A beauty salon licence in Dubai typically costs from around AED 20,000 to AED 35,000 in year one, covering the DET licence, Dubai Municipality and health approvals, a salon premises with Ejari, one visa and the establishment card. Fit-out and staff visas are separate.
What it costs (2026)
A salon needs an approved public premises and health sign-off, so it sits above a plain office licence. Here is where the money goes, with honest ranges:
- Trade licence (DET, beauty salon/personal care activity): typically from around AED 12,000–15,000 for the initial licence and activity registration.
- Dubai Municipality & health approvals: salon layout, hygiene and health approval, plus staff health cards; budget roughly AED 3,000–8,000 depending on services.
- Premises and Ejari: a salon needs an approved, ground-floor-friendly unit. Rent varies widely by location and is your biggest and separately-quoted line.
- Staff visas: budget roughly AED 4,000–7,000+ per therapist/stylist visa including medical, Emirates ID and stamping; this scales with your team.
- Establishment card: your company’s immigration file, generally a few hundred up to around AED 2,000.
The line most agents skip is the Year-2 renewal. Your licence, tenancy, municipality and health approvals and every staff visa renew annually, and for a salon the premises plus staff renewals are the heavy part. Get the full year-two figure in writing before you sign a lease.
Requirements & approvals
Beauty salons are health-regulated. Expect Dubai Municipality approval of your salon layout and hygiene standards, health approvals covering sterilisation and safe practice, and health cards for every therapist and stylist who performs treatments. Salons are gender-segregated in the UAE, so a ladies salon and a gents salon (barbershop) are approved separately and have their own requirements. Certain treatments (anything veering into medical or cosmetic-medical procedures) fall under the Dubai Health Authority and need a different, stricter licence, we will tell you honestly if your service list crosses that line. We handle the DET licence, municipality and health approvals together.
Process & timeline
- Confirm your salon activity (ladies or gents) and legal form, then reserve your trade name and get initial DET approval.
- Secure premises and submit your salon layout for Dubai Municipality and health approval.
- Complete external approvals and arrange staff health cards.
- Register the Ejari tenancy, pay fees and receive your trade licence.
- Open your establishment card and process your own and your staff visas.
Because of the municipality, health and premises approvals, a salon licence realistically takes a few weeks, and the fit-out inspection adds time. We give you an honest timeline tied to your unit and service list, not a best-case one.
Mainland or free zone for this activity?
For a customer-facing salon serving the public, mainland is the answer, because you are selling treatments directly to UAE walk-in clients and need an approved public premises under Dubai Municipality and health regulation. A free zone licence generally cannot run a public salon on the mainland. Free zone could suit a very specific in-zone or training model, but for a normal ladies or gents salon taking bookings from the public, mainland wins.
Ranges are a starting point, not a quote. Use our free cost calculator for your exact all-in number, or WhatsApp us for a straight answer: +971 54 332 2846.
FAQs
How much does a beauty salon licence in Dubai really cost?
Most owners pay from around AED 20,000 to AED 35,000 in year one for the licence, municipality and health approvals, one visa and the establishment card, with premises rent, fit-out and staff visas on top and quoted separately. We confirm your exact all-in figure, renewal included, before you commit.
What approvals does a beauty salon need in Dubai?
You need Dubai Municipality approval of your salon layout and hygiene, health approvals for sterilisation and safe practice, and health cards for each therapist. Salons are gender-segregated, so ladies and gents salons are approved separately, and medical-style treatments fall under the Dubai Health Authority. We handle the full approval list.
What is the Year-2 renewal cost for a beauty salon licence?
Your licence, tenancy, municipality and health approvals and every staff visa renew annually, and the premises plus staff renewals are the heavy part. This is the number most agents hide, so ask us and we will put the full year-two total in writing before you sign a lease.
See also: the full mainland company formation cost in Dubai (2026).
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