Dubai trade license cost in 2026

The licence fee is the number most ads show, but it is rarely the number you pay. What you pay depends on three choices: where the company is registered (mainland, a free zone or offshore), how many residence visas you need, and what kind of office the licence requires.

The ranges below are typical market prices for October 2026. Government fees change, and each activity can add approvals, so treat them as a budget guide and ask for an itemised quote before you pay anything.

Typical licence fees by jurisdiction

Licence and registration only. Visas, office, establishment card and service fees are extra.

What a full first year costs with one visa

For one owner with one residence visa in a free zone, a typical first year adds up like this: licence AED 6,500–15,000, residence visa AED 3,400–6,500, establishment card AED 1,500–2,500, flexi desk AED 0–3,000 (often included in the package) and setup support AED 1,500–3,500. That is about AED 12,900–30,500.

On the mainland, the licence is higher and the office is a real cost: a business centre office with Ejari typically runs AED 3,000–12,000 a year, a shared office AED 6,000–15,000.

• Each extra residence visa adds about AED 3,400–6,500
• Commercial and trading activities can add AED 1,000–3,000 in approvals
• Each extra shareholder typically adds AED 1,000–2,500

Dubai trade license renewal fees

Renewal comes back every year. One-off costs such as initial registration and part of the setup work fall away, but the licence fee, the desk or office, and the establishment card renew annually, and visas renew when they expire (usually every two years). Some low-priced first-year packages cost more at renewal, so ask for the year-two price in writing before you sign.

What cheap licence ads usually leave out

• The residence visa, medical test and Emirates ID
• The establishment card (immigration file) needed before any visa
• Office or desk costs, and Ejari on the mainland
• Activity approvals for regulated or commercial activities
• Corporate tax and VAT registration, and the year-two renewal

How to get an accurate number for your licence

1. 1

   Pick your business activity

   The activity decides which jurisdictions and approvals apply.

2. 2

   Decide mainland, free zone or offshore

   Based on where your customers are and whether you need visas.

3. 3

   Count the visas you need

   Each one changes the total and can change the office requirement.

4. 4

   Ask for an itemised quote for year one and year two

   Every fee on its own line, in writing, before you pay.