Business Setup PROs in Dubai
A mainland trade licence in Dubai is issued by Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET). That is the first real decision: mainland through Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), or a free zone such as JAFZA, DMCC, DAFZA, Dubai Silicon Oasis and DIFC. The two are different regimes with different visa quotas, different office requirements and different rules about trading inside the UAE market — and switching later is expensive.
What a PRO does
Name reservation, initial approval, drafting and notarising the incorporation documents, the tenancy or office requirement, and the licence itself — then the establishment card and the visa quota that lets you actually hire.
What to settle before you pay anyone
- Mainland or free zone. Driven by who your customers are, not by which is cheapest.
- Activity list. The activities on the licence decide what you may legally invoice for.
- Premises. Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) requirements differ from free-zone flexi-desk terms.
- Tax registration. Corporate Tax and VAT registration are separate steps with their own deadlines — a licence does not register you.
Choosing one
A PRO who asks what your business actually does before recommending a structure is worth more than one quoting a package price on day one. Ask for the government fees and their fee separately. Every PRO listed for Dubai on FindPRO is verified.
Before you act on any of this: UAE government fees, document lists and processing times change regularly. Confirm the current requirements with Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), or ask the PRO you engage to confirm them in writing before you pay anything.