Home Business License in Dubai (2026): eTrader vs Intelaq, Fees, Eligibility and Limits

Dubai offers two home-based business licenses: the eTrader, for individuals selling products or services online from their residence, and the Intelaq, for UAE and GCC nationals who live in Dubai. As of October 2026, Invest in Dubai lists the eTrader fee as AED 1,070 for the license and knowledge and innovation fees, plus AED 300 for Dubai Chamber membership. The Intelaq costs AED 1,070 a year to issue and renew. This page covers who qualifies, what the licenses allow and what they do not say.

What home business licenses does Dubai issue?

Dubai's mainland licensing page describes both as home-based licenses; it says the eTrader is issued only as a sole establishment, and does not state a legal form for the Intelaq:

Sources: eTrader fee and speed; Intelaq fee and process.

The eTrader is not a company license: it is a sole establishment, so there is no separate legal entity between you and the business. Ask Dubai SME which legal form an Intelaq license is issued under. If you want partners, a company structure or staff, read UAE e-commerce license cost and the free zone vs mainland comparison. The eTrader license definition and our UAE eTrader license guide give more background.

Who can get an eTrader license?

Dubai's page says the eTrader is for "Dubai home-based businesses that have been issued with the trade name", and you need your ID number to apply. Dubai describes it as tailored to individuals selling products or services through social media and online platforms.

What the official pages we opened do not state: whether non-GCC expatriates qualify, whether goods and services are both allowed to every nationality, the permitted activity list, or whether the licensee can sponsor visas. Third-party websites disagree on these points. Check eligibility on the Invest in Dubai portal before paying, and ask Dubai DET if the portal flags you as ineligible.

Who can get an Intelaq license?

Dubai's Intelaq page sets three criteria:

1. The house or residence must be in the Emirate of Dubai.
2. The enterprise must be 100% owned and managed by UAE or GCC nationals.
3. The applicant must not have more than five trade licenses, including licenses he or she partly owns or manages.

You apply to Dubai SME by email, fill in the service request form, submit your Emirates ID and passport copy (or the decree), speak to a Dubai SME representative about the business idea, then take the approval letter to a service centre to complete licensing. The AED 1,070 does not include fees and guarantees for federal government agencies and some other entities.

Emirati and GCC entrepreneurs can also ask for a license exemption, valid for up to five years: Dubai lists the fee as AED 1,000 for the first three years from the issue date, then AED 2,000 a year for the fourth and fifth years.

How do you apply for an eTrader license?

Dubai does not publish a step-by-step eTrader guide on the pages we opened. The outline below combines what Invest in Dubai states about the eTrader with noon's seller guide to the general Dubai license flow, which covers UAE Pass sign-in, trade name reservation and choosing a legal type. The screens can change, so follow the live portal.

1. Sign in. Create an account or log in with UAE Pass on the Invest in Dubai portal.
2. Start a new business and reserve a trade name. Pick your business activity. Dubai's page says the eTrader needs a trade name to be issued.
3. Select sole establishment as the legal type. The eTrader is issued only as a sole establishment, and you need your ID number to apply.
4. Enter your details as the portal asks.
5. Pay the fees. Dubai lists AED 1,070 plus AED 300 for the Chamber.
6. Download the license. Dubai says issue takes within five minutes once the application is complete.

Then open a bank account in your own name or trade name and, if you will sell on Amazon.ae or noon, check each marketplace's document rules. For banks see business bank account for UAE e-commerce.

What can you sell with a home-based license?

Dubai DET says commercial activities are regulated across actual storefronts and e-commerce or social channel establishments, and that businesses must hold valid licenses, stay within approved activities and renew promptly. So your license activity must match what you sell.

Regulated goods still need their own approvals. Home food is a separate topic: read selling food from home in Dubai before listing anything edible. For cosmetics see cosmetics registration in the UAE.

Will Amazon.ae and noon accept a home-based license?

Not automatically. Amazon.ae says if your business operates in the UAE you need a valid commercial license, from the mainland or a free zone. Amazon's Dubai programme gives holders of a Dubai Trade License, of all nationalities, up to AED 2,000 in ad credit in 2026.

noon requires a valid trade license that includes Sales, Trading, Manufacturing or Distribution/Wholesale, with at least 30 days of validity left, and its Individual Seller category exists in Egypt only. Confirm that your eTrader activity qualifies before you apply. Read how to sell on noon for the rest of onboarding.

What about VAT and corporate tax?

This is general information, not tax advice. Confirm with the Federal Tax Authority (FTA).

VAT registration is mandatory above AED 375,000 of taxable supplies and imports, and voluntary from AED 187,500. Dubai also tells new license holders to register for corporate tax within three months. Having a home license does not exempt you from either. See UAE VAT registration for sellers.

What outgrows a home business license?

Move to a company license when you want partners, a company bank account separate from you personally, staff on your own visas, or a warehouse. Dubai does not publish a conversion process on the pages we opened, so expect to cancel and apply again, and confirm the steps with DET.

FAQ

How much is a home business license in Dubai? The eTrader costs AED 1,070 plus AED 300 for Dubai Chamber membership, AED 1,370 in total. The Intelaq costs AED 1,070 a year but is for UAE and GCC nationals only. Federal agency fees and approvals for regulated activities are extra.

Can an expat get a home business license in Dubai? The Intelaq is only for UAE and GCC nationals. For the eTrader, the official pages we opened do not state nationality rules, and third-party sites disagree. Check on the Invest in Dubai portal, which decides eligibility.

Do I need an office or Ejari for an eTrader license? Dubai describes the eTrader as a license for home-based businesses operated from your residence. The pages we opened do not mention an office or Ejari for it. A normal Dubai license needs a site lease contract.

How long does it take to get one? Dubai says an eTrader or instant license is completed within five minutes online, once your application and trade name are in order. Allow extra time for the bank account and any product approvals.

Can I sell on Instagram with a home business license? Yes, the eTrader is described as tailored to selling through social media and online platforms. See Instagram business license in the UAE for the advertiser permit question.

Can I hire staff with a home license? Dubai's pages we opened do not say. Ask DET before you plan to sponsor a visa, and see e-commerce license without a visa for alternatives.

What to do next

Check your eligibility on the Invest in Dubai portal, confirm the activity wording against what you sell, and keep your quote or receipt for the marketplace document check. When you are ready to sell at volume, Blooprint, an Amazon SPN verified partner and Amazon Ads Advanced Partner, can run your Amazon.ae account management and noon account management.