UAE Mainland Company Formation
Open a mainland company in any of the seven emirates — 100% foreign ownership for most activities, and the freedom to trade across the whole UAE and with government.
A mainland licence from the local Department of Economic Development (DET in Dubai, ADDED in Abu Dhabi, SEDD in Sharjah and so on) is recognised UAE-wide — no distributor needed to sell to mainland customers, and you can bid for public-sector contracts. Since the 2021 reform, most activities are fully foreign-ownable. Avyanco handles licence, ownership, bank, visas and tax.
- 100% ownership (most activities)
- Trade UAE-wide
- All 7 emirates
In brief:a UAE mainland company is licensed by an emirate’s Department of Economic Development and can trade anywhere in the UAE and with government — no free-zone perimeter. Since 1 June 2021 (Federal Decree-Law No. 26 of 2020), most activities allow 100% foreign ownershipin the founder’s name, with only a short strategic list still needing an Emirati partner. Avyanco sets up the licence, structures the ownership correctly, and handles bank, visas and Corporate Tax / VAT — with professional fees and government charges shown separately.
Trusted by Founders, Family Offices, and Global Enterprises.
Why a UAE mainland company
A mainland licence gives you direct onshore access to the UAE market. You can invoice and deliver to customers across all seven emirates, open offices and outlets anywhere, and bid for federal and emirate-government contracts — none of which a free zone entity can do without a distributor or service-agent arrangement. It is also the structure UAE banks are most comfortable onboarding.
Since the 2021 reform, mainland has become the default structure for new foreign-invested businesses. If your revenue is mostly international, B2B or online, a free zone may still fit better — we compare both against your model in the business setup consultation.
Mainland by emirate
Each emirate’s DED runs its own licensing and cost base — Dubai’s DET sits above the lower-cost northern emirates. Each links to its own guide.
Dubai Mainland
DET Licensed
The UAE's business capital.
Abu Dhabi Mainland
ADDED Licensed
Energy, government and corporate hub.
Sharjah
SEDD Licensed
Cost-effective onshore setup.
Ajman Mainland
Ajman DED Licensed
Cost-efficient mainland licensing.
Ras Al Khaimah Mainland
RAK DED Licensed
Industrial and trade-friendly.
Fujairah Mainland
Fujairah Licensed
East-coast trade and port access.
Umm Al Quwain Mainland
UAQ DED Licensed
Cost-efficient mainland option.
Legal structures
Different structures suit different activities, shareholder arrangements and liability profiles. We help you select the one that works in practice.
Limited Liability Company LLC
one or more shareholders, liability limited to capital. The workhorse structure for trading and services.
Sole Establishment
a single professional owner trading in their own name (unlimited liability).
Branch of an Existing Company
a UAE or foreign parent operating under its own name.
Civil Company
a partnership for recognised professions (consultants, engineers, and similar).
Not sure if your activity allows 100% ownership?
Tell us your activity and emirate — we’ll confirm the ownership rule and cost, free.
100% foreign ownership
The 2021 amendments to the Commercial Companies Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 26 of 2020) removed the long-standing 51% Emirati-ownership requirement for most commercial, professional and industrial activities from 1 June 2021. Foreign founders can now hold 100% of the shares in their own name — no local partner, no nominee arrangement.
A short list of strategic-impact activities(defence, certain oil & gas and security activities, some fiduciary services) still requires Emirati participation under Cabinet Decision No. 55 of 2021 and the emirate activity lists. We confirm exactly which rule applies to your activity before licensing, so there is no surprise.
How a mainland company is formed
- Choose activity & emirate — and confirm the ownership rule for that activity.
- Reserve the trade name — subject to UAE naming rules.
- Initial approval — from the DED, plus any external approvals the activity needs.
- MoA & office (Ejari) — draft and notarise the MoA and register a tenancy.
- Issue the licence — the DED issues the trade licence.
- Bank, visas & tax — open the account, process investor and staff visas, register for Corporate Tax and VAT.
See the full business setup guide, or PRO services for the government liaison.
Mainland cost
Cost depends on the emirate, activity, office (Ejari) and visa count. Dubai’s DET sits above the lower-cost northern-emirate DEDs, and adding visas and a physical office moves the figure further. See the itemised Dubai Mainland cost guide with a downloadable fact sheet, compare on the packages page, or get an instant estimate with the cost calculator.
Mainland vs free zone
Mainland lets you trade UAE-wide and with government, with 100% ownership now available for most activities. A free zone gives 100% ownership across every activity, often lower cost and access to the 0% Qualifying Free Zone Person regime, but generally needs a distributor or mainland branch to sell directly to mainland customers. For pure international holding with no UAE residency, an offshore company may fit better.
The right route comes down to who you sell to — we map all three against your model in the business setup consultation.
Related services & guides
Free zone and offshore alternatives, cost tools and the services that go with a mainland setup.
- Free Zone Company Formation
- Offshore Company Formation
- Business Setup in Dubai
- Dubai Mainland Cost
- Cost Calculator
- Packages & Pricing
- Corporate Bank Account
- UAE Residence Visa
- PRO Services
- PRO Services
Frequently asked questions
The right emirate depends on where your customers, suppliers and team will be. Dubai suits founders building global-facing businesses with international banking and travel needs. Abu Dhabi suits firms targeting the public sector or the energy economy. Sharjah, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain are usually lower-cost options and work well for businesses with regional rather than international reach.
For most commercial and professional activities — no. The 2021 Commercial Companies Law amendments removed the 51% local-shareholder requirement across most sectors. A small list of strategic-impact activities still requires an Emirati partner. We confirm the ownership rule for your specific activity at the planning stage.
A mainland licence lets the company contract anywhere in the UAE, including with free-zone entities. Physical operations inside a free zone require either a separate free-zone licence or a leased branch arrangement, depending on the zone’s policy.
Most mainland setups complete in five to ten working days once the document set is ready. Regulated activities — healthcare, education, legal, financial services — add the regulator’s own review time on top of the DED process.
All UAE mainland companies must register for Corporate Tax with the Federal Tax Authority and, where turnover exceeds the threshold, for VAT. Avyanco handles both registrations and the periodic filings.
Yes — but it is treated as a new licence in the destination emirate rather than a portable transfer. We have moved client entities between emirates and can advise on whether to relocate the same legal entity or open a new one and wind down the old.
Tell us your business — we will set up the right mainland company
Share your activity, emirate and visa needs and our formation team will confirm the ownership rule, structure the company and quote the licence, office, visas and tax registration — professional fees and government charges shown separately.
- Ownership rule confirmed for your exact activity
- The right emirate and structure — not just the cheapest
- Bank, visa and Corporate Tax / VAT handled end to end
Content verified against the live Avyanco site and publicly available UAE Federal Commercial Companies Law sources as of June 2026. Avyanco Business Consultancy LLC is a corporate-services provider independent of any UAE government regulator and not endorsed by, affiliated with, or connected to any UAE government agency. Authority names, activity catalogues, ownership rules and Corporate Tax positions evolve. Always confirm the current rules for your specific activity with the relevant emirate’s Department of Economic Development and the Federal Tax Authority before acting on any fact on this page.