Every Dubai mainland licence starts with one decision: which business activity (or activities) you register. Choose wrong and you’ll face rejected approvals, banking friction, or fines for operating outside your licence scope. This 2026 guide explains how the DED activity list works – now managed by the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) – and how to pick activities that won’t box you in.
What Is the DED Activity List?
The DED activity list is Dubai’s official register of over 3,000 approved economic activities, each with its own code, description, and approval requirements. Formerly run by the Department of Economic Development (DED), the register is now managed by DET and published on the Invest in Dubai portal, where you can search every activity by keyword before you apply.
The Four Licence Categories
- Commercial (trading) – buying and selling goods: general trading, e-commerce, retail, import/export.
- Professional – services and skills-based work: consultancy, IT services, marketing, repairs.
- Industrial – manufacturing and processing activities that transform materials.
- Tourism – travel agencies, tour operators, and hospitality-linked activities.
The category determines your licence type – and it matters because activities from different categories generally cannot be combined on a single licence.
The Rules for Choosing Activities in 2026
- One primary activity – your main revenue generator, which defines the licence.
- Secondary activities allowed – you can add related activities on the same licence, provided they sit in the same category.
- They must make sense together. DET can question combinations that look disjointed – “management consultancy + fish trading” invites scrutiny.
- Some activities need external approvals – healthcare (DHA), education (KHDA), food (Dubai Municipality), legal, financial and transport activities all carry extra sign-offs and time.
- Your bank reads the activity too. Corporate banks assess risk by activity code – a precise, honest activity speeds up account opening; vague or mismatched activities slow it down.
How to Find and Register Your Activity
- Search the activity register on the Invest in Dubai portal by keyword.
- Shortlist the code(s) matching what you’ll actually do – read the official description, not just the title.
- Check for external approval requirements on each code.
- Reserve your trade name and apply for initial approval with your chosen activities.
- Add or amend activities later if the business evolves – amendments are routine, but operating outside your licensed scope is a violation.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Registering too narrowly – add the logical secondary activities now; each later amendment costs time and fees.
- Registering too broadly – unnecessary regulated activities trigger approvals you don’t need.
- Copying another company’s activities – their structure, approvals, and banking profile aren’t yours.
- Ignoring the free zone comparison – if your activity is service- or e-commerce-based, a free zone licence may cost less; see our Sharjah e-commerce licence guide.
In Conclusion
The DED (DET) activity list is the foundation of every Dubai mainland licence: 3,000+ activities, four categories, one primary activity plus compatible secondaries. Get the combination right the first time and everything downstream – approvals, banking, growth – moves faster.
How Can SetHub Help?
Picking activities is where SetHub’s consultants save clients the most pain – we map what you actually plan to do against the register, flag hidden approval requirements, and structure the licence for how you’ll grow. Schedule a call online and we’ll get back to you within one business hour.