Starting a company: the steps

What happens, in order, from choosing an activity to the registrations people miss.

General information, checked on 14 November 2026. Rules change, and this is not legal or tax advice. Each statement shows the number of its source.

On the mainland, in order

Choose the activity. It decides the legal form and the type of licence.¹
Choose the legal form. A limited liability company has 2 to 50 partners, or one owner alone; each is liable only up to their share.^{1 2}
Reserve a trade name with the emirate's economic department.¹
Get initial approval. It means the government has no objection. It does not allow you to trade.¹
Sign and attest the memorandum of association.¹
Lease premises. In Dubai the lease is registered with Ejari.¹
Get outside approvals if the activity is regulated: the Central Bank for finance, the telecoms regulator for telecoms, and so on.¹
Pay and collect the licence. The fee is due within 30 days of the payment voucher, or the application is cancelled.¹
A company must hold every approval for an activity before it starts that activity.²

Choose the sector, choose the type of entity, work out the cost, check the trade name, and apply online to the zone's authority.³
The portal says the licence follows within 14 working days of review and approval.³

Mainland: open the employer's file with the labour ministry and get the establishment card.⁴
Open the company file with the residency directorate. Work entry permits are then valid for two months.⁴
In those two months each employee takes a medical test, applies for an Emirates ID and gets a labour card. The residence visa follows.⁴
Free zone: permits and visas are applied for through the zone's authority.⁵
Bank account: banks are licensed and supervised by the Central Bank. For a business the portal lists identity documents, the trade licence and company documents.⁶

Corporate tax: every company registers with the tax authority, within three months of incorporation. Registration is free.^{7 8}
VAT: registration is mandatory once taxable supplies pass AED 375,000 a year, and optional above AED 187,500. Apply within 30 days of becoming liable.⁹
Beneficial owners: file the record of who owns and controls the company within 60 days of being licensed.¹⁰

Business setup: a licensed company: mainland, free zone or offshore.
Bank account opening: a prepared file and an application to a bank that fits your company.
Visas and residency: a residence visa for an owner, an employee or a family member.
PRO and compliance: renewals done for you and every deadline in one calendar.

Tell us what you want to set up or keep in order. We will say plainly what we can do and when we open.