Establish a Department of Economy & Tourism (DET) licensed company with full access to 9.4M consumers, government tenders, and the entire UAE market — without geographic or activity restrictions.
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A Dubai Mainland company is a business entity licensed by the Department of Economy & Tourism (DET, formerly DED) that operates onshore — meaning it can trade across all seven Emirates, the GCC, and internationally without geographic restrictions or local distributor requirements.
Following the 2021 Commercial Companies Law reforms, 2,000+ mainland activities now permit 100% foreign ownership, removing the historic 51% local sponsor requirement. This makes Dubai mainland the most flexible and powerful jurisdiction for entrepreneurs targeting the UAE domestic economy, government contracts, retail, F&B, and physical service businesses.
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The Department of Economy & Tourism is the official authority for all mainland trade licenses in the Emirate of Dubai.
Mainland gives you the broadest commercial freedom in the UAE — the right structure for businesses that want to scale physically, hire freely, and bid for any contract.
Trade anywhere in the UAE without restrictions. Open branches in any Emirate, sell directly to consumers, and operate physical retail outlets.
No local sponsor required for most activities. You own and control your business outright while accessing the entire UAE economy.
Only mainland companies can bid for UAE federal and Dubai government tenders — a market worth over AED 200B annually.
From general trading and consulting to manufacturing, F&B, and tourism — DET's activity list is the broadest of any UAE jurisdiction.
No cap on the number of employee, partner, or family visas. Scale your team as your business grows — quota tied to office size.
Choose Ejari-registered offices, business centres, or virtual flexi-desks based on your activity, team size, and visa requirements.
0% personal income tax. Corporate tax of 9% only applies on profits above AED 375,000. Most imports remain customs-duty-free.
Mainland licenses are preferred by all UAE banks. Faster account opening, larger overdrafts, and easier merchant accounts.
100% repatriation of capital and profits. Move funds in and out of the UAE freely — no currency controls and no hidden taxes.
Dubai's diversified economy means mainland licensing is the right call across these high-growth sectors.
The DET issues four primary mainland license categories. Picking the right one upfront avoids costly amendments later. Fairway maps your activity to the correct license in the discovery call.
For businesses involved in buying and selling goods — wholesale, retail, import/export, and general trading. The most commonly issued license type in Dubai.
For service providers, consultants, freelancers, and skilled professionals offering expertise rather than goods — covering most of the knowledge economy.
For manufacturing, processing, packaging, and assembly operations. Requires a physical industrial space and approval from the Ministry of Industry.
For travel agencies, tour operators, holiday homes, and tourism-related services. Requires additional approval from the Department of Tourism & Commerce Marketing.
Our proven 6-step process gets your trade license issued in as little as 5–7 working days.
Pick activity & legal form (LLC, sole estab., civil)
Reserve a compliant trade name with DET
Obtain DET initial approval & security clearance
Sign MOA & secure Ejari-registered office
DET issues trade license & establishment card
Investor visa stamping & corporate bank account
The documentation needed is minimal and most can be prepared remotely. Clients submit everything by email or WhatsApp — Fairway handles attestation and government submissions on your behalf.
Original presence in the UAE is only required for visa biometrics and bank account opening — typically a single 3–4 day trip.
Get Document ChecklistEvery business is different — your jurisdiction, visa needs, banking requirements, and timeline shape the final cost. Tell us about your plans and we’ll send a transparent, all-in quote within one business day.
15+ years of combined DET experience. Direct working relationships with the Dubai Department of Economy & Tourism, immigration, and the major UAE banks — the difference between a license issued in 5 days versus 5 weeks.
Talk to a SpecialistDirect DET liaison cuts standard processing time by 40%.
Itemised quotes upfront — no surprise government add-ons.
Pre-approved channels with Emirates NBD, ADCB, Mashreq, RAKBank.
Renewals, amendments, PRO, and accounting under one roof.
Fairway turned what looked like a 3-month bureaucratic nightmare into a 9-day setup. License, visa, and Emirates NBD account — all done before I'd even unpacked my flat in Downtown.
Quick answers to the questions we hear most often. Have a different question? Just WhatsApp us.
Yes. Following 2021 reforms, over 2,000 mainland activities permit 100% foreign ownership without a local sponsor or service agent. A small list of strategic activities (defence, oil & gas, certain national security activities) still require Emirati partners. Fairway will confirm ownership rules for your specific activity in the discovery call.
For most activities, the trade license is issued in 5–7 working days from receipt of complete documents. Visa stamping and bank account opening add another 10–15 days. The full setup — license, visa, Emirates ID, and active bank account — typically completes within 3–4 weeks.
Yes — every mainland license requires an Ejari-registered address. However, the address can be a flexi-desk or shared business centre for low-activity service licenses. Industrial and tourism activities require dedicated physical premises. Fairway includes office solutions in all setup packages.
Mainland setup costs depend on your business activity, visa quota, office configuration, and any add-ons (PRO, banking, accounting). Tell us about your plans and our consultants will send a transparent, all-in quote within one business day — no hidden government fees, no surprises.
Absolutely. A mainland license entitles shareholders, managers, and employees to UAE residence visas — typically 2 to 3 years validity. Visa quota is tied to office space (one visa per ~9 sq m of office area), with no overall cap. Family sponsorship is available once your visa is active.
Mainland companies can trade anywhere in the UAE and bid for government contracts; free zone companies trade primarily within their zone or internationally and need a local distributor to access the UAE market. Free zones are typically cheaper and quicker but more restrictive. We help you pick based on your customers and growth plan.
Mainland companies are subject to the UAE federal corporate tax of 9% on annual taxable profits exceeding AED 375,000. Profits below that threshold are taxed at 0%. Personal income remains 0%, and small businesses can apply for the Small Business Relief scheme until end-2026.
Yes — bank account opening is included in all our setup packages. We have direct relationships with Emirates NBD, ADCB, Mashreq, RAKBank, ADIB, and several international banks. Most accounts are activated within 10–15 working days after license issuance.
Tell us your setup preferences and our consultants will calculate a transparent, all-in quote within one business day. No spam, no high-pressure sales — just a clear path to your setup.
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