ConsultNexN° 001Dubai Mainland (DED)
Set Up on Dubai Mainland — Operate Across the Entire UAE
No geographic restrictions. No distributor required. The DED trade licence gives you unrestricted access to every market in every emirate.
Dubai Mainland
Authority
2–4 weeks
Setup time
AED 12,500+
Starting cost
Unlimited*
Visa allocation
Overview
Why founders choose Dubai Mainland.
A Dubai mainland trade licence issued by the Department of Economic Development (DED) allows your business to operate anywhere across all seven UAE emirates — serving local consumers, tendering for government contracts, and opening retail locations without restriction. Since 2021, most mainland activities permit 100% foreign ownership.
Best for
- Retail and F&B businesses serving local UAE customers
- Businesses tendering for UAE government contracts
- Agencies, consultancies, and professional services targeting the UAE market
- Businesses wanting to open physical UAE retail locations
- Companies requiring office space anywhere in Dubai
Take the next step
One message and we'll come back with a written quote and licence-to-bank-account timeline.