The emirate of Dubai is home to well-established local and international brands as well as the growing startup and SME community. All of these ventures have started from the bottom. They went through the nitty-gritty process of establishing their businesses in Dubai and work tirelessly to achieve and sustain business growth. How?
First, by knowing well the government formalities, various requisites, business types and trade licenses. Next, by studying the country’s diverse market and how to make use of its products and services best to create an impact. Lastly, by anticipating the future and the emerging markets not only locally but globally.
As an entrepreneur, you must be ready to go through the different stages of business setup in Dubai mainland. It all starts by knowing the type of license you should apply for based on the activities or services you wish to provide.
Before jumping into a decision, the first important thing to do is to identify your business activity and the appropriate license you should apply for. Let’s take a look at the four types of trade license under the Dubai Department of Economic Development (DED):
Commercial License
A commercial trade license—the most wide-used license in Dubai mainland—is issued to companies involved in commercial activities and trade in the UAE. Your business activity, such as a General Trading, may involve importing, re-exporting, and trading allowed goods and commodities. Other examples of activities under this type of trade license are food and beverages trading, handbags and leather products trading, and auto accessories trading, among others. CREATIVE ZONE’s company formation experts can provide you with the most updated list of business activities under a Commercial License.
Professional License
If you are a skilled professional with a specific field of expertise, you can start a business in Dubai by obtaining a professional trade license from Dubai DED. A professional license is granted to companies that are service-oriented in nature and making profits out of the services they offer. Business activities that fall into this bracket are consultancies, management services, education and training providers, technical services, beauty salons, healthcare and medical services, printing and publishing, accounting and auditing, and so much more. There are instances when a business activity is considered both a commercial and professional. So, to avoid confusion, it is best to seek the guidance of a business setup advisor.
Industrial License
Any business that engages in the production and manufacturing of new products from converting natural resources or man-made raw materials is considered an industrial activity. The final product can either be produced manually or mechanically. Thus, an industrial trade license from Dubai DED is required. Business activities such as cement products manufacturing, fibreglass products manufacturing, meat products manufacturing, bread manufacturing and food industries, textile manufacturing, and equipment and engine manufacturing are just some of the many examples. It is also important to note that all companies with this type of license must have a physical warehouse in the country. If you need thorough assistance in obtaining an industrial trade license, CREATIVE ZONE’s company formation specialists can help you in the process.
Tourism License
The tourism trade license issued by Dubai DED is pretty straightforward. All businesses related to tourism activities need to apply for a tourism trade license such as vacation homes rental, hotel apartments rental, outbound and inbound tour operators, travel agencies, and marine tours operation among others. The number of tourists in Dubai alone has dramatically increased over the past decade, making the travel and tourism one of the fastest growing sectors in the UAE today.
DED is the governing body for Business Registration and Licensing (BRL) in Dubai. It was reported early this year a total of 20,467 new licenses in 2018, which constitute to a 4.6 growth from the previous year’s figures. While it’s the best time to set up your business in Dubai today, starting off at the right track ensures success.
That is why you need CREATIVE ZONE’s business setup advisor to help you navigate your way through the various government formalities before you can legally conduct your business in Dubai. CREATIVE ZONE’s high reputation in the business setup industry has resulted in thousands of companies incorporated over the past years. With CREATIVE ZONE, your business is off to a great start.
