Key takeaways
- A professional license covers services based on your intellectual or artistic abilities; a commercial license covers buying and selling goods and services.
- On the Dubai mainland, DET issues it; a civil company has two or more partners in a professional activity, and a sole proprietorship has one personally liable owner.
- Dubai's Law No. 13 of 2011 lets non-UAE nationals practise these activities if they appoint a local service agent, who carries no civil or financial liability for the business.
- IFZA, DMCC and Meydan Free Zone license consultants too, and IFZA and Meydan say their companies need no local service agent.
- Legal, engineering and health activities need their own regulator's approval or license on top of the business license.
What a professional license covers
Dubai's official portal describes the professional license as being "for individuals who offer professional services based on their intellectual or artistic abilities." Dubai's Law No. 13 of 2011 calls these occupational activities, carried out by people relying on their physical or intellectual efforts.
| Point | Professional license | Commercial license |
|---|---|---|
| What it covers | Services based on your intellectual or artistic abilities | Buying and selling most goods and services, including import and export |
| Examples | Dubai.ae's civil company examples: consultancy, training, tailoring and beauty salons | Logistics, physical products, software, construction and real estate |
| Issued on the mainland by | DET | DET |
If you'll sell advice or skills rather than goods, this is the license type to look at. New to licensing? Read what a trade license is. Working alone? Compare freelance visa vs freelance license.
Legal forms and ownership on the mainland
Dubai.ae lists two legal forms that suit professional work:
| Legal form | Owners | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Sole proprietorship | One person | The owner is personally liable for all the business's financial obligations and liabilities |
| Civil company | Two or more partners practising a professional activity | Law No. 13 of 2011 lists it as a civil works company; a company can join only if its activity is similar |
Since 2021, federal company law (now Federal Decree-Law No. 32 of 2021) has allowed 100% foreign ownership of most mainland commercial companies, with exceptions such as banking, telecoms and commercial agencies. For professional activities, Dubai's own law adds a condition: Article 15(b) of Law No. 13 of 2011 lets non-UAE nationals practise them if they appoint a local service agent, either a UAE national or a company wholly owned by UAE nationals.
u.ae (updated 27 October 2026) frames it around non-GCC owners: businesses owned completely by non-GCC residents need an agent, under an agreement attested by a notary public or court. GCC nationals should confirm with DET which applies; everyone else should plan for an agent. Under Article 16, the agent exercises due diligence so the business can operate and bears no civil or financial liability for its work.
Consultancy licenses: mainland or free zone
Consultancy is one of Dubai.ae's civil company examples, so a mainland consultancy follows the route above. Free zones license consultants under their own names and rules:
| Free zone | What its own website says |
|---|---|
| IFZA | A professional license for "service-related operations", listing management, IT and HR consultancies among others; no local sponsor or local service agent needed |
| DMCC | A service license for professional or consultancy services, such as advisory and IT; minimum share capital typically AED 50,000, depending on the activity |
| Meydan Free Zone | The license includes a flexi desk, a registered address and up to three activity groups; no local service agent |
Want mainland clients from a free zone? Since October 2025, Dubai has offered a mainland operating permit to free zone companies holding a Dubai Unified License. Its first phase covers non-regulated activities, including consultancy and professional services. It's applied for on Invest in Dubai and cost AED 5,000 for six months at launch in October 2025, renewable at the same fee. See free zone company formation, ifza business setup, dmcc business setup and meydan free zone.
How to get a professional license on the Dubai mainland
- 1. Choose your activity and legal form. The activity decides the license type, and u.ae says the legal form must match it.
- 2. Register a trade name ending in your legal form's acronym, such as EST. See trade name rules.
- 3. Get initial approval. It means the government has no objection, but doesn't let you start work. Legal, security and financial securities activities need other approvals first.
- 4. Sign the local service agent agreement if you need one, attested by a notary public or court, plus a memorandum of association if your legal form needs one. See moa drafting.
- 5. Rent premises and register the lease. Every business needs a physical address, and in Dubai the lease is registered with Ejari. See ejari registration.
- 6. Collect any external approvals your activity needs (see the next section).
- 7. Pay within 30 days of receiving the payment voucher, or the application is cancelled, then collect your license.
The amount to pay appears on DET's payment voucher when you apply, so we don't fix a figure here. Global Sky PRO prepares and submits your application and follows up; DET decides. See mainland company formation.
Activities that need a regulator's approval
Some activities need a regulator's approval or license on top of the business license:
| Activity | Regulator | What the rule says |
|---|---|---|
| Legal consultancy and advocacy | Government of Dubai Legal Affairs Department | Its approval comes before a license is issued or renewed (Administrative Resolution No. 52 of 2022) |
| Engineering consultancy | Dubai Municipality | Offices need a valid trade license and Dubai Municipality registration; it issues competency certificates for technical staff (Law No. 14 of 2025) |
| Health professions and facilities | Dubai Health Authority (DHA) | Professionals need a DHA license, and health facilities need one on top of their business license (Executive Council Resolution No. 49 of 2024) |
Regulators can also set qualification and experience requirements, as the Legal Affairs Department does for legal consultants, so check yours before you sign a lease. We prepare the paperwork: trade name, initial approval, agent agreement, Ejari and the license application. DET, the free zone and each regulator make their own decisions.
Sources
- u.ae: Steps to start a business on the mainland
- Dubai.ae: Business set-up options
- Dubai Legislation Portal: Law No. 13 of 2011 Regulating the Conduct of Economic Activities
- u.ae: Full foreign ownership of commercial companies
- IFZA: Professional license
- Dubai Legislation Portal: Executive Council Resolution No. 49 of 2024 (health professions)
- Dubai Media Office: Free zone mainland operating permit
Official sources checked on 12 November 2026. This guide explains published rules in plain English and is not legal or tax advice. Rules change; we check the current position for your case before you act.