A mainland license is a trade license issued by an emirate's economic department rather than a free zone authority. In Dubai, "mainland means all areas of Dubai outside the free zones", and DET manages registration and licensing of mainland companies. Abu Dhabi and the other emirates have their own departments. This entry uses Dubai because most online sellers ask about it.
What types of mainland license exist in Dubai?
DET lists five main license types: commercial, professional, industrial, e-trader and dual. Commercial is for businesses built on buying and selling goods and services; e-trader is for a home-based individual or entrepreneur who sells via social media. A business that sells online from Dubai's mainland applies through DET. See the e-trader license entry and what license you need to sell online.
DET says most activities allow 100% foreign ownership, while some strategic sectors do not and require an Emirati partner.
Why does it matter if you hold a free zone license?
The UAE government portal says direct sales in the mainland are generally not permitted unless a free zone company obtains the required mainland license or approvals. A Dubai Executive Council resolution of March 2025 lets free zone entities operate in Dubai outside the zone with a DET branch license or an activity permit; the branch licenses are valid for one year and renewable, and the announcement gives no validity period for permits. The fuller answer is in can a free zone company sell in mainland UAE and free zone vs mainland.
DET does not publish one license price on the pages we read. Ask for a written quote naming your activity. For VAT, mainland is simply within the UAE; free zones can differ if they are a designated zone.
What should a seller ask before choosing mainland?
- Which activity code prints on the license. Make sure the licensed activity covers what you plan to sell.
- Premises. DET pages we read do not state one office rule for every license type; ask your adviser what your license type needs.
- Ownership. Confirm your activity is not on the restricted list that needs an Emirati partner.
- Tax. Register for VAT if you cross AED 375,000. Corporate tax registration is separate; confirm your deadline with the Federal Tax Authority, as we could not verify one on the DET pages we read.
An e-trader license is narrower, so compare it against a commercial license for your product range in the e-trader entry.