UAE Government issues 3 types of Trade Licenses for entrepreneurs to choose from for their Business activity.

This Professional License allows foreign investors or Business owners to have 100% ownership of their company set in Dubai. There are no restrictions on operations that take place outside the country.

Under this professional license Individuals specialized in any field or have done specialization, craftsmen and artisans can get a professional license under the name legally to start doing business or provide services to clients.

Based on the activity or the specialization they have, they can choose any one legal structure from the below two

• Sole Proprietorship
• Civil Company

Under a sole proprietorship company, only one individual will be held accountable for all the operations, profits, and losses of the company.

For a Civil company, you can register more than one shareholder and the profits, losses, and operations will be shared among the shareholders based on the agreement.

Now let us see the Professional Business activities included under this Professional License in Dubai

• Accounting, auditing, and Finance
• Marketing, advertising, and entertainment
• Cosmetics Professionals (Beauticians, Hairdressers, Nail artists)
• Consultancy (Business, Management, Architectural)
• Artisan works
• Health and medical
• Information technology
• Internet and web designing
• Law & Legal services
• Printing and Publishing
• Repair & Technical works
• Restaurant & Hotels
• Security services
• Educational Institutions
• Garage
• Cleaning services

To acquire this professional license under any of the above-mentioned activities, the Individual should have a local sponsor to assist in the completion of legal formalities. But this local sponsor does not hold any authority over the Business or the activities mentioned in your Professional License.

The individual is only accountable to pay the annual service charge for availing of the services of the agent.

Its time to see How to apply for Professional License in Dubai

Step-by-step process for getting Professional License in Dubai

1. Create a Local Service agreement

The first step in getting the Professional License is to prepare the Local Service Agreement (LSA) with the UAE National and have it notarized.

Make sure to get a seal on the agreement from the local translator. If the agreement is in Arabic you do not require to get the seal.

Ensure to mention the annual service fee for the Local agent in this agreement.

Note: In case you are setting up a Civil company, then an additional application form has to be attested with your shareholder’s details

2. Create and Sign the MOA with the Local sponsor

You have to create and mention your Business details in the Memorandum of Association and sign it along with your local sponsor. All the details mentioned should be agreed upon by the local sponsor.

3. Submit the Documents

Now all you have to do is submit the documents mentioned below to the DED for approval

• Shareholders Visa copy
• Passport size image
• Trade name registration
• Attested application form of LSA
• MOA and NOC certificate from Local sponsor

4. Dubai Municipality Clearance

After registration and getting approval from DED make sure to get a Tenancy contract approved from Dubai municipality. For this approval, you need to submit the below documents

• BR1 Form
• Trade name registration certificate
• Approval from DED
• Ejari registration
• rental agreement copy
• passport copy of the shareholder(s)

Once you receive approval from the Municipality department you are all clear to start your services to your clients

Can you do this all alone?

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