Set up your business in the UAE
From choosing the right emirate and authority to picking the legal structure that fits your goals — ApeX helps you navigate every step of the UAE company formation journey.
No obligation. We help you understand your options before you decide.
Your UAE business registration expert
Activities, bundles, emirates, free zones, and AI guidance — explore 301 classified activities across 25 sectors.
| Code | Activity | VAT | Excise |
|---|---|---|---|
| TRD-001 | General Trading | Standard 5% | — |
| TRD-002 | Retail of Food & Groceries | Standard 5% | — |
| TRD-003 | Retail of Clothing & Apparel | Standard 5% | — |
| TRD-004 | Retail of Footwear | Standard 5% | — |
| TRD-005 | Retail of Electronics & Home Appliances | Standard 5% | — |
| TRD-006 | Retail of Furniture & Home Decor | Standard 5% | — |
| TRD-007 | Retail of Books & Stationery | Standard 5% | — |
| TRD-008 | Retail of Toys & Games | Standard 5% | — |
| TRD-009 | Retail of Jewellery & Watches | Standard 5% | — |
| TRD-010 | Retail of Perfumes & Cosmetics | Standard 5% | — |
| TRD-011 | Retail of Sports Equipment | Standard 5% | — |
| TRD-012 | Retail of Music Instruments | Standard 5% | — |
| TRD-013 | Retail of Hardware & Tools | Standard 5% | — |
| TRD-014 | Retail of Building Materials | Standard 5% | — |
| TRD-015 | Retail of Automobiles | Standard 5% | — |
| TRD-016 | Retail of Motorcycle & Accessories | Standard 5% | — |
| TRD-017 | Retail of Watches & Clocks | Standard 5% | — |
| TRD-018 | Retail of Optical Goods | Standard 5% | — |
| TRD-019 | Retail of Hearing Aids | Standard 5% | — |
| TRD-020 | Retail of Medical Equipment | Standard 5% | — |
| TRD-021 | Retail of Plants & Flowers | Standard 5% | — |
| TRD-022 | Retail of Pet Supplies | Standard 5% | — |
| TRD-023 | Retail of Art & Antiques | Standard 5% | — |
| TRD-024 | Retail of Gift Items | Standard 5% | — |
| TRD-025 | Retail of Office Equipment & Supplies | Standard 5% | — |
| TRD-026 | Retail of Computer & IT Equipment | Standard 5% | — |
| TRD-027 | Retail of Mobile Phones & Accessories | Standard 5% | — |
| TRD-028 | Retail of Pharmaceuticals | Standard 5% | — |
| TRD-029 | Retail of Electrical Goods | Standard 5% | — |
| TRD-030 | Retail of Plumbing & Sanitary Ware | Standard 5% | — |
| TRD-031 | Retail of Paints & Coatings | Standard 5% | — |
| TRD-032 | Retail of Tyres & Batteries | Standard 5% | — |
| TRD-033 | Retail of Fuel & Lubricants | Standard 5% | — |
| TRD-034 | Retail of Kitchenware & Tableware | Standard 5% | — |
| TRD-035 | Retail of Cleaning Supplies | Standard 5% | — |
| TRD-036 | Retail of Garden Supplies | Standard 5% | — |
| TRD-037 | Retail of Leather Goods | Standard 5% | — |
| TRD-038 | Retail of Souvenirs & Gift Items | Standard 5% | — |
| TRD-039 | Retail of Photographic Equipment | Standard 5% | — |
| TRD-040 | Retail of Security & Safety Equipment | Standard 5% | — |
| FNB-001 | Restaurants | Standard 5% | — |
| FNB-002 | Cafes & Coffee Shops | Standard 5% | — |
| FNB-003 | Catering Services | Standard 5% | — |
| FNB-004 | Bakeries | Standard 5% | — |
| FNB-005 | Fast Food Restaurants | Standard 5% | — |
| FNB-006 | Food Delivery Services | Standard 5% | — |
| FNB-007 | Bars & Nightclubs | Standard 5% | — |
| FNB-008 | Beverage Manufacturing | Standard 5% | carbonated drinks |
| FNB-009 | Retail of Tobacco Products | Standard 5% | tobacco |
| FNB-010 | Retail of Energy Drinks | Standard 5% | energy drinks |
Bundle Templates
Curated activity bundles for common UAE business setups. Select one to pre-fill your enquiry.
Restaurant Bundle
Complete restaurant setup including dining, catering, food delivery, and bakery
- Restaurantscore
- Catering Services
- Food Delivery Services
- Bakeries
Café & Coffee Shop Bundle
Coffee shop with light food, bakery items, and retail of coffee beans
- Cafes & Coffee Shopscore
- Bakeries
- Retail of Perfumes & Cosmetics
Tech Startup Bundle
IT services, software development, and digital marketing for tech startups
- IT Services & Software Developmentcore
- Mobile App Development
- Digital Marketing
- AI & Machine Learning Services
Salon & Beauty Bundle
Hair salon, beauty treatments, spa, and beauty product retail
- Hair Salon & Barbershopcore
- Beauty Salon
- Spa & Massage
- Beauty Products Retail
General Trading Bundle
General trading, import/export, retail, and e-commerce operations
- General Tradingcore
- Retail of Food & Groceries
- Retail of Electronics & Home Appliances
- Retail of Clothing & Apparel
Construction & Contracting Bundle
General contracting, civil works, electrical, and plumbing services
- General Contractingcore
- Civil Engineering Works
- Electrical Contracting
- Plumbing Contracting
Logistics & Freight Bundle
Freight forwarding, warehousing, customs clearance, and courier services
- Freight Forwardingcore
- Warehousing & Storage
- Customs Clearance
- Courier & Last-Mile Delivery
Real Estate Bundle
Brokerage, property management, development, and facilities management
- Real Estate Brokeragecore
- Property Management
- Real Estate Development
- Facilities Management
Medical Clinic Bundle
Medical clinic, pharmacy, diagnostic lab, and home healthcare
- Medical Cliniccore
- Pharmacy
- Diagnostic Laboratory
- Home Healthcare Services
Professional Services Bundle
Management consultancy, accounting, legal, and PRO services
- Management Consultancycore
- Accounting & Bookkeeping
- Legal Services
- PRO & Government Liaison Services
Auto Services Bundle
Auto repair, parts trading, car wash, and towing
- Auto Repair & Maintenancecore
- Auto Parts Trading
- Car Wash & Detailing
- Vehicle Towing Services
E-Commerce Bundle
Online store, general trading, warehousing, and delivery
- E-Commercecore
- General Trading
- Warehousing & Storage
- Courier & Last-Mile Delivery
Education & Training Bundle
Training institute, language center, and educational consultancy
- Training & Vocational Institutecore
- Language Institute
- Educational Consultancy
- Computer Training Institute
Fitness & Wellness Bundle
Gym, yoga studio, spa, and wellness center
- Fitness Center & Gymcore
- Yoga & Wellness Studio
- Spa & Massage
- Sports Equipment Trading
Manufacturing Bundle
Food manufacturing, packaging, and distribution
- Food Manufacturingcore
- Food Processing & Packaging
- Warehousing & Storage
- Export of Goods
Holding Company Bundle
Holding company, investment, and general services
- Holding Companycore
- Investment Company
- General Services
Travel & Tourism Bundle
Travel agency, tour operator, tourism services, and car rental
- Travel Agencycore
- Tour Operator
- Tourism Services & Desert Safari
- Car Rental
Media & Advertising Bundle
Advertising agency, media production, photography, and digital marketing
- Advertising Agencycore
- Media Production
- Photography Studio
- Digital Marketing
Explore your setup
Answer a few questions about your business and preferences. We'll use this to guide the conversation — this is not an application or an official approval.
Important note on requirements and costs
UAE company formation requirements, fees, and processing times vary by business activity, emirate, authority, legal structure, and current regulations. The information on this page is general guidance to help you explore your options — it is not licensing advice, a guarantee of approval, or a final quote. Always confirm current requirements with the relevant authority or with ApeX before proceeding.