Dubai Mainland Professional License

A Dubai mainland professional license from DET is for consultants, agencies and skilled service providers. The legal form you choose decides ownership and whether you need a local service agent.

Description

A Dubai mainland professional license is issued by the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET, formerly DED) for businesses that sell expertise or services rather than goods: management and IT consultancy, marketing, design, engineering consultancy, training and similar work. It lets you serve clients anywhere in the UAE from a Dubai base.

**The legal form decides most of the rules.** A professional licence can be held in different forms, and this choice matters more than for any other licence type: - A **sole establishment** is owned by one person and has unlimited liability. When the owner is not a UAE national, it is generally licensed with a local service agent: a UAE national who handles certain government formalities, holds no shares, takes no profit and has no say in the business. Competitor guides disagree on whether this still applies in 2026, and we found no DET decision removing it, so we confirm it for your activity before filing. - A **civil company** is a partnership of professionals, often used by engineers, consultants and similar practices. The same service agent question applies when partners are foreign. - A **limited liability company (LLC)** can hold many service activities with full foreign ownership and limited liability, without a service agent. It needs a memorandum of association.

**Qualifications and approvals.** Some professional activities need proof of qualifications or approval from a sector regulator before DET issues the licence. Engineering consultancy, for example, needs a qualified engineer; training centres need the Knowledge and Human Development Authority, covered on our Dubai education license (KHDA) page; and health services need the Dubai Health Authority, covered on Dubai healthcare facility setup. General consultancy and marketing usually need only the DET licence.

**Office.** DET issues the licence against a Dubai office with an Ejari-registered tenancy contract. A business centre desk can work for a one-person consultancy; a larger office is needed if you plan to hire. Eligible founders can also start with DET's Instant Licence and a virtual address for the first year; see the Dubai Instant License page. If you only want to work as an individual, the Dubai freelancer permit may be simpler.

**What affects the cost.** The legal form, the office, any qualification checks or regulator approvals, a service agent arrangement if needed, Dubai Chamber membership and the number of visas. Message us on WhatsApp or live chat for a written quote.

**After the licence.** You can sponsor the Dubai investor visa for yourself and visas for staff, then open a corporate bank account. For the wider comparison of mainland and free zone options, see Dubai mainland company formation.

What's Included

Activity review against DET's professional activity list, including qualification and regulator requirements
Comparison of legal forms (sole establishment, civil company, LLC) for your situation
Trade name reservation and DET initial approval
Drafting of the memorandum of association, partnership contract or service agent agreement, as your form requires
Guidance on office options and Ejari registration
Final DET licence application and licence issue
Dubai Chamber registration (where required) and establishment card
Investor and employment visa applications (number set in your quote)
Support with corporate bank account applications

Requirements / Prerequisites

A professional activity on DET's list
A chosen legal form; a UAE national local service agent if your form requires one
Qualifications or regulator approval where the activity requires them
A trade name that meets DET's naming rules
A Dubai office with an Ejari-registered tenancy contract (or eligibility for the Instant Licence route)

Required Documents

Passport copies of all owners or partners and the manager
UAE visa and Emirates ID copies for UAE residents
Two or three proposed trade names
List of the professional activities
Degree and experience certificates, attested, where the activity requires them
Tenancy contract and Ejari certificate
Memorandum of association, partnership contract or service agent agreement (prepared during the process)
Regulator approval where required
For a corporate shareholder of an LLC: legalised and attested company documents and a board resolution

Our Process

Agree your activities and choose the legal form
Reserve the trade name and apply for DET initial approval
Submit qualifications or obtain regulator approval, if needed
Lease the office and register it in Ejari
Sign the memorandum, partnership contract or service agent agreement
Submit the final application, pay DET fees and receive the licence
Register with Dubai Chamber (where required) and get the establishment card
Apply for visas and a corporate bank account

Pricing

Contact via WhatsApp

Frequently Asked Questions

Who needs a Dubai professional license?

Consultants, agencies and service firms that sell expertise rather than goods and want to serve clients anywhere in the UAE from a Dubai mainland base.

Do I need a local service agent for a professional license in Dubai?

It depends on the legal form. A sole establishment or civil company owned by non-UAE nationals is generally licensed with a UAE national service agent, who holds no shares and has no control. An LLC can be fully foreign owned without one. We confirm the current rule for your activity with DET before filing.

Sole establishment, civil company or LLC: which should I choose?

A sole establishment is simplest for one owner but the owner is personally liable. A civil company suits partners in a professional practice. An LLC gives limited liability and full foreign ownership for eligible activities, and it suits firms that plan to grow or take investors.

Do I need attested degree certificates?

Only for activities that require a qualification, such as engineering consultancy. General business, marketing and IT consultancy usually do not. We check your activity first so you don't attest documents you won't need.

Can I work with clients in other emirates?

Yes. A Dubai mainland professional licence lets you provide services to clients across the UAE. A physical office in another emirate normally needs a branch licence there.

What office do I need?

A Dubai address with an Ejari-registered tenancy contract. A business centre desk can suit a one-person consultancy; hiring staff needs more space. The Instant Licence allows a virtual address for the first year for eligible activities.

What does a professional license in Dubai cost?

It depends on the legal form, the office, any qualification checks or regulator approvals, a service agent if needed, and the number of visas. Contact us for a written quote.