UAE and GCC nationals
Can register commercial, professional or industrial activities in their own name.
Sole establishment · 2026
Sole Establishment in Dubai
The cheapest way for a solo professional to go mainland: who qualifies, real DET costs, and the steps.
- One owner, 100% control
- No minimum capital
- DET fees from AED 10,000
- Licensed in your own name
15+ years10,000+ engagements4.8 Google, 163+ reviewsISO certified
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What is a sole establishment in Dubai?
It is a mainland business license issued by Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) in your own name. One owner, full control, and all the profit is yours, with no minimum capital to lock away.
The trade-off is liability: you and the business are one in law, so your personal assets are exposed to business debts.
For a solo professional, it is still the cheapest way to go mainland.
1 owner100% control, all profit
AED 0Minimum capital required
AED 10k+DET fees, from
Is a sole establishment right for you?
For one person going mainland, this is the lightest route: lower cost, less paperwork, and full control. Here is who it suits and who should look at a one-person LLC instead.
The lightest, cheapest solo mainland route
Lower cost, no minimum capital, full control, and lighter compliance, usually with no complex annual audit. Fast to open, and simple to close or upgrade later.
Good fit if
- You are a solo consultant, adviser or coach
- You work in IT, marketing or design as a freelancer
- You are an engineer or technical expert
- You want the lowest-cost mainland license
- You want to keep 100% of the profit, no partner
Reconsider if
- You want to trade goods, not sell services
- You need your personal assets shielded from debts
- You plan to bring in shareholders or partners
- You expect complex, audited annual accounts
Clear the confusion
Establishment, proprietorship, or LLC?
These names get mixed up. For most solo professionals, this is the pick.
If you areA solo professional selling services in their own nameRecommendedSole establishment (the pick)If you areYou have seen it called a sole proprietorshipRecommendedSame thing, no practical differenceIf you areAn expat who wants to trade goods, with limited liabilityRecommendedOne-person LLCIf you areA business with partners or shareholdersRecommendedLLC, up to 50 shareholders
Who qualifies
Who can open a sole establishment?
Your passport decides what activities you can register.
100%
expat ownership of a professional sole establishment, no local partner.
Not sure your activity qualifies as professional?
Check your activityForeign expats
Qualify for professional activities only, owned 100%, such as consultancy or IT.
Age and contracts
You must be of legal age to sign leases, banking and government agreements.
Valid residency
A valid UAE residence visa is needed to open the corporate bank account.
Local Service Agent
Expat professional licenses appoint a UAE national LSA with no equity or control.
Physical office
A registered Ejari office is required. Virtual or home addresses do not qualify.
Do You Need a Local Agent?
If you are an expat on a professional license, yes. The LSA handles paperwork only: no shares, no profit, no control.
| Authority | What they do | When you meet them | Key output |
|---|---|---|---|
| DET | Issues the license and approves your activity. | At licensing | Trade license |
| FTA | Handles corporate tax and VAT registration. | After setup | Tax registration |
| Dubai Muni | Registers Ejari and applies the market fee. | At office lease | Ejari + market fee |
| DCCI | Links your license to the trade registry. | At licensing | Chamber membership |
- DETIssues the trade license and approves your activity. Formerly the DED.You meet them:At licensing
- FTARuns corporate tax and VAT registration through the EmaraTax portal.You meet them:After setup
- Dubai MuniRegisters your Ejari lease and applies the 5% market fee on rent.You meet them:At office lease
- DCCILinks your license to the trade registry with a membership.You meet them:At licensing
The process
How to set up a sole establishment
From first form to digital license in a few working days, when your papers are ready.
- Critical stage
Choose your activity
Pick a professional activity from the DET list. This sets your license and rules.
Reserve a trade name
Submit name options on the Invest in Dubai portal and secure DET approval.
Get initial approval
Obtain DET no-objection to your activity and ownership before you proceed.
Sign the LSA agreement
Expats notarise a Local Service Agent agreement with a UAE national.
- Critical stage
Secure office and Ejari
Sign a tenancy and register Ejari. A valid Ejari is needed to license.
Pay and collect the license
Clear the DET fee voucher and receive your digital trade license.
Card, bank and tax
Get your establishment card, open a bank account and check tax duties.
Real 2026 costs
How much does a sole establishment cost?
It is the cheapest mainland route. The Local Service Agent fee and your office are what move the total. These are real 2026 ranges.
Lowest entry
No-visa professional
A DET professional license, the LSA, and no residence visa. The lowest entry point onto the mainland.
DET professional license
Local Service Agent
No residence visa
AED 10,000 - 15,000
The common start
With one visa
The license, the LSA, Ejari, the establishment card and one investor visa. Where most solo founders begin.
License + LSA + Ejari
Establishment card
One investor visa
AED 18,000 - 28,000
With premises
With small office
A dedicated office, higher Ejari and market fee, and one or more visas. Priced to your setup.
Dedicated office
Higher Ejari and market fee
One or more visas
AED 30,000+
Which tier matches your plan?
Send us your activity and whether you need a visa and office. We return a fixed, itemized figure including the LSA.
Every figure is indicative and current for 2026. The DET fee is confirmed only when your payment voucher is issued, and figures vary by activity, name type and office. DMCS gives you a fixed, itemized quote before you commit.
What moves your price
The line items behind a sole establishment
The line items behind a sole establishment. The LSA fee and your office are the two that move the total most. These are indicative 2026 figures.
AED 19,860
Sole establishment · Cost line items
Annual renewal
AED 9,000
Liability
Unlimited
You receive a fully itemized quote, including the LSA fee, before you pay.
Itemized breakdownAmount
Trade name
Standard; up to AED 2,000 premium
Initial approval
DET no-objection to activity
DET license fee
Professional activity, from
Chamber membership
Dubai Chamber, from
Local Service Agent
Per year, expat professional
DMCS service fee
End-to-end setup + LSA management
AED 19,860
Government fee · at costDMCS service · fixed
The LSA is on the quote
The Local Service Agent fee is shown up front, not sprung on you late in the process.
Fees at cost
Government charges pass through exactly as the DET voucher bills them. No markup.
Confirmed at voucher stage
DET sets the fee by activity and name type, so your figure is fixed before you pay.
Checklist
Documents required
Most delays come from missing papers, not the DET process. Have these ready before you start and your file moves without avoidable holds.
Identity
Passport & personal
Passport copy
Valid at least six months.
UAE residence visa or entry stamp
Your current status page.
Emirates ID
If you are a UAE resident.
NOC from employer
A no-objection letter if you are employed.
DET
License documents
Trade name certificate
DET reservation, held 180 days once approved.
Initial approval
DET certificate confirming no objection.
Attested degree
For certain professional activities.
Legal & premises
LSA & office
LSA agreement
Notarised Local Service Agent contract, for expats.
Ejari tenancy
Registered office lease.
Sector approvals
For regulated professional activities.
Foreign degrees need attestation
Where an activity requires proof of qualification, a degree issued abroad must be attested by the UAE embassy in the country of origin and the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs before DET will accept it.
Keep digital copies. Clear PDF or JPEG scans speed up portal submission.
Check validity early. A passport with under six months left must be renewed before you file.
The trade name expires. Your reservation holds for 180 days, so do not let it lapse mid-setup.
Banking
How you open a bank account
The account is in your name as owner, so clean KYC and a clear source of funds matter. A tidy file clears in 1 to 2 weeks.
Banks solo owners commonly use, subject to profile and compliance review.
Emirates NBD
RAKBANK
Wio Bank
Bank approval, timelines and minimum balances are set by each bank and vary by risk profile. DMCS prepares your file to improve your odds, but cannot guarantee any bank's decision. A missing Ejari, unclear source of funds, or an activity mismatch are the common hold-ups.
Pick the right bank
Digital banks suit solo founders; traditional banks suit higher volumes.
Prepare your file
License, Ejari, passport, Emirates ID and a source-of-funds note, ready to go.
Pass compliance
Expect one interview or call with the bank's compliance team.
Fund and activate
On approval your IBAN issues and you meet any minimum balance.
Tax in 2026
Tax a sole establishment pays
Owner and business are one for tax, so this is personal. Two thresholds decide what you owe.
Registration
Registering for tax too early
As a natural person, you register for corporate tax only once turnover passes AED 1 million, not for holding a license.
Do this instead: register at the AED 1M turnover threshold.
Deadline
Registering late after crossing it
Once past the threshold, late registration carries a fixed AED 10,000 penalty; the FTA can waive it if you file on time.
Do this instead: register promptly once you cross AED 1M.
Threshold
Applying 9% to all profit
The first AED 375,000 of profit is at 0%; only the excess is taxed at 9%.
Do this instead: apply the bands, not a flat rate.
Relief
Relying on Small Business Relief
SBR lets revenue under AED 3M elect zero taxable income, but it ends 31 December 2029. Standard rates apply from 2030.
Do this instead: plan for standard rates from 2027.
VAT
Registering for VAT at the wrong point
VAT is required once taxable supplies pass AED 375,000, and voluntary from AED 187,500.
Do this instead: track supplies against both thresholds.
Why DMCS
Why set up with DMCS
A sole establishment is simple, but the LSA and tax rules require care. We manage your setup and advise if an LLC is a better fit.
The part people get wrong
We arrange and manage your Local Service Agent
The LSA is the step most solo founders find confusing. We supply and manage the UAE national agent, draft the notarised agreement, and handle the annual renewal.
01
Itemized, honest pricing
You see every fee up front, including the LSA cost. No teaser price, and no surprises late in the process.
02
We arrange your LSA
We supply and manage the Local Service Agent, draft the agreement, and handle the annual renewal, so the formality never stalls you.
03
Direct DET ties, honest advice
We work with DET and UAE banks daily, so files move faster. And if a one-person LLC fits you better, we say so before you spend.
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.
Your questions
Sole establishment in Dubai: your questions answered
Ready to set up your sole establishment?
Get a free consultation and an itemized quote for your license, including the LSA fee. No obligation, no teaser pricing, just real numbers for your activity.
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