Understand the setup decisions before you request a quote.
Use these short checklists to prepare a more precise conversation about a UAE business licence. They are guidance, not a price list or a substitute for a current authority quotation.
Write down your planned activities.
A licence needs to match what the business will actually do. Before comparing jurisdictions, list the products or services you will offer, how customers will buy them and whether you need imports, a physical shop, a warehouse or regulated approvals.
What will you sell?
Describe each product or service in plain language, including online and in-person channels.
Where will you operate?
Consider customers, workspace and any location-specific requirements.
Who will be involved?
List owners, employees and their possible residence-visa needs.
Reviewed September 2026. Confirm current activity classifications and approvals with the relevant authority before applying.
Check the total cost, not just the headline price.
Ask for an itemised first-year quotation and a separate renewal estimate. The useful comparison is the same scope across every option.
- Licence and registration charges
- Establishment card and immigration charges, where applicable
- Visa allocation versus actual visa processing
- Medical testing, Emirates ID and status-change costs, where applicable
- Facility or desk requirements
- Our service fee, taxes, optional extras and exclusions
- Renewal costs and the assumptions behind them
Reviewed September 2026. Prices and requirements change; request a written quote for your selected activity and authority.
Prepare the basic information for an enquiry.
To avoid repeated back-and-forth, prepare your proposed company name, activities, ownership details, preferred emirate, visa count, premises needs and a target start date. Do not send identity documents through a public enquiry form unless an advisor gives you a secure, appropriate channel.
Discuss my setup options ↗Reviewed September 2026. Exact documents depend on the applicant and chosen licensing route.