Business setup in the UAE: Mainland (Dubai)
Full access to the UAE domestic market, government contracts and activities that require a physical presence: retail, restaurants, services, repairs.
- B2C in the UAE
- government contracts
- retail and food service
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An indicative calculation from the figures you entered — it does not account for deductions, double taxation treaties or the specifics of your current jurisdiction. The exact calculation comes on the free consultation.
What Mainland is, and when it is mandatory
Mainland is the main territory of the emirate, outside the free zones. A company registered on Mainland has the right to operate across the whole of the UAE and beyond it, with no restrictions on activities or on the number of visas.
There is one case where there is no choice: if the business requires a physical presence and work with a local customer — a retail shop, a restaurant, a salon, repairs, cleaning. A free zone has no right to carry on such activity.
In exchange, Mainland requires a registered address. For some activities the first year can be managed without a lease, but from the second year an Ejari certificate will be needed at licence renewal. If you do not need real premises, the address for registration comes from the expert.
The terms the expert works on
Guarantees the outcome by contract
Writes the outcome and the timeline for every service — including opening a bank account — into the contract, and answers for them.
Bills in stages
You do not pay the whole sum up front: invoices come in instalments as each stage closes.
Fixes the price in the contract
The cost is locked in and does not grow as the work goes on. Prices on the site are indicative — the final figure comes after your case is reviewed.
Charges no hidden fees
No penalties or surcharges beyond the contract. No Pactors markup either: you pay the expert their own price.
Works with lawyers of 8+ years in UAE law
The licence for your activity is matched, and the requirements worked through, by qualified lawyers.
Thinks a step ahead
Picks the zone and the licence so that a year from now you do not hit a limit and have to redo the whole thing.
Deals with authorities directly
Handles government bodies, free zones and UAE banks personally — no chain of subcontractors.
Company formation in the UAE: comparing the options
The difference is not the price — it is who each option suits. The “Best for” column is the business profile the option is built around.
| Option | Best for | Timeline | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| AFZA free zone (Ajman) | Trade, warehousing and the port, automotive, food, jewellery | ~1 week | from $1,550 |
| SHAMS free zone (Sharjah) | Media, content and creative, digital, unlimited visas | ~1 week | from $1,575 |
| RAKEZ free zone (Ras Al Khaimah) | Manufacturing, warehousing and logistics, e-commerce, startups | ~1 week | from $1,650 |
| Meydan free zone (Dubai) | Consulting, IT and digital, trading, media, any activity | ~1 week | from $3,500 |
| IFZA free zone (Dubai) | IT and digital, consulting, services, a first company in the UAE | ~1 week | from $3,500 |
| Freelancer licence | IT and development, design, media and content, marketing, consulting | ~6 weeks | from $4,500 |
| Mainland (Dubai)you are here | B2C in the UAE, government contracts, retail and food service, import/export | 1–2 weeks | from $5,890 |
| DMCC free zone (Dubai) | Precious metals and stones, commodities and energy, digital assets, trading | 1–2 weeks | from $9,400 |
Free zone or Mainland: which to choose
The choice is driven not by price but by where your customer is. If they are outside the UAE — or inside it, but the work is done remotely — a free zone fits. If you need the local market with a physical presence, there is only one option: Mainland.
The tax regime is the same for both: VAT and corporate tax apply on general terms. The difference is in the rights and in the office requirement.
Free zone
- Activity inside the free zone, or anywhere outside the UAE
- Inside the UAE market — only what can be delivered remotely: marketing, IT, consulting, wholesale
- Registration on a Flexidesk — a desk in the zone's co-working space; no real office needed
- Premises can only be leased inside the free zone; outside it, a separate permit is required
- The number of visas is capped by the rules of the specific zone
- One company may only hold related activities from a single group
- 100% foreign ownership
- Cheaper than Mainland
Mainland
This option- Activity across the whole of the UAE and beyond it
- Only Mainland can operate with a physical presence: shop, restaurant, salon, repairs, cleaning
- A registered address is mandatory — an office lease agreement
- An office can be leased or bought anywhere in Dubai, without restrictions
- The number of visas is not capped
- One company may combine any activities
- 100% foreign ownership, except in a few strategic industries
- More expensive than most free zones
Mainland company forms
- Sole establishment — one owner, personally liable with all their property, services only, trading not permitted
- Civil company — a partnership of 2 to 50 partners, fully liable with their own property, services only
- LLC — a limited liability company with 1 to 50 shareholders
- Share capital is stated in the articles but does not have to be paid into a bank account
What the service includes
| Registration with the DED | |
| Licence to trade | |
| Registered address (Mainland) | |
| Emirates ID + visa for the owner | |
| Support with the bank account | |
| Physical office (required for a number of licences)— billed separately | |
| Audit— billed separately |
Documents and programme requirements
- 1Passport
- 2A trip to the UAE
- 3Confirmation of the intended activity
How the process runs
1–2 weeks- Before day 1Preparing and collecting documents, checking the company name against UAE requirements.
- Day 1Preliminary registration of the company and reservation of the name.
- Day 3Leasing an office for the company — on Mainland a registered address is mandatory.
- Day 5Licence in hand — the company is registered.
- Day 6The company is registered with the immigration authority — from this point residence visas can be applied for.
Frequently asked questions
When is Mainland mandatory and a free zone will not do?
Can a Mainland company be registered without an office?
Is the number of visas capped?
What legal form is used?
What corporate tax does a Mainland company pay?
What reporting is required?
Are there rules about the company name?
Can a Mainland company be opened remotely?
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We'll check your case before you pay
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We'll cover: whether you qualify, the full cost with fees, realistic timelines, the document list. If it's not for you, we'll say so.