, not a scattergun of applications.
02
Prepare the full file
Shareholder documents, business plan, and source-of-funds evidence, ready before applying.
03
Manage to approval
The bank runs KYC and we manage the file through to activation. Clean files clear faster.
Banks DMCS has a track record opening accounts with
The honest line: you apply with a file built to clear review, not a promise.
Visas, reviewed
How visa quota actually works
Free zoneCAPFixed package cap
Full office
~1 / 9 sqmof Ejari office area
Quota runs at roughly one visa per 9 square metres. Room for a real team from day one.
Owners
Golden Visafor qualifying owners
Investors and owners can also look at the Golden Visa for longer residency. We check your exact allocation before you sign.
The comparison reviewers want
Mainland vs Free Zone
The question behind most reviews. The right answer depends on where your customers are. Here is the honest side-by-side.
Best for UAE business
MainlandDET license
Free ZoneZone authority license
Sell inside the UAEDirect to local clients
Anywhere, no agent
Needs a distributor
Government contractsPublic-sector tenders
Eligible
Not eligible
Foreign ownershipWho holds the shares
100% most activities
100% always
Corporate tax9% above 375k
9% standard
Possible 0% qualifying
OfficePhysical space
Ejari office required
Flexi-desk options
Entry costFirst-year outlay
Higher
Often lower
Banking acceptanceCompliance view
Broadly accepted
Can face scrutiny
Best for
Any business selling to UAE clients or bidding on government work.
Export, holding, and fully international operations.
The honest verdict
If your customers are in the UAE, mainland almost always wins. If you sell abroad and never touch the local market, a free zone can be cheaper, and we will tell you so.
Timeline, reviewed
How long setup takes, by business type
Reviews that promise a fixed number rarely mention the timeline depends on your activity. Here is the honest range.
Business typeTypical setup time
Professional or general trading
10 to 15 working days
Commercial with a shopfront
2 to 3 weeks, approvals possible
Healthcare, finance, education
4 to 8 weeks with sector approval
With foreign document attestation
Add 3 to 6 weeks, runs in parallel
Timelines vary by activity, office, and GDRFA or sector approvals. Final approval rests with the authorities.
The scorecard
Why clients would do it again with DMCS
The best review is a client who would do it again. We handle mainland setup end to end, so files move faster and fewer get stuck in review.
What the reviews reward
Honest quotes and a file built to clear review
Reviewers consistently name the same two things: an itemized quote with no license-only surprises, and a bank file prepared to pass compliance the first time. That is the work, not the pitch.
01
Itemized quotes reviewers trust
Government costs separated from our fee, with the market fee and renewals on the quote. The transparency reviews single out is a policy, not a promise.
02
A bank file built to clear review
We prepare and review your KYC and source-of-funds file before applying, and match you to the bank most likely to approve your profile.
03
One team, so nothing stalls
The people who file your license open your bank account and process visas, so nothing falls between handoffs and gets stuck in review.
Ready to review your mainland setup options?
Send us your intended activity and we return an itemized, fixed quote with every DET and government line confirmed, the market fee and renewals included. We will tell you honestly if a free zone fits you better. 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.
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