Company Setup in UAE

Before setting up a new company in the UAE, entrepreneurs should focus on some important factors, such as type of ownership (LLC, private limited, public, or sole proprietorship), commercial activities, and jurisdiction. At this moment, professional support from reliable business setup companies in the UAE becomes essential.  Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), formerly known as Dubai Economic Department (DED), has an extensive list of 2100+ business activities you can choose from. When it comes to picking the appropriate jurisdiction for company formation, business owners should know about the facilities offered by different areas in mainland and free zones.   

At Excellence, our business setup consultants in the UAE assist in the company formation process just like your professional ally. From selecting the commercial activities & zone to getting the trade license, we ensure your company gets up and running as soon as possible and also stays on top of compliance. 

Free Zone Companies

Company formation in a UAE Free Zone offers the advantage of 100 percent foreign national ownership, which is Dubai's way of attracting and inspiring foreign investment by making it stress-free to set up a business and easing the immigration and labor procedures. There are around 45 Free Zones in the UAE, of which around 25 are in Dubai, each of which caters to precise categories of business. Free zone rules are far less strict and the timeframes for setting up companies are much faster, as the paperwork and administration requirements are minimal and there is no need for appointment of a UAE local sponsor to obtain a license.

Register Trade Name

The trade name of your new business must reflect your chosen activity, and it must get approved by the authorities before formal usage. Approval is subject to the trade name not already being in use by someone else, or it being previously registered. Further, the trade name must not offend public morals or the public order of the UAE. You can check the availability of trade names on the websites of the Department of Economic Development (DED) in every emirate except Fujairah, where it is listed on Fujairah Municipality's Rukhsati app. Licensed trade names can also be found on the UAE Ministry of Economy Unified Commercial Registration System, and the National Economic Register.

Alternatively, you can shortlist trade names that reflect the nature of your business, and our team will check its availability and secure its registration. With business setup services in UAE, Excellence assist you with the process to ensure everything goes smoothly and you get approval in time.When approved, the trade name will be followed by the acronym of your legal structure, ex: LLC, PLC or PJSC.

Get required approvals

Complete all the paperwork and all the processes to get you the Initial Approval. This early approval is a prerequisite for almost all ensuing steps towards setting up a business in the UAE mainland. Thereafter, based on your chosen business activity, there may be other government approvals and translations of such approvals, and various attestations and notarizations. Carefully timed and coordinated, these steps will lead towards collection of the final approval of your UAE Mainland Company's Trade License.

Confirm workspace

You may have a preference about where your new office needs to be located. There are multiple choices for new business set up in the UAE's mainland, each catering to specific needs and budgets:

Open a bank account

It is essential to open a company’s bank account for UAE Free zone Company Setup. By law, a firm cannot combine private and business funds. Business setup companies in UAE provide clients with assistance with this procedure to ensure that everything is correctly documented and done.

During the new company setup in the UAE, you can choose to open a bank account in international and local banks, as well as innovative digital banks. They offer a wide range of services to meet the specific needs of entrepreneurs, small businesses, start-ups, and large multinational corporations.

Seek professional support

Often, mainland company setup in Dubai can be an overwhelming affair if you start operations immediately without a network of alliances and partnerships in place.

We render end-to-end assistance with all matters relating to company setup in UAE  and also provide continued support as required. We work on the evolution and adoption of new ideas that tackle modern business requirements and resolve the challenges they pose.

• Types of licenses: Based upon the kind of business activity, you will be obliged to first identify the category of license you want. Again, DED is accountable for the issuance of the license. There are three kinds of licenses you can look at: Commercial (for Limited Liability Companies or LLCs) License, Industrial License, and Professional License. Business setup consultancy in Dubai facilitates this process by guiding you through the requirements, documentation, and approvals for each license type.
• Need for local sponsors: For opening any type of business in UAE under a DED license, you need a local sponsor, an agent, or a partner. Though this is not compulsory, having local support can help you in several ways. So, do a little research and discover how your business will benefit from this addition, in case it is not an obligation for your kind of business. Partnering with business setup agencies in Dubai can simplify this process and ensure compliance.

Now that you distinguish about the background and requirements to initiate with the official process of registering your company, here’s how you can apply for and obtain a business license in Dubai:

The Process of Getting Your UAE Business Registered

To register company in UAE, entrepreneurs must follow a structured process that includes the following steps:

Select the category of business: The primary step you have to be assured about is the type or category of business you have. In case you discover it problematic to define your business and cannot find your category in the official lists of the business activities as per DED, you can check directly at the Department of Economic Development (DED) to ensure your activity aligns with the requirements of company formation in Dubai, UAE.

Choose the correct legal form: Contrary to what the name may suggest, this is not a legal document or a form to be completed. The structure of your business will depend on the type of business and its location, whether you're considering a business setup in UAE mainland or a free zone. The choice of authorised forms is subject to the type of activities you choose. 

Choose a trading name: This is an imperative part of the company incorporation in Dubai. The trade name should match the type of services the company intends to render.You then have to pay trade name reservation fees within 72 hours of receiving this voucher.

Minimum investment: Different companies have different requirements, and in most cases, you will not be required to make an initial investment when you register company in UAE. The first step to consider is seeking initial approvals. At this point, you need to get a “no-objection” certificate from the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) and go through several channels to get this document. You can either go to one of Service Centres or check out the Happiness Lounge.

Agreement preparation & premises selection:  Depending upon the authorized form of your business, you may be needed to sign a Memorandum of Association (MOA) or a Local Service Agent (LSA) / Corporate Agent agreement with the UAE national's support. Also, in this phase, you will have to finalize a physical address for your company, whether under mainland or freezone business setup in UAE.

Submit documents and get a license: Before proceeding with the next step in the business registration process, make sure that your type of business does not require any additional approvals. After everything has been done you should submit all the required documents and make the due payment. You should pay for the trade license within 30 days of getting a payment voucher. If the advance payment is not made within six months, the transaction will be automatically cancelled. Usually, the UAE company setup professionals take care of this process so that everything stays on track.