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The eTrader licence is the cheapest legal way to sell online in Dubai, and Dubai Economy and Tourism (DET) now publishes its fee: AED 1,070 for the licence, including knowledge and innovation fees, plus AED 300 for Dubai Chamber membership. DET describes it as a sole establishment licence for Dubai home-based businesses. The older UAE Government portal page that limited it to UAE nationals and GCC nationals residing in Dubai has been removed, and no current official page states who is eligible, so confirm eligibility for your nationality and activity on Invest in Dubai before applying. If the route is not open to you, the rest of this page is about what you do instead. Checked on 3 October 2026.
What the eTrader licence actually is
| Feature | Position |
|---|---|
| Who can hold it | Not stated on any current official page; DET calls it a sole establishment licence for Dubai home-based businesses. Confirm on Invest in Dubai |
| Owners | Registered under the name of a single owner only |
| Premises | Cannot open a shop |
| Visas | Three visas when the ownership is 100% Emirati (Dubai Media Office, 2022) |
| Liability | In a legal dispute, the licensee alone is held responsible |
| What it covers | Practising business activities through social media networks |
| How to get it | Apply on the Invest in Dubai portal with an ID number; issued in about 5 minutes |
The table rests on current official pages: DET’s Invest in Dubai service page (sole establishment licence for home-based businesses, applied for with an ID number), dubai.ae (sole proprietorship, the owner bears full legal responsibility) and the Dubai Media Office (no shop, three visas when the ownership is 100% Emirati, January 2022). The UAE Government portal’s DED Trader page, which limited the licence to UAE nationals and GCC nationals residing in Dubai and carried an update date of 25 March 2024, has been removed from u.ae, and none of the current pages states who is eligible. Confirm eligibility for your nationality and activity on the Invest in Dubai platform before you apply. Read on 3 October 2026.
What it costs
Dubai Economy and Tourism publishes the fee on its Invest in Dubai service page: AED 1,070 for the licence, including knowledge and innovation fees, plus AED 300 for Dubai Chamber membership, and the licence is issued in about 5 minutes (read 3 October 2026). The Invest in Dubai platform shows the exact amount payable before you confirm, and that figure is the one to act on. Any article quoting an eTrader price without a date and a source is repeating another article.
If eTrader is not open to you
If Invest in Dubai does not accept you for eTrader, or you need more than one owner, a shop or visas, the substitutes are real licences with real costs. There are two.
| Mainland e-commerce licence | Free-zone e-commerce licence | |
|---|---|---|
| Issued by | The emirate’s economic department, in Dubai through the Invest in Dubai platform | The free zone itself |
| Selling to UAE customers | Direct | Direct online sales; a mainland distributor or dual licence for physical retail presence |
| Visas | Yes, subject to office and quota rules | Yes, by package quota |
| Owners | More than one possible | More than one possible |
| Liability | Limited, in a properly formed company | Limited, in a properly formed company |
The UAE Government portal states the general rule for mainland e-commerce plainly: you need a commercial licence that includes the e-commerce activity from your emirate’s Department of Economic Development. It also names the equivalent channels in other emirates (Tajer Abu Dhabi in Abu Dhabi, and the economic departments in Sharjah and Ajman), which matters if Dubai is not the only option you are weighing. Our guide to starting an e-commerce business in Dubai covers the activity choice, payment gateways and logistics that follow.
The route people confuse with eTrader
If what you want is to invoice for services rather than sell goods, the freelance permit is the nearer comparison, and it is open to expatriates. It is a different product, a permit tied to a free zone, usually with a visa option, and it is priced accordingly. The freelance visa cost guide sets out what those packages contain.
Opening a business bank account
A bank account does not come with an eTrader licence: the bank opens it separately, after its own review of the company, its owners and the expected transactions. For a new small company, two common starting points are the ADCB SmartStart business account, which costs AED 131.25 a month including VAT, with no minimum balance, for UAE nationals and residents, and Mashreq NeoBiz, which starts at AED 99 plus VAT a month on the Pro plan, with no minimum balance (banks’ own fee schedules, checked October 2026). Compare all of them on our UAE business banks page.
How to decide in five minutes
| Your situation | Route |
|---|---|
| Single owner of a Dubai home-based business, selling through social media, no shop, eligibility confirmed on Invest in Dubai | eTrader |
| Expat, selling goods online, needs a residence visa | Free-zone e-commerce licence with visa quota |
| Expat, selling goods online, wants mainland retail or government contracts later | Mainland commercial licence with e-commerce activity |
| Expat, selling services not goods | Freelance permit, or a professional licence |
| Anyone needing more than one owner | Not eTrader, it is single-owner only |
Our directory records 36 firms covering business licensing in Dubai, 35 for free-zone formation and 36 for mainland, which is the split that matters here: ask a firm which of the two it actually does before you take its recommendation on which one suits you.
Frequently asked questions
Can an expat get an e-trader licence in Dubai?
No current official page says. The UAE Government portal page that limited the eTrader licence to UAE nationals and GCC nationals residing in Dubai has been removed, and DET now describes it as a sole establishment licence for Dubai home-based businesses. Confirm eligibility for your nationality and activity on Invest in Dubai before applying. If it is not open to you, use a mainland commercial licence with e-commerce activity or a free-zone e-commerce licence instead.
How much does the e-trader licence cost?
Dubai Economy and Tourism publishes the fee: AED 1,070 for the licence, including knowledge and innovation fees, plus AED 300 for Dubai Chamber membership. The Invest in Dubai platform shows the exact amount payable before you confirm, and that is the figure to rely on.
Can an e-trader licence sponsor a visa?
The Dubai Media Office (January 2022) states that an eTrader licence can carry three visas when the ownership is 100% Emirati. It cannot open a shop, and the licensee alone is held responsible in a legal dispute.
Can two people share an e-trader licence?
No. It can be registered under the name of a single owner only.
What licence do I need to sell online in Dubai as a foreigner?
A commercial licence that includes the e-commerce activity from the emirate’s Department of Economic Development, or a free-zone e-commerce licence. The free-zone route is the usual one where a residence visa is needed alongside the licence.
Is a freelance permit the same as an e-trader licence?
No. A freelance permit is for selling services and is open to expatriates; eTrader is a single-owner licence for Dubai home-based businesses selling through social media. They are different products with different costs.
Want the licence route priced for your actual product and visa need? Browse licensing consultants or describe your case and compare offers.
Official references used for context in this article.
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