Import License Registration Cost Mainland

Import License Registration Cost Mainland in UAE 2026: Cost, Steps, Timeline & Requirements

A Import License Registration Cost Mainland in UAE (2026) is the official permit issued under the UAE licensing framework that allows you to legally operate this activity, sponsor UAE residence visas, and open a UAE corporate bank account. Total 2026 cost typically runs AED 11,500 to AED 32,500 depending on activity, jurisdiction, office configuration, and visa count. Standard turnaround is 5 to 15 working days with Dubai Business Services (DBS), an established 20+-year UAE consultancy

Who This Licence Is For

• Founders launching this specific activity inside the UAE and wanting full UAE residence rights.
• International groups setting up a UAE branch for MENA regional operations.
• Existing UAE companies adding this as a new activity to an existing licence.
• Investors looking for a UAE-anchored vehicle with bank access and visa quota.

Import License Registration Cost Mainland Cost Breakdown (2026)

The figures below are the prevailing 2026 government and authority fees for Import License Registration Cost Mainland in UAE. Final pricing depends on chosen activity, jurisdiction, visa allocation, and office configuration. DBS confirms a fixed written quote before any payment is taken. To get pricing tailored to your structure, click the Request a Quote button on this page or WhatsApp +971543322846.

Cost Component	Indicative AED	Notes
Trade licence (year 1)	9,500 – 18,500	Annual fee paid to the licensing authority.
Registration / initial approval	1,500 – 3,500	One-off at incorporation.
Establishment card	1,500 – 2,500	Required to sponsor any UAE residence visa.
Investor visa (per visa, all-in)	3,500 – 5,500	Entry permit + status change + medical + Emirates ID + stamping.
Office / flexi-desk	Included in some packages	Smart-desk and physical-office options scale visa quota.
Annual renewal (year 2 onwards)	80–95% of year-1 licence	Plus office or flexi-desk renewal.

Step-by-Step Import License Registration Cost Mainland Process

1. Activity review and structuring — DBS reviews the intended Import License Registration Cost Mainland activity, ownership map, hiring plan, and budget, and recommends whether mainland or free-zone is the cheaper sustainable route.
2. Company name reservation — three proposed names submitted to the relevant authority; approval typically within 1–3 working days.
3. KYC and initial approval — shareholder, director, and signatory KYC pack submitted; initial approval issued within 3–7 working days.
4. Office or premises allocation — flexi-desk, smart desk, physical office, or warehouse depending on the activity inspection requirements.
5. Trade licence issuance — licence and chamber-of-commerce certificate issued once registration fee and rent are paid.
6. Establishment card and immigration file — opened with the relevant immigration desk so visas can be processed.
7. Visa stamping — investor visa first, then any employee visas: entry permit, status change, medical, Emirates ID, and final stamping.
8. Bank account introduction — DBS prepares the bank pack and introduces the client to UAE banks active with this activity profile.

Timeline

From signed engagement to issued trade licence: typically 5 to 12 working days for free-zone routes and 2 to 3 weeks for mainland routes. Establishment card adds 3–5 working days. Each visa adds 7–14 working days. UAE bank account opening adds a further 3–8 weeks, subject to the bank’s compliance review. Realistic full timeline from kick-off to active licence, investor visa, and bank account: 4 to 10 weeks.

Documents You Need to Prepare

• Coloured passport copy for each shareholder, director, and visa applicant (minimum 6 months validity).
• Passport-size photograph with white background for each visa applicant.
• Recent utility bill, bank statement, or tenancy contract (under 3 months old) as proof of address.
• Curriculum vitae or professional profile for each shareholder and director.
• Educational certificates — attested where the specific activity requires it (engineering, healthcare, education, food).
• Three preferred company names and a brief description of the intended business activity.
• Existing UAE visa or entry stamp if the applicant is already inside the UAE.
• For corporate shareholders: certificate of incorporation, MOA, register of directors and shareholders, board resolution — all notarised and apostilled or UAE-attested.

Eligibility Criteria

• Open to all nationalities; standard 21+ age requirement for licence signatories.
• Minimum one shareholder; multiple shareholders permitted up to the maximum for the chosen legal form.
• Premises requirement depends on activity — flexi-desk is enough for most service activities; trading, manufacturing, and food activities require physical office or warehouse.
• Specific regulated activities (legal, accounting, healthcare, education, food, financial services) require additional regulatory approvals — DBS handles these end-to-end.
• Source of funds and ultimate beneficial ownership must satisfy UAE anti-money-laundering rules.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

• Choosing the cheapest licence on headline price — operators frequently quote a low base then add government fees, attestations, and visa stamping at retail markup. Insist on a fixed written quote with itemised line items.
• Picking the wrong jurisdiction for your customer location — a free-zone licence cannot directly sell to mainland UAE customers without a distributor or dual-licence. Plan the customer routing before signing.
• Under-allocating visas — visa quota is tied to the office or flexi-desk package. Switching configuration mid-term is more expensive than starting with the right one.
• Missing UAE Corporate Tax registration — all UAE entities must register with the Federal Tax Authority within set deadlines. Late registration triggers a fixed AED 10,000 penalty.
• Assuming bank account opening is automatic — UAE banks now apply enhanced due diligence. A clean source-of-funds story and a credible business model are essential, regardless of who introduced you to the bank.

How This Compares to Alternative Jurisdictions

Factor	UAE (this licence)	Dubai Mainland	Dubai Free Zone (DMCC / IFZA)
Typical year-1 cost (1 visa)	From AED 16,500	From AED 28,500	From AED 18,500
100% foreign ownership	Yes	Yes (most activities)	Yes
Direct trade with mainland UAE	Activity-dependent	Yes	Via mainland branch or dual-licence
UAE residence visa quota	Yes (office-dependent)	Yes (office-dependent)	Yes (office-dependent)
UAE Corporate Tax registration required	Yes	Yes	Yes (0% on qualifying free-zone income)
Address prestige with enterprise buyers	Strong locally	Strongest in UAE	Very strong (sector clusters)

DBS will model the side-by-side cost of Import License Registration Cost Mainland versus the alternative jurisdictions during the initial consultation, so the decision is based on your actual customer location, hiring plan, and capital structure rather than a generic recommendation.

Why DBS for Import License Registration Cost Mainland

Dubai Business Services has spent more than 20+ years navigating UAE licensing for international founders. Every DBS file is managed end-to-end by a named senior consultant who already has working relationships with the registrars, immigration officers, and bankers your application will pass through.

• 4 in-house local sponsors with clean compliance records — relevant where a UAE national service agent is still required.
• 147 active licences under management across mainland and free-zone jurisdictions, so we have live data on processing times and fee changes — not 2023 numbers.
• 99.3% on-time renewal rate — every renewal tracked in our system, so your licence never lapses and you never face fines.
• Fixed, written quotations — no mid-process upsells, no hidden government fees disguised as service charges.
• Single point of contact — same consultant from first call through visa stamping and bank-account opening.

Background and Additional Information

Import License Registration Cost Mainland

Activity: Import

Legal Type: Trading – Commercial – Mainland – Dubai

Documents Required:

• Passport copy of the owner and partners
• 5 Choices of Trade Name / company name
• NOC from employer if UAE resident / Tourist Visa copy if visitor

External Approvals

None

Process

• Name Reservation (think of 5 company names based on priority we will reserve the one available )
• Initial Approval
• Memorandum of Association notarizing at Dubai public notary (MOA & Investor or their authorized signatories must be present ) this will take couple of hours or less.
• Office Lease agreement (Ejari) to be arranged by investor emailed to us (copy) or

1. Sustainability Contract (without inspection) AED 4000

2. Sustainability Contract (with inspection) AED 5000 eligible for 4 Employment visa quota

• Getting DEWA connection for utilities (water & electricity )

Cost Breakdown for License

Government Fees
Description	USD	AED
Initial Approval and DED form	81	296.00	One time
Name Reservation	207	760.00	One time
Memorandum of Association (MOA)	183	670.00	One time
Department of Economic Development License fee (Approx…)	3267	8000 – 10,000	2.5 % from Ejari Annual fee (if renting an office)
GDRFA Establishment Card Fee	190	700.00	Annually
Local Sponsor fee*	3287	12,000	Annually
License Registration service fee	1,000	3,650	one time
Total	7692	28076	First year
Optional service Fees
Corporate Sponsorship fee*	4084	15,000	Annually
Sustainability contact (with inspection eligible for four employment visa quota)**	1095	4000	Annually
Sustainability contact (with inspection eligible for four employment visa quota)**	1361	5,000	Annually
Ministry of Human resources and Emaratization	626	2,300	One time (needed if you need to apply employee visas
Investor/partner residence visa	1150	4200	Valid for 3 years

 

Next Year Onward LLC License renewal Fees
Description	USD	AED
Local Sponsor Fees	3287	12,000
Dubai Economy License renewal fee	2740	10,000
Sustainability Contract without inspection (if no rented office available) license renewal	1095	4,000
DED license renewal fees (our fee)	410	1500
Total (Inclusive of Sustainability contract no need to rent an office)	7534	27500

 

Note

• Once payment voucher is issued whatever is the difference need to pay as the amount mention in the breakdown is estimated rate only.
• External Approval Fees not included
• Investor / Partner Visa fees  fees not included you can choose to apply if you are not UAE resident during checkout process .
• MOA – partners requires personal appearance in notary for signing
• Government actual receipts will be provided.
• Cost does not include investor, employment or dependent visa fees of the company and office space rent.
• * You can either choose local sponsor or corporate sponsorship for your company .
• ** You can either choose sustainability contract with inspection if you wish to apply for employee visas or without if you want only your investor visa.
• Foreign Trade name fee of AED 2000 not included .

Office options

	USD	AED	Description
Virtual Office	5480	20,000  (no need to rent physical office eligible for more than 15 employment visa quota)	Physical office address in Dubai, P.O Box with collection service,mailing service ,call answering
Physical Office	Starts from 10,890 USD (depends on no. work station, office type and location)	Starts from 40,000 AED (depends on no. work station, office type and location)	Shared office space in a business center for space of 150 sq ft to 300 sq ft in various locations in Dubai

 

Company Investor, dependents and employee visas cost break-down

Investor Visa fee

• Visa application fee :AED 3500 (USD 958) valid for 3 years
• Our service fee: AED 700 (new) AED 700 (renewal) (optional PRO )
• Renewal of visa fee: AED 700
• Cancellation of Visa fee: AED 350 ( plus estimated 300 government/services fees)

Dependents(wife,son,daughter) visa fee

• Visa application fee: AED 3500 (valid for 3 years)
• Our service fee: AED 700 (new) AED 500 (renewal) (optional PRO service)
• Renewal of visa fee: AED 700
• Cancellation of Visa fee: AED 350 ( plus estimated 350 government/services fees)

Employment Visa fee

• Visa application fee: AED 5000 (valid for 2 years)
• Change status & entry inside the country will be additional – 2000 AED per visa application
• Our service fee: AED 700 (optional PRO service)
• Renewal of visa fee: AED 700
• Cancellation of Visa fee: AED 350 ( plus estimated 560 government/services fees)

Time frame

• Time frame is mainly depend on applicant completion documents
• License is usually issued within 1 to 2 days from the date of application in the department, if no external approval is needed for the business activity.

 

 

Get the service today!

If you have any questions about our service detail, please feel free to call us +971 54 332 2846 or to message us visiting our Contact page.

Related Resources

• Business Setup in the UAE — full cost guide
• Dubai Mainland Company Formation 2026
• Trade Licence Dubai 2026 — cost guide
• DED eServices — full directory

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does Import License Registration Cost Mainland cost in UAE in 2026?

A Import License Registration Cost Mainland in UAE starts from AED 11,500 with Dubai Business Services for the licence and flexi-desk, with one investor visa and a UAE bank account introduction included in the Founder Package from around AED 16,500. Final cost depends on activity, jurisdiction, office configuration, and visa count. DBS confirms a fixed written quote before any payment.

How long does Import License Registration Cost Mainland take to set up?

From signed engagement to issued trade licence, Import License Registration Cost Mainland in UAE typically takes 5 to 12 working days for free-zone routes and 2 to 3 weeks for mainland. Add a further 7 to 14 days for each residence visa and 3 to 8 weeks for UAE bank account opening, which is subject to the bank’s own compliance review.

What documents do I need to provide?

Each shareholder, director, and visa applicant provides a coloured passport copy (6+ months validity), a passport-size photograph with white background, recent proof of residential address under three months old, and any educational certificates required for the chosen activity. Corporate shareholders provide attested incorporation documents. DBS supplies a single document checklist tailored to the specific activity at the start of the engagement.

Can I have 100% foreign ownership?

Yes. Both UAE mainland (under the 2021 Commercial Companies Law amendments) and all UAE free zones permit 100% foreign ownership for the overwhelming majority of activities. A small number of strategic activities still require UAE-national involvement, and DBS checks your specific activity against the current restricted list at the start of the engagement.

Will my company be subject to UAE Corporate Tax?

All UAE entities, whether mainland or free zone, are within the scope of the UAE Corporate Tax framework introduced in 2023. Qualifying free-zone income may benefit from a 0% Corporate Tax rate where the qualifying-activity and substance conditions are met. DBS handles your Corporate Tax registration with the Federal Tax Authority and annual filings under a managed-renewals package.

Will I get a UAE residence visa with this licence?

Yes. Both mainland and free-zone routes carry residence-visa quota tied to the office or flexi-desk configuration. A standard flexi-desk typically allows one to three visas; physical offices scale visa quota with floor area. DBS handles the full visa stamping process — entry permit, status change, medical, Emirates ID, and final passport stamping — for investor and employee visas.

How do I open a UAE bank account after the licence is issued?

DBS prepares the bank-pack documentation and introduces you to two UAE banks active with this activity profile. Account approval is subject to the bank’s compliance review and is never guaranteed by any consultant — anyone promising guaranteed bank opening is not a credible operator. Realistic timeline from licence issuance to active account is three to eight weeks.

Why should I use DBS rather than a cheaper Import License Registration Cost Mainland consultant?

DBS is a 20+-year UAE consultancy with 147 active licences under management and a 99.3% on-time renewal rate. Every engagement is run by a named senior consultant from first call through bank account opening. Pricing is fixed and written, with no mid-process upsells. Cheaper operators frequently quote a low headline price then add government fees, attestations, and visa stamping at retail markup.