You do not pick a Dubai trade licence type. Your activity picks it for you, and getting that match wrong is one of the most common ways founders end up paying twice: once for the wrong licence and again for an amendment. A software company, a laptop reseller and a consultancy all sound like “tech”, yet each needs a different licence. This guide shows which type fits which activity, what each really costs, and the extras attached.
- Dubai mainland licences from DET fall into commercial, professional, industrial and tourism categories.
- Software development is professional, software trading is commercial.
- One commercial licence can cover up to ten activities.
- Many activities need external approval (health, food, engineering, legal) on top of the licence fee.
The four licence types at a glance
| Type | Covers | Indicative annual fee (AED) | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial | Trading physical goods, plus some service-like activities such as brokerage, logistics and travel agency | About 10,000 to 15,000 for 1 to 3 activities, up to about 25,000 for 4 to 10 | Chamber of Commerce membership and a municipality market fee on rent |
| Professional | Services and expertise: consulting, design, software development | Published ranges vary widely, from low thousands to about 20,000 | Qualification proof, and a service agent fee where one is required |
| Industrial | Manufacturing and processing | From about 15,000 to 25,000+ | Needs a physical facility such as a factory or warehouse |
| Tourism | Tour operators, travel agencies, hospitality | Quoted case by case | Extra approval from the tourism authority |
Sources disagree on professional-licence pricing, so treat ranges as a guide and ask the authority for the fee on your exact activity code. For the full first-year stack that sits around the licence, see our mainland cost breakdown.
Which licence for which business?
| Your business | Licence type | Extra approval or step |
|---|---|---|
| Building software for clients | Professional | Degree or portfolio evidence |
| Reselling laptops and phones | Commercial | Customs code if you import, see our import-export guide |
| Management consultancy | Professional | None for most activities |
| Restaurant or cloud kitchen | Commercial | Municipality and food-safety approvals |
| Food or garment manufacturing | Industrial | Industrial premises and approvals |
| Travel agency | Tourism | Tourism authority approval |
| Real estate brokerage | Commercial | Real estate regulator approval and AML duties, see goAML registration |
The mistakes that cost money
- Choosing by price, not activity. A cheaper category does not help if your activity code belongs in another one.
- Mixing activities. If you sell software and also build it, you may need a commercial licence with the second activity added, not two separate companies.
- Forgetting external approvals. Health, food, engineering and legal activities need sign-off from the relevant regulator. Fees to those bodies are separate from the licence.
- Assuming you can switch freely. Sources disagree on whether and how a commercial licence can convert to professional, so ask the authority before you promise a client or investor a specific structure.
Free zones work differently
Free zones issue their own licence types, such as trading, service, industrial and e-commerce, with different names and fee structures. If you sell online, compare our guide to the e-commerce licence in Dubai. If you operate from a free zone but need to invoice mainland clients, see the free zone mainland permit.
After you get the licence
Put the renewal date in your calendar now, the penalties add up quickly, see Dubai trade licence renewal costs and penalties. Decide where you will sit using our guide to flexi desk, virtual office and Ejari.
FAQ
Can one licence cover several activities? Yes. A commercial licence can generally include several related activities, subject to approval.
Do I need a local sponsor? For most activities, 100% foreign ownership is allowed on the mainland, though some activities have special rules.
Check activity codes and fees with Dubai Economy and Tourism. Not sure which activity code fits your plan? Ask BizDaddy to map it before you pay.
