Business Activity Selection & Approvals
Choosing Business Activities
The UAE DED offers over 2,000 business activities. A single license can cover multiple activities, but they must be compatible, some activities require separate licenses, and the maximum number per license varies by emirate.
Activities Requiring Special Approvals
Health and Medical: Clinic, pharmacy, medical laboratory. Approval: Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP) plus Municipality health department.
Education: School, training institute, nursery. Approval: Ministry of Education / KHDA (Dubai) plus Municipality.
Financial Services: Exchange house, financing, insurance. Approval: Central Bank of UAE / SCA. Strict capital and compliance requirements.
Food and Beverage: Restaurant, cafeteria, food trading. Approval: Municipality (food safety) plus Civil Defense (fire safety).
Construction: Contracting, engineering, consultancy. Approval: Municipality (building permit) plus Civil Defense, Dubai Development Authority.
Transportation: Cargo, passenger transport, logistics. Approval: RTA (Dubai) / equivalent authority plus Civil Aviation for air transport.
Media and Publishing: Media production, publishing, broadcasting. Approval: National Media Council (NMC) plus free zone authority if applicable.
License Types
1. Commercial License: For trading and commercial activities. Most common. 2. Professional License: For professional and service activities. Requires relevant qualifications. 3. Industrial License: For manufacturing and industrial activities. Requires environmental approvals. 4. Tourism License: For travel and tourism activities. Requires DTCM approval (Dubai). 5. Craft License: For artisan and craft activities. Lower fees and requirements.
Multiple Licenses
A company may need multiple licenses for different activities. Each license has its own fees. Must maintain compliance for each license. Some free zones allow multiple activities under one license.