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A professional licence is the mainland licence for businesses that sell expertise rather than goods: consultants, agencies, engineers, IT services, designers, therapists. Choosing it is not a preference. Your business activity determines the licence type, and the licence type then constrains which legal forms are open to you. Checked against the UAE Government portal on 8 August 2026.
Six licence types nationally, eight in Dubai
The two lists do not conflict; the emirate simply issues more granular products on top of the federal categories. It matters because an adviser quoting a licence name that is not on the Dubai list is quoting for a different emirate.
| Authority | Licence types issued |
|---|---|
| Ministry of Economy and Tourism, nationally | Industrial, commercial, professional, tourism, agricultural, crafts |
| Dubai | Industrial, commercial, professional, eTrader, dual, instant, SME, Intelaq |
| Abu Dhabi, for comparison | Abu Dhabi trader, dual, freelancer, Mobdea, small producers, standard, virtual |
Activity first, licence second, legal form third
The official sequence is worth following literally, because doing it backwards is what forces expensive amendments later. Identify the business activity, and note that a business can hold more than one. The activity is the basis for selecting both the legal form and the licence type. Only then choose the legal form, from general partnership, limited partnership, limited liability company, public joint stock company or private joint stock company. The legal form has to match the activity, and the trade name must then carry the corresponding acronym, LLC, EST, PJSC or PrJSC.
Ownership, and the rule that changed
Federal Decree-Law No. 26 of 2020, in force from early 2021, overhauled the commercial companies regime. It removed the requirement for a 51 per cent Emirati shareholder or a local partner for most business activities, and removed the obligation for branches of foreign companies to appoint a UAE national service agent. Foreign ownership can now reach 100 per cent rather than being capped at 49. Strategic sectors remain subject to approvals, and the changes were later consolidated by Federal Decree-Law No. 32 of 2021.
This is the single most out-of-date claim on the internet about Dubai professional licences. Guidance written before 2021, and a good deal written after it, still describes a mandatory local service agent as a given. Ask the licensing authority about your specific activity rather than accepting a general answer either way, because the exceptions are activity-level.
After the licence
A licence is an annual commitment, not a one-off purchase, and the renewal cycle is where small businesses most often trip. Budget the renewal in the same breath as the setup, and keep the tenancy registration and any activity approvals aligned with the licence so a renewal does not stall on a document that expired quietly. If your activity turns out to sit under a different regulator entirely, for instance anything touching payments, that regulator’s licensing rules take precedence over the economic department’s.
What this page deliberately does not do
It does not quote a price. Dubai professional licence fees vary by activity, legal form, premises and the number of activities held, and no single figure is honest across that range. Any page that gives you one number is quoting one configuration and not telling you which.
Frequently asked questions
What is a professional licence in Dubai?
One of the licence types issued on the mainland, for businesses whose activity is the provision of professional services and expertise rather than trading in goods. It sits in the federal list of six licence types alongside industrial, commercial, tourism, agricultural and crafts, and in Dubai’s list of eight.
How many licence types does Dubai issue?
Eight: industrial, commercial, professional, eTrader, dual, instant, SME and Intelaq. That is more than the six recognised nationally by the Ministry of Economy and Tourism, because the emirate issues more specific products on top of the federal categories.
Do I still need a local service agent for a professional licence?
Not for most activities. Federal Decree-Law No. 26 of 2020, in force from early 2021, removed the requirement for a 51 per cent Emirati shareholder or a local partner for most business activities, and removed the obligation for branches of foreign companies to appoint a UAE national service agent. Strategic sectors still require approvals, so confirm for your specific activity.
Can a foreigner own 100 per cent of a Dubai mainland company?
For most activities, yes. The 2020 decree means a foreign investor’s share is no longer limited to 49 per cent and can be as much as 100 per cent. Strategic sectors are excluded and remain subject to approvals.
Which legal form goes with a professional licence?
The legal form has to match the activity. The forms available nationally are general partnership, limited partnership, limited liability company, public joint stock company and private joint stock company. The trade name must be followed by the matching acronym such as LLC, EST, PJSC or PrJSC.
How much does a professional licence cost in Dubai?
There is no single figure. The cost depends on the activity, the legal form, the premises and how many activities the licence carries. Any quoted number describes one configuration; ask for a quote against your own activity list.
Want quotes for your specific activity rather than a range? Browse business licensing services or name the activity and see what firms charge.
Official references used for context in this article.
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