Mainland Company Formation in Dubai
Dubai Mainland Company Formation is your pathway to the complete UAE economy, allowing you to do business across Dubai, the Emirates, and internationally. In addition to being a great gateway to do business in Dubai, the Mainland also gives you unparalleled access to customers, investors, and government contracts. Whether you are starting your first business or expanding your global company’s reach, setting up a business on Dubai Mainland is an amazing opportunity to gain access to the UAE economy. At DubaiSetupNow, we help you to set up your mainland company with complete compliance, business license, residency visa assistance, banking support and post set up services. DubaiSetupNow is not just help setting your business up, but the long term partner for strategic business growth in the UAE.
What types of Mainland Licenses You Can Obtain
We will assist you in applying for the appropriate mainland license from the DET, depending on your business activity:
- Trade license - suitable for import/export businesses, wholesalers, retail shops, and distributors
- Professional/Service license - best suited to consultants, IT services, marketing agencies, educators, and healthcare professionals
- Industrial license - if you are in the manufacturing, production, and industrial assembly business
- Tourism license - for travel agents, tour companies, and hotels providing services to customers
- E-commerce license - if you are launching a digital-first business with a physical presence.
Key Benefits for Entrepreneurs
Why Set Up a Mainland Company in Dubai?
Mainland companies are licensed by the Department of Economy & Tourism (DET) and enjoy full operational freedom inside and outside the UAE. Here’s why mainland is the preferred setup for serious entrepreneurs and investors:
Due to the new commercial company law reforms in the UAE, nearly all of the professional and commercial licenses (commonly referred to 'trading license' in Dubai Mainland) now allow 100% foreign ownership, and it is no longer required for the foreign entity to have a UAE national as a partner or shareholder (50/50 partner). As a result, international businesses can have complete control over their business and local and global markets.
In comparison to Free Zone companies, companies in Dubai Mainland can operate anywhere in the United Arab Emirates ranging from business districts to residential districts, and local areas where there are commercial complexes and retail area. Hence, you have complete flexibility to enlarge your business footprint and work with clients across the country at any location.
Mainland companies have the right to bid on government and semi-government contracts (which are usually not available to Free Zone companies). They create more opportunities for new revenue streams, long-term contracts in their chosen industry (construction, IT, consulting, public infrastructure and so on).
Dubai Mainland companies have flexible visa quotas. As business grows you can apply for an unlimited amount of employee visas, depending on your office space and business activity. Obviously this is great news for companies that are looking to expand and grow their business at a rapid pace by either adding budgets for multiple departments or just adding many employees at once.
With the Mainland license, you can lease or purchase commercial spaces anywhere in Dubai jurisdiction (as long as it's approved)—be it an office in Business Bay, a retail shop in Deira or a warehouse in Al Quoz. This is absolutely crucial for businesses that require logistical operations, customer walk-ins or operational space.
What’s Included in Our Mainland Company Formation Services?
When you set up with DubaiSetupNow, we take care of every aspect of the process:
Business Activity Classification
Company Name Reservation –
Trade License Application
Post-setup Compliance
Office Space Assistance
Local Service Agent (if required)
Visa Processing
Bank Account Opening
What are The Benefits of Dubai Mainland Business Setup?
Dubai's mainland structure is ideally suited for companies looking to expand rapidly, recruit with flexibility, and operate with complete commercial liberty.
- Ability to sell products/services across the UAE & GCC
- Ability to operate globally with no geographical limitations
- Complete ability to repatriate profits and capital
- Access to UAE's local B2B and B2C customer base
- Ability to tender for public and semi-government contracts
- Eligibility for long-term residency via investor visa
- No corporate or income tax at the current thresholds
Hassle-Free Company Formation
Visa, Compliance & Office Setup – All Taken Care Of
A Dubai mainland license is the perfect option for all serious and scalable business models, and some of the most versatile company formation solution in the widescale UAE. It is spot on for e-commerce brands that need flexibility options for office and/or warehousing, as it allows them to manage online operations alongside space for logistical support. It is also beneficial for consultancies operating in legal/tech/media/marketing, who want 100% ownership and operational reach given fully across the UAE. Mainland is also fundamental for emerging businesses like food and beverage, salons, medical facilities, and gyms, who need access to local customers across the city. Furthermore, it really benefits retailers and wholesalers who intend on opening shops/showrooms, and it is also ideal for general trading that trades in a multitude of goods. There are also significant advantages to freelancers and independent professionals, who can operate under a license as a legal person, networking with local clients, and apply for visas all under 1 powerful license setup.
Who Should Consider a Mainland Company?
A mainland license is suitable for almost every serious business model including:
- E-commerce brands seeking flexible office & warehouse space
- Legal, media, tech & marketing consultancies wanting full ownership
- Food & beverage outlets, salons, clinics, and gyms needing UAE-wide access
- Retailers and wholesalers planning to open physical outlets
- General trading companies dealing in multiple products
- Professionals offering freelance or independent services
Who Should Consider a Mainland Company?
A mainland license is suitable for almost every serious business model including:
- E-commerce brands seeking flexible office & warehouse space
- Legal, media, tech & marketing consultancies wanting full ownership
- Food & beverage outlets, salons, clinics, and gyms needing UAE-wide access
- Retailers and wholesalers planning to open physical outlets
- General trading companies dealing in multiple products
- Professionals offering freelance or independent services
Why Choose DubaiSetupNow?
We don’t just create companies. We build brands, systems, and success stories in Dubai.
- Custom mainland set-up packages tailored to activity and budget
- Facilitate leasing of office, warehouse and showroom space
- Assist with opening UAE business bank accounts
- Fast and efficient licensing - 2-5 working days
- Post-launch services - digital marketing, CRM, and branding
- Experts in DET regulations, Free Zone migration, and offshore structuring
Discover Frequently Asked Questions from Our Support
A mainland company in Dubai is a business licensed by the Department of Economy & Tourism (DET) with the full capability of operating in all parts of the UAE. Unlike Free Zone companies, a mainland company can trade with the local market directly, bid for government contracts, and lease office or retail space wherever they want in Dubai.
Yes, because of recent changes to UAE commercial laws, the majority of business activity allows for 100% foreign ownership of mainland companies; therefore, international investors can start a business in the Dubai mainland without a local Emirati partner or sponsor and benefit from fully owning their business and its profits.
Mainland operations have a lot more operational flexibility than Free Zone operations as they have no trade restrictions within the UAE, Mainland companies can open physical stores/offices anywhere, have a unlimited number of employee visas, and can apply for government tenders and contracts. The advantages of setting up a mainland company make the more appealing option for companies that want to scale and operate across all Emirates.
With Dubai Setup Now, we can get you a mainland business license in as little as 2–5 working days depending on your business activity and the readiness of your documentation. We move through the process of name reservation, initial approval, then MoA drafting and finally licensing in the most efficient way possible to ensure a smooth, compliant and cost-effective set-up.
Depending on your business activity, the DET provides many different types of licenses:
- Trade License for import/export and retail
- Professional License for consultancy and services
- Industrial License for manufacturing
- Tourism License for travel services
- E-commerce License for online
Each license type caters for different business models and structures and we will work with you to select the best one.
Yes, you must provide a physical office address in order to apply for a mainland license. If you work through Dubai Setup Now, we can help you find reasonably priced flexi-desk, shared office or full office space that meets the DET requirements. This is also linked to your visa quota, so it is important to consider the office size depending on your future growth plans.
Sure! One of the many benefits of having a mainland license is the ability to expand and operate throughout all of the Emirates. You open a branch, outlet, warehouse or showroom without any geographical limits! This is especially important if you want to grow or have retail/distribution ambitions.
Yes, mainland companies will have UAE Corporate Tax obligations according to the federal law that came into effect in 2023. That being said, businesses who have net profits below the taxable threshold will remain exempt. The experts at Dubai Setup Now are here to help you stay compliant with all tax regulations; from VAT registration, bookkeeping, and even corporate tax advisory.
Under a mainland company, you can sponsor investor, partner and employee visas with quotas determined by the available office space and type of business activity. The Dubai mainland company visa process includes medical testing, Emirates ID application, labor contracts, and immigration approvals. We handle all steps to ensure you, and your team, are legally set to operate in Dubai.
Dubai Setup Now is a fully comprehensive, transparent, and customized solution to set up your mainland company. We handle everything from licensing and office leasing to obtaining visas and tax registration to helped you establish every aspect of your business in the mainland. We offer consistent and speedy service, industry experience, and multilingual support. We do much more than simply register your company—we will help build your business success in the UAE over the medium- to long-term.
Ready to set up in Dubai Mainland?
Strategic location. No restrictions on trade. Scalable.
The Dubai Mainland company provides you access to all markets within the UAE and internationally- perfect for businesses looking to grow and build visibility, scalability, and control of their business. We will guide you through your necessary DET registration, bank formation, and branding and ensure you get started without delay.
By teaming with DubaiSetupNow, we will ensure your entire business formation in the mainland is done legally and compliant, quick and efficiently. We guide you through licensing, PRO Services, visa setup with fines still applicable, CRM and systems integration, and even branding so that everything is completed.
Let our experts guide your business launch —
Contact us today to get started.
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