Getting a Dubai Trade License

To become an entrepreneur in Dubai, you need to get your hands on a trade license. A trading license is your ticket to starting your dream business venture, giving you the freedom to pursue your entrepreneurial goals. It’s also the legal requirement you need to get the green light for trading.

While there is of course a great deal of excitement to be felt at the beginning of your journey, it’s important to ensure affairs are in order, and you get the process right the first time. In the context of obtaining a trade license Dubai is a seamless and easy experience overall, which smooths a particularly admin driven element of the process for business setup. 

This blog will demonstrate both the types of trade license Dubai offers to entrepreneurs, how to obtain a DED trade license, and how the team at Business Incorporation Zone can assist you through the process.

Types of Dubai Trade Licenses

There are a variety of trade licenses available to entrepreneurs in Dubai.

• Commercial – for companies that trade goods and commodities e.g. export and import businesses
• Industrial – for manufacturing businesses, that will typically possess a warehouse
• Professional – for specific professions such as consulting, medical services, publishing. Mostly white collar professions
• Tourism – for businesses that appeal to the tourist trade e.g. hotels, tours, cruises, hop on hop off transport services etc
• Agriculture – for the primary sector – whether it’s on the ground with the development of crops and harvests, or consultancy for this sector 
• Freelance – any industry! This is a community that is growing significantly in Dubai, and covers a plethora of industries

How to get a Dubai trade license

Getting a trade license in Dubai is a seamless process – provided you are effectively prepared and have all the documentation required. To help get you prepared, here’s a checklist of the process you can follow to ensure you’re on the right track:

• Decide your business activity – refer back to the trade licenses available to you in Dubai. When you have correctly placed your business activity within one of the available categories, it’s time to move on to the next step. If you’re unsure of how to place yourself, the team at Business Incorporation Zone can certainly help with this 
• Register your business name – this is a trading name, and can’t be ambiguous. You can’t include acronyms within this name for example. This may seem like one of the most straightforward elements of setting up a business, but it’s one to give a lot of thought to!
• Choose your location – this will determine the type of trading license Dubai authorities provide you with. We have many resources about the opportunities available to entrepreneurs on this subject, just reach out to us if you’re undecided on where to place your business
• Pay your fees – we hate to break the bad news, but business setup comes at a cost! But, you can get these costs out of the way before the fun starts. When you pay your fees, your application is complete. Let’s get to work!
• Receive your license and open your bank account – for when the good stuff comes flying in – money! Once the green light has been received, you’re ready to start trading, and you’ll need a UAE bank account to receive your profits

Remember, this list is not exhaustive, and there are many finer details that will need to be contended with throughout the process. However, get these particular elements in order, and you’re on the right track.

Dubai trade licenses & Business Incorporation Zone

The team at Business Incorporation Zone have assisted thousands of entrepreneurs through the process of obtaining a trade license. No matter the industry, the zone, or the location, we know exactly how to get your business setup properly, and within the compliance frameworks of the Dubai government. 

Start your journey towards a trade license, bank account, and residency permit today by contacting Business Incorporation Zone at setup@SetHub.com.