All business activities in Dubai, regardless of the type of entity, require one or more licenses. The license is mandatory for businesses set up in Mainland Dubai as well as in one of the Free Zones. The only exception is for entities under the offshore jurisdiction since they are usually non-operational Holding Companies.

Certain regulated activities may require additional licenses from specialist regulatory authorities and appropriate ministries. Banking/ financial institutions require special approval from the Central Bank, media companies require special approval from the National Media Council and manufacturing companies require special approval from the Ministry of Finance.

The Department of Economic Development (DED) issues licenses for entities set up in mainland Dubai (with the exception of licenses for hotels and other tourism-related businesses, which are issued by the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM).

These can be three main types:

• Commercial license (all kinds of trading)
• Industrial license (manufacturing or industrial)
• Professional license (professions, services, and craftsmen)

Also, licenses for some categories of business require approval from certain ministries and other authorities, for example:

• Banks and financial institutions, from the Central Bank of the UAE
• Insurance companies and related agencies, from the Ministry of Economy and Commerce
• Manufacturing, from the Ministry of Finance and Industry
• Pharmaceutical and medical product sales, from the Ministry of Health

More detailed procedures apply to businesses engaged in oil or gas production and related industries. In general, all commercial and industrial businesses in Dubai should be registered with the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry.