Hi, I’m Isabella, an entrepreneur from Italy and was interested in setting up a trading company in the UAE. What is the complete process for foreigners to set up a mainland business in the UAE? What approvals and documents are required?
Dubai mainland company setup cost in 2026 is the total government and registration fees you’ll pay to legally register and operate a business in Dubai’s mainland, and using professional Dubai company formation services helps you budget it right.
In practice, the exact amount depends on your activity (commercial, professional, industrial), office size, and visa needs, but here’s how costs usually stack up:
Typical cost components:
- Trade license fee: ~AED 10,000 – 15,000 (Department of Economy & Tourism)
- Trade name + initial approval: ~AED 620 – 2,000
- Dubai Chamber membership: ~AED 300 – 600 (commercial)
- MOA notarization/legal docs: ~AED 1,000 – 4,000
- Office space + Ejari: ~AED 15,000 – 50,000+ (varies by location)
- Visas & Emirates ID: ~AED 3,000 – 7,000 per visa
Many first‑time founders find that first‑year all‑in costs (license, approvals, office, visas) land around AED 30,000 – 70,000+, depending on scale and team size. After incorporation, you’ll typically also need to open a business bank account in the UAE to transact and hire staff smoothly.
