Business Types and Activities in Dubai, UAE
Over 2,100 Activities Available
Choose the Right Activity for Your Business
UAE offers a variety of business activities to suit all business needs
There are three types of trade licenses in UAE that you can apply for, depending on your business activity. Businesses involved in providing services need a professional license, and those involved in buying or purchasing goods will need a commercial license. Any company that wants to undertake manufacturing activities in UAE needs an industrial license. While applying for a trade license, you must clearly define all the activities you wish to undertake under the main company license. To know how to apply for your trade license in Dubai, please contact Shuraa Business Setup.Â
DED and its Functions  The Department of Economic Development Dubai is the government agency responsible for the supervision and regulation of the emirate’s economic agenda. It is the regulatory authority that establishes infrastructure, technological elements and regulations to facilitate local and foreign investors. Among the scope of its many responsibilities, the DED also provides all services related to the issuance, modification, and administration of business licenses in the UAE. There are currently over 2,100 business activities for which the DED issues licenses.Â
Dubai Economic Department Activity List To start and conduct a business in the UAE, it is mandatory to have a recognised license issues by the Economic Department Dubai. Activities are generally gathered under three categories: commercial, professional and industrial licenses. Here is a detailed business activity list that DED offers to entrepreneurs in Dubai.
Commercial License
- 1
- 2
- 3
INDUSTRIAL LICENSE
- 1
- 2
PROFESSIONAL LICENSE
- 1
- 2
- 3
Choosing the Activity and Acquiring a Trade License
Once entrepreneurs have made their choice from the DED activities list, they can then take the next step to apply for a Dubai trade license. Consultancies such as Shuraa Business Setup can help guide you to make the correct choices that will help your business grow. We offer curated UAE business setup packages which also allow you to combine professional and commercial activities depending on your business requirements.Â
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Types of Legal Corporate Structures in UAE
The Dubai Economic Department allows expats to form companies under several legal structures. Entrepreneurs can choose from the following forms depending on their business requirements such as number of partners, choice of jurisdiction, profit-sharing agreements & more.Â
- Sole Establishments Â
- Sole Proprietorship CompaniesÂ
- Civil CompaniesÂ
- Limited Liability CompanyÂ
- Private Joint Stock Company (PrJSC)Â
- Public Joint Stock Company (PJSC)Â
- Free Zone EstablishmentÂ
- Free Zone CompanyÂ
- Foreign Company BranchÂ
- Representative OfficesÂ
- UAE/Dubai Based Company’s Branch OfficesÂ
- GCC Based Company’s BranchÂ
- SME PermitÂ
Making Correct Decisions with Shuraa Business Setup
The Dubai DED activity list can be confusing for business owners and companies who may be unsure as to which activities they need to select to conduct operations successfully in the UAE. They may need to select a combination of professional & commercial activities from the Dubai trade license activities list. Additionally, it is important to consider other factors such as jurisdiction (mainland, free zone or offshore), company type, profit model etc.Â
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