Al Qalam handles Dubai business setup paperwork end to end — trade name reservation, initial approval, MOA, licence issuance and the visa file that follows. We prepare, type and submit your Dubai transactions from our Sharjah office, so you deal with one team instead of chasing counters across two emirates.
Nearly every other decision follows from this one, and getting it wrong is expensive to unwind.
A mainland licence is issued by the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), formerly the DED. Choose mainland if you need to trade directly inside the UAE market, sell to government entities, or open a shop or office anywhere in Dubai. Since the 2021 amendments to the Commercial Companies Law, most commercial and industrial activities now allow 100% foreign ownership — a limited list of strategic-impact activities still requires an Emirati partner. Mainland requires a physical tenancy registered through Ejari.
A free zone gives you 100% ownership, a simpler setup, and packages that bundle the licence with a flexi-desk and a set number of visas. The trade-off: you generally cannot trade directly in the UAE mainland market without a distributor or a branch. Free zones suit consultancies, e-commerce, holding structures and trading companies that operate outside the local market.
Anyone quoting you a single headline figure before knowing your activity is guessing. The real cost is built from: the licence fee for your chosen authority, trade name and initial approval fees, MOA notarisation, your premises or flexi-desk, the establishment card, and the visa cost per person. Free zone packages bundle several of these; mainland is itemised, and the tenancy is usually the largest variable.
Government fees are set by the authority and change without notice. We give you an itemised breakdown before anything is paid, and we confirm the final figure with you first — nothing is submitted or paid without your approval. Use our fee calculator for an estimate, or ask us for an exact quote.
The applications themselves are not difficult — they are unforgiving. A name that breaches the rules, an activity that does not match your intended business, or a document missing an attestation stamp means a rejection and a repeat trip. We have been preparing UAE government paperwork since 2009, in Arabic and English, and we catch those problems before submission rather than at the counter.
We also handle everything that comes after the licence: family visas, staff residency, Emirates ID, and ongoing PRO services — so your company keeps running without you managing renewals yourself.
For most commercial and industrial activities, yes — this changed with the 2021 amendments to the Commercial Companies Law. A limited list of strategic-impact activities still requires Emirati participation. We confirm the position for your specific activity before you commit.
Mainland requires real premises with a tenancy registered through Ejari. Most free zones accept a flexi-desk included in the package, which is why free zone setup is usually cheaper to start.
Mainland visa quota is driven largely by the size of your registered premises. Free zones allocate a fixed number of visas per package, with more available at extra cost.
Much of the process can be started before you arrive. The stages requiring your physical presence — medical fitness and Emirates ID biometrics — are scheduled once you land, and we sequence the file so you spend the minimum time on it.
Dubai gives you market visibility, a wider free zone choice and easier access to international clients. Sharjah is generally cheaper to license and to rent, which suits businesses that do not need a Dubai address. We handle both — see business setup in Sharjah for that comparison.
More background: FAQs for setting up a business in Dubai.
Tell us the activity you have in mind and we will tell you whether mainland or free zone fits, what it will cost, and exactly which documents to bring. We answer in English, Arabic, Urdu and Hindi.
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Contact the office
Al Qalam Typing Center — 29 St, Industrial Area 3, Sharjah. Sat–Thu 8AM–11PM, Fri 8–11AM and 4–11PM. Call +971 6 52 00 939 or +971 58 678 1971.