Mainland Company Formation in the UAE
Trade across the entire UAE — Dubai and beyond — without Free Zone restrictions. Bid for government contracts, open physical stores anywhere, and benefit from 100% foreign ownership on most commercial and professional activities since the 2021 reform. We handle the DED license, MoA, immigration file opening, labor file opening, visas and corporate banking end-to-end.
What Is a UAE Mainland Company?
A Mainland company is a UAE legal entity licensed by the Department of Economic Development (DED) of the emirate where it is registered — Dubai DED, Abu Dhabi DED (ADDED), Sharjah DED, and so on. Unlike a Free Zone license, a Mainland license lets you trade with any customer inside the UAE, open retail stores anywhere, sign government contracts, and operate without the activity restrictions that apply inside a Free Zone.
Since the 2021 Commercial Companies Law reform, 100% foreign ownership is permitted on more than 1,000 commercial and professional activities — no UAE national sponsor required. A short residual list of strategic-impact activities (defence, oil & gas, certain financial services) still requires Emirati participation, but for the vast majority of founders, the old 51% UAE partner requirement is gone.
When Mainland Beats Free Zone
- You sell to UAE clients. If most of your revenue comes from UAE-based businesses or consumers, a Mainland license invoices them directly without going through a distributor.
- You want a physical retail or service location. Restaurants, clinics, salons, retail shops, showrooms — these require a Mainland license and an Ejari-registered premises.
- You bid for government contracts. Federal and emirate-level tenders are generally restricted to Mainland-licensed entities.
- You operate a regulated profession. Law firms, medical clinics, education businesses typically need a DED license plus a specialized regulator approval.
- You hire a large team. Mainland visa quotas scale with your Ejari office area, easier to expand than a Free Zone flexi-desk allocation.
If your business is primarily export-led, B2B services to international clients, or e-commerce shipping outside the UAE, our Free Zone Company Formation guide usually makes more economic sense.
DED License Types We Set Up
Commercial license
Trading, e-commerce, retail, import/export, distribution, real estate brokerage. Covers buying and selling physical goods or general commercial activities. The most common license type on the Mainland.
Professional license
Consultancy, management consulting, marketing, IT services, accounting, legal services. Single-owner structure (sole establishment) or LLC with multiple partners. Often paired with regulator approvals.
Industrial license
Manufacturing, processing, assembly, packaging. Requires Ministry of Industry approval and a physical industrial premises. Often paired with Dubai Industrial City or RAKEZ Industrial Free Zone.
Tourism license
Travel agencies, tour operators, holiday homes, event management. Issued by DED in coordination with the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET). Specific bonds and qualifications apply.
What’s Included in Our Mainland Setup Service
- Activity selection & license type. We map your business to the DED activity list and confirm whether 100% foreign ownership applies.
- Trade name reservation. Filed with DED, with Arabic translation where required.
- Initial approval & external approvals. We coordinate with the relevant regulator (Health, Education, Telecom, etc.) where your activity requires it.
- MoA drafting & notarisation. Drafted in Arabic + English, notarised at a UAE notary public.
- Ejari office tenancy. We help you secure a compliant office and register the Ejari contract — required before license issuance.
- Trade license issuance. Final filing with DED, license collection, Chamber of Commerce registration.
- Establishment card & immigration file. Opens your visa quota.
- Residence visas (you + employees + family). Medical, Emirates ID, biometric, stamping — end-to-end.
- Corporate bank account. File preparation, KYC briefing, bank meeting attendance.
- Corporate tax registration. Mandatory within 3 months of incorporation — we file with the FTA.
Our Process — Typical Mainland Timeline
- Discovery call (day 0). Activity, partners, office requirement, visa headcount, budget.
- Recommendation & quote (day 1-2). Written quote with DED fees, our service fees, Ejari estimate.
- Trade name & initial approval (day 3-4). Filed with DED.
- MoA & notarisation (day 5-6). Drafted, signed, notarised.
- Ejari signed (day 7). Office secured, contract registered.
- Trade license issued (day 7). Collection from DED, Chamber registration.
- Immigration file (day 8-9). Establishment Card & e-Signature Card.
- Labor file (day 10-11). Labor Card.
- Visas (day 12-17). Visa applications.
- bank (day 17-22). bank account opening
How Much Does a Mainland Company Cost?
Mainland costs depend on the emirate, the activity, the office Ejari, and the number of visas. Rough guide for Dubai DED:
- Professional sole establishment, 1 visa, business centre office: Starting from 22,000 AED + first year Ejari. (Immifration file, Labor file and e-signature card not included)
- Commercial LLC, 2-3 visas, small physical office: Starting from 35,000 AED all-in.
- Retail / F&B with physical premises: Starting from 60,000 AED depending on location and fit-out.
Ejari rent is your biggest variable — small Business Bay office starts at AED 25,000/year; a retail unit in a mall is multiples of that. Get a fixed quote tailored to your activity and emirate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I still need a UAE national partner?
No, not for most activities. The 2021 Commercial Companies Law reform removed the 51% UAE national ownership requirement for more than 1,000 commercial and professional activities. A short list of strategic-impact activities still requires Emirati participation. We confirm foreign-ownership status of your specific activity before incorporation.
Can a Mainland company invoice anywhere in the UAE?
Yes. A DED-issued Mainland license lets you invoice clients anywhere in the UAE — across all seven emirates, both B2B and B2C — and abroad. No Free Zone-style geographic restrictions.
Do I need a physical office?
Yes. Dubai DED requires an Ejari-registered tenancy contract for license issuance. A small business centre desk or shared office with valid Ejari is sufficient for most professional and commercial activities, starting around AED 15,000 to AED 25,000 per year. Retail, industrial and F&B activities require physical premises sized to the operation.
How many visas can I get with a Mainland license?
Visa quota scales with Ejari office area — broadly, 1 visa per 9 m² of office space. A small 15 m² business centre desk supports 1 to 2 visas; a 50 m² office supports 5 to 6 visas. Family visas (spouse, children, parents) sponsored separately once your own residence visa is issued.
Will my Mainland company pay 9% corporate tax?
Yes, 9% applies on net taxable profit above AED 375,000. Below that, rate is 0%. Small Business Relief is available for entities with revenue under AED 3 million per year, effectively bringing the rate to 0% on the first three years. We register your company for corporate tax (mandatory within 3 months) and handle the annual return.
Get Your Mainland Setup Quote
Tell us your activity, your visa needs, and the emirate you want to register in. We’ll come back within 24 working hours with a fixed all-in quote — DED fees, our service fees, Ejari estimate. No upfront fee.