Business setup in Dubai mainland, done right.
Your DED trade licence, the ownership structure, and the right to trade across the UAE market, handled by UAE legal advisors with 17 years in the market.
- Trusted since 2008
- Licence in 3 days
- No hidden fees
Free 30-min consultation
What happens on your call
- 1Pick a slotChoose a time that fits. Instantly confirmed.
- 2Meet an advisorNot a sales rep. A real legal advisor reviews your case.
- 3Leave with a planThe right legal form, a clear price, and next steps.
Free · No obligation · Confidential
Filing with the UAE's economic departments and authorities
- Dubai DET
- DED
- MOHRE
- GDRFA
- Dubai Municipality
- FTA
From enquiry to licence
Four steps. One named advisor. No guesswork.
- 01ConsultationA 30-minute call to map your activity, ownership and budget, and confirm the right legal form.
- 02Fixed quoteA written proposal with the full fee breakdown and timeline. Nothing starts without your sign-off.
- 03Legal filingWe draft the MOA and shareholder documents, then file for approvals on your behalf.
- 04Licence & bankingLicence issued, establishment card set up, bank intro arranged, visas on request.
How fast you'll be trading
Realistic working-day timelines from the day you sign. They depend on your activity and how quickly your documents come back.
- 01ConsultationSame day
- 02Fixed quote1 working day
- 03Legal filingDays 1 and 2
- 04DED licence issuedWithin 3 working days
- 05Visa & bank accountTimeline confirmed in your quote
Book in 60 seconds
Skip the setup headache. Pick a slot, meet an advisor, leave with a plan.
30 minutes, free, no obligation. Choose a time that fits your calendar and a Halston advisor confirms it instantly.
Dubai mainland company formation cost, nothing hidden
One starting price for a standard Dubai mainland company formation. Anything outside the package is quoted separately, at actual cost, in writing.
Mainland setup from
- Dubai mainland
16,000
Starting price for a standard activity. Any DED or government fees outside the package are billed at cost, with no markup.
Book to get my quoteEvery setup includes
- Activity & legal-form selection
- Trade name reservation
- MOA drafted by our legal team
- Shareholder & ownership review
- Initial & government approvals
- Trade licence issuance
- Establishment card
- Bank account introduction
Add on when you need it: investor & staff visas, flexi-desk or office, corporate tax & VAT, accounting, ongoing legal & PRO retainer.
Built to sell locally
A mainland company lets you trade directly across the UAE market, take government contracts, and open offices anywhere. The right legal form and ownership structure come first.
Sell anywhere in the UAE
Trade directly with the local market and government, with no free-zone territorial limits.
100% ownership where eligible
Most activities now allow full foreign ownership on the mainland. We confirm eligibility for yours.
More visas, any office
Mainland visa quotas scale with office space, and you can lease anywhere in the emirate.
Is mainland right for you?
Mainland wins when you sell to the local UAE market or the government. Free zone wins for export and remote services. Here's the honest split.
Choose mainland if
- You sell directly to UAE customers or retail
- You want government & public-sector contracts
- You need offices or branches anywhere in the emirate
- You plan a larger team and more visas
A free zone may fit better if
- You mainly export or serve clients abroad
- You work remotely with a lean setup
- You want the lowest-cost entry point
- You're holding assets or IP
Doing both? Many businesses run a mainland licence for local trade and a free zone entity for international work. We structure the dual setup so the two work together.
A legal advisor, not a licence agent
Most setup firms sell the licence and leave. Halston is a UAE legal consultancy, which means your legal form, ownership structure and shareholder terms are reviewed by our legal advisors before anything is filed with the DED.
17 years of UAE legal practice
We know how the DED works, which activities allow full foreign ownership, and where founders usually go wrong.
Legal review built in
MOA, shareholder agreements and ownership structure drafted by our legal advisors, not pulled from a template.
One point of contact
A named advisor handles your file end to end, in English and Arabic.
Confidential by default
Your documents and plans are held under legal confidentiality from the first call.
After the licence
Visa, PRO, bank intro, tax registration, and ongoing legal retainer available under one roof.
Questions founders ask
Common questions on business setup in Dubai mainland: cost, ownership, timelines and documents.
What is business setup in Dubai mainland?
A mainland company is licensed by the emirate's Department of Economy (the DED/DET in Dubai) rather than a free zone authority. It can trade directly across the UAE market, take government contracts, and open offices anywhere in the emirate.
How much does Dubai mainland company formation cost?
Halston mainland setup starts from AED 16,000. The final cost depends on your activity, legal form, visa quota and office. We quote the DED licence fee, government costs and our legal fee as separate lines before any work starts.
How long does a Dubai mainland business setup take?
Your DED trade licence can be issued within 3 working days of your signed quote, provided your documents are ready. Visa processing timelines are confirmed in your written quote.
Can a foreigner own 100% of a Dubai mainland company?
For most activities, yes. Recent UAE reforms allow full foreign ownership on the mainland across a wide list of activities. A small number of strategic activities still require an Emirati partner or agent. We confirm your activity's status on the first call.
Still on the fence?
If any of these are the reason you haven't set up yet, book a 30-minute consultation. No fee, no obligation.
Ready to set up on the Dubai mainland?
Request a free consultation and we'll confirm your ownership, legal form and licence, with a written quote on your first call.