What is a Dubai mainland company?
A mainland company is a business licensed by the Department of Economy and Tourism, the DET. It can trade anywhere in the UAE and sell straight to the local market. That is the line that separates it from a free zone company.
A free zone company cannot sell into the UAE market without a local distributor or a branch. A mainland company can. It can also bid for government contracts and open branches across the Emirates, which free zones cannot do.
The old rule that you needed an Emirati partner is gone. Since the 2021 reform under Federal Decree-Law 32 of 2021, a foreign founder can own 100% of a mainland company across most activities. Only a narrow set of strategic sectors still need a local element.
What is a Dubai mainland company?
Mainland exists for one reason above all: to trade inside the UAE without limits. Here is what that buys a UK founder, point by point.
Sell across the whole UAE
Trade directly with UAE customers and retailers. No distributor, no free zone boundary, no agent taking a cut.
Win government contracts
Only mainland companies can bid for UAE public tenders and sign government contracts. Free zones are shut out of this.
Scale visas with your team
Visa numbers track your office size, roughly one per 9 square metres. No fixed cap, so you hire and relocate family as you grow.
Open branches anywhere
Expand across Dubai and the other Emirates under one licence. Add locations as the business spreads.
Run mainland-only sectors
Restaurants, clinics, schools and similar activities need a mainland licence with the right authority sign-off. Free zones cannot serve UAE walk-in customers here.
Own 100%, no sponsor
Keep full ownership and control of most activities. The 51% local partner rule ended in 2021 for the vast majority of businesses.
Mainland or free zone: which is right for you?
Choose mainland when your customers are in the UAE, when you want government work, or when you plan to hire a real team on the ground. It is the route with no trading limits.
Choose free zone when you trade purely online or abroad, want the lowest entry cost, and do not need to sell into the local market. Both keep 100% ownership.
Want the full side-by-side across cost, tax and ownership? Read our mainland versus free zone guide, then come back when you are ready to set up.
Which Route Matches Your Investment?
Decided mainland is your route?
Tell us your activity and we will confirm the licence, office and visas you actually need.
How much does mainland company formation cost?
A standard commercial mainland setup runs roughly AED 15,000 to AED 35,000 for the first year, once you add up the licence, a small office, one visa and the immigration file. Regulated activities and general trading sit higher.
- DET trade licence, name reservation and initial approval
- Office space with Ejari, or a DET-compliant flexi-desk from around AED 8,000
- One investor or partner visa, medical and Emirates ID
- Establishment card, your company immigration file
- Any external approvals your activity needs
The number most agents leave out is the Year 2 renewal, so we show it to you upfront. Every business is different, so these figures are indicative only. RIZ & MONA Consultancy gives you a personalised quote once we know your activity, office and visa count. You can also run the numbers yourself with our cost calculator.
How do you set up a mainland company from the UK?
Most of it is done remotely, before you fly out
A new employee visa runs through five steps across three authorities. It is the job owners most want off their plate, so here is exactly how we run it.
Step 01 Same day
We confirm your activity, the DET codes it maps to, and the right licence. Getting the activity right here saves cost and delay later.
Step 02 1 to 2 days
We reserve your trade name and secure initial approval from the DET.
Step 03 2 to 3 days
We draft and notarise your Memorandum of Association and prepare the full file.
Step 04 2 to 3 days
We sort your office and register the Ejari tenancy, or set up a compliant flexi-desk if that suits you better.
Step 05 5 to 14 days
Your DET trade licence is issued. For most standard activities the whole licensing runs inside two weeks.
Step 06 3 to 5 days
If you are relocating, we arrange your entry permit, medical and Emirates ID. Staying in the UK, we skip this.
Step 07 2 to 6 weeks
We open your corporate bank account, the step that stalls most people who try alone.
What mistakes should you avoid with mainland setup?
Most mainland problems are predictable. These are the five we fix for UK clients most often.
Founders pick a broad or generic activity without checking what the DET actually permits under it. Operate outside your licensed activity and it is a compliance breach.
How we handle it: We map your real business to the correct DET codes before we file, and confirm the full list with you.
The first-year quote looks fine, then the Year 2 renewal lands and the cash flow was never planned for it.
How we handle it: We show you the renewal number at the start, so the second year is not a surprise.
A mainland licence needs a real Ejari-registered address, and office size sets your visa quota. Get this wrong and your hiring plan stalls.
How we handle it: We size the office to your visa needs and register the Ejari correctly the first time.
UAE corporate tax applies at 9% above AED 375,000, and registration with the Federal Tax Authority is mandatory even below that. Late registration carries penalties.
How we handle it: We register you with the FTA on time and keep you compliant from day one.
Some founders take a mainland licence and its office cost when a free zone would have served a purely international business for less.
How we handle it: We tell you honestly if free zone suits you better, even though mainland is the bigger setup.
The UAE authorities your business must deal with
At least five, and rarely through one login. Each body runs its own portal, its own forms and its own counters, and some still need a person to show up in the queue. That is the real reason a PRO exists.
Labour cards, work permits and WPS pay compliance. Filed through Tasheel service centres.
Entry permits, residence visas, renewals and cancellations in Dubai. Handled at Amer centres.
Issues the Emirates ID, and handles visas in Abu Dhabi and the Northern Emirates.
The mainland licensing authority, formerly DED. Issues, renews and amends your trade licence.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs that attests documents for official use in the UAE.
Free zone authorities, Dubai Municipality and health authorities each add their own steps.
| Option | What it does | Best for | Main limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typing centre | Prepares and types forms; Tasheel centres can submit MOHRE filings | One-off jobs, form typing | You still manage the rest yourself |
| In-house PRO | A salaried officer who runs your filings full time | Firms filing every week | A fixed salary and one point of failure |
| Outsourced PRO | Runs your whole government relationship across all bodies | Most foreign-owned SMEs | You share the provider with other clients |
Work out what your company needs
Send us your setup and we will map the paperwork you face this year.
What goes wrong without a PRO
Missed government deadlines cost real money, and the fines stack up fast. Here is what catches owners out and how we keep you clear.
A late mainland renewal runs from AED 250 a month, and an unrenewed licence can be suspended, which freezes your visas and bank transactions.
Our fix: We track your renewal date and file with DET before it expires.
Without a valid immigration file, your company cannot process a single visa. New hires simply cannot start.
Our fix: We open and maintain your establishment card so visa work never stalls.
Paying staff outside the Wage Protection System can bring fines up to AED 50,000 and a MOHRE work-permit ban.
Our fix: We keep your payroll filings compliant so your permits stay open.
A trade licence cannot renew without a registered tenancy. Missing Ejari is the single most common blocker.
Our fix: We line up your Ejari and licence together, so one never holds up the other.
An expired Emirates ID adds daily fines and stops other transactions until it is fixed.
Our fix: We flag every renewal early and handle it with the ICP before the deadline.
Why choose RIZ & MONA for mainland setup
Since 2009, RIZ & MONA Consultancy has set up more than 10,000 companies for clients from over 50 countries. We deal with the DET, the office, the visas and the bank, so you run the business instead of the paperwork. And we tell you the honest answer, including when mainland is not your best route.
What UK clients get from us: the right activity codes first time, a licence issued fast, banking that clears, and someone who stays on after the licence prints.
- Direct DET experience
- Honest route advice
- Banking approval
- Post-setup support
Mainland company formation FAQs
The questions UK founders ask us most about mainland setup. Rules change, so treat these as a guide and confirm your own case before you commit.
Do I need a local sponsor for a Dubai mainland company?
No, not for most activities. Since the 2021 reform, a foreign founder can own 100% of a mainland company across the vast majority of commercial and professional activities. Only a small set of strategic sectors still need a local partner.
What is the minimum capital for a mainland company?
For most mainland LLCs there is no fixed minimum you must deposit. Capital is stated in the Memorandum of Association and does not need to sit in the bank. Some activities set their own capital, and banks may want more to open an account.
Can I set up a mainland company without going to Dubai?
Yes, the company and licence can be arranged remotely from the UK. You only need to visit if you take a residency visa, for the medical and Emirates ID, which is usually three to five days. Without a visa, you may not need to travel.
Does a mainland company need a physical office?
Yes. A mainland licence needs a real address registered on Ejari. A DET-compliant flexi-desk can meet this and starts near AED 8,000 a year. Your office size also sets how many visas you can sponsor.
How long does mainland formation take?
For a standard commercial activity, licensing usually completes in five to fourteen working days once documents are ready. Regulated activities that need outside approval, like food or health, take longer, often two to eight weeks.
How many visas can a mainland company get?
There is no fixed cap. Visa numbers scale with your office size, broadly one visa per nine square metres. That is a key reason founders with a team or family choose mainland over a visa-capped free zone package.
Does a mainland company pay corporate tax?
Yes. UAE corporate tax is 9% on taxable profit above AED 375,000, and 0% below it. Registration with the Federal Tax Authority is mandatory regardless of profit. We register you and keep the filing on track.
Can a mainland company sell online and abroad too?
Yes. Mainland is not limited to local trade. You can sell to UAE customers, export, and trade internationally under the same licence. The advantage over free zone is the direct access to the UAE market, not a restriction on the rest.
Start your Dubai mainland company today
One call confirms your activity, your cost and your next step.
How we handle a work visa, start to finish
TYPICAL TIMELINE: 7 TO 15 WORKING DAYS
A new employee visa runs through five steps across three authorities. It is the job owners most want off their plate, so here is exactly how we run it.
Step 01 · Entry permit 2 to 4 days
We file the entry permit with the GDRFA so your hire can begin the residency process.
Step 02 · Medical and Emirates ID 2 to 3 days
We book the medical fitness test and the ICP biometrics, then feed both into the file.
Step 03 · Visa stamping 3 to 5 days
The residence visa is issued as a digital record at an Amer centre. Residency is now live.
Step 04 · Labour contract 1 to 2 days
We register the employment contract with MOHRE through Tasheel, which activates labour-law cover.
Step 05 · Emirates ID collection 2 to 3 days
The physical Emirates ID is printed and collected, and your employee is fully set up.
What do PRO services cost in Dubai?
You can pay per job or keep us on a monthly retainer. Small and mid-size firms usually pay AED 1,000 to AED 5,000 a month for a retainer, while one-off jobs are priced per task. Once you are running more than three government transactions a month, a retainer almost always works out cheaper.
- Monthly retainer for regular filings
- Per-task pricing for one-off jobs
- Visa processing, per person
- Attestation, priced per document
- Government fees billed separately
- Express handling if you are in a rush
Government fees are set by each authority and are always separate from our service fee, so no single price fits every company. Figures here are indicative 2026 ranges. Riz & Mona Consultancy gives you a clear, itemised quote once we know your licence, staff and filing volume.
Why choose Riz & Mona Consultancy for PRO
Riz & Mona Consultancy already sets up and banks UK-owned companies in the UAE, so putting your government paperwork with the same team keeps everything in one place. We deal with every authority for you, track the deadlines that trigger fines, and tell you honestly when a cheaper route will do the job.
- Every authority covered
- Deadlines tracked
- UK-based support
- One team from setup on
