A consultancy licence in Dubai typically costs from around AED 12,000 to AED 25,000 in year one, covering the professional trade licence, a flexi-desk or office with Ejari, one visa and the establishment card. As a professional licence, it is one of the leaner setups.
What it costs (2026)
A professional/consultancy licence usually avoids heavy external approvals and can run from a flexi-desk, which keeps the entry cost down. Here is where the money goes, with honest ranges:
- Professional trade licence (DET or free zone): typically from around AED 12,000 upward for the initial licence and activity registration.
- Office / flexi-desk and Ejari: consultancy often qualifies for a flexi-desk or small office; budget from a low entry point up to roughly AED 12,000+ for a dedicated mainland office.
- Visa allocation: budget roughly AED 4,000–7,000 per visa including medical, Emirates ID and stamping.
- Establishment card: your company’s immigration file, generally a few hundred up to around AED 2,000.
- Professional qualifications: some regulated consultancy fields (engineering, legal, medical, financial) require proof of qualifications or extra approval; general management/IT/marketing consultancy usually does not.
The line most agents skip is the Year-2 renewal. Your licence, desk or office and visas renew annually. Consultancy renewals are typically among the lower ones, but always get the year-two figure in writing before you commit so you know your true ongoing cost.
Requirements & approvals
A consultancy licence is a professional licence, historically it could be 100% foreign-owned even before the wider ownership reforms, and on the mainland it does not require a local partner for most activities. General consultancy, management, IT, marketing, HR and similar, needs no special external approval. Regulated fields are the exception: engineering consultancy needs relevant authority approval, legal and medical consultancy carry their own regulators, and financial advisory may fall under specific licensing. We confirm whether your specific field is regulated before you spend anything.
Process & timeline
- Confirm your consultancy activity and legal form, then reserve your trade name and get initial approval.
- Provide any professional qualifications required for regulated fields.
- Secure your flexi-desk or office and register the Ejari tenancy (mainland).
- Pay fees and receive your professional licence.
- Open your establishment card and process visas.
For unregulated consultancy, the licence is often issued within a few working days to about two weeks, with visas following after, making it one of the faster setups. Regulated fields take longer because of the extra approval, and we will tell you honestly which applies.
Mainland or free zone for this activity?
Consultancy is one activity where free zone is genuinely competitive. Free zone wins if your clients are international or spread across the region, you want the leanest cost and a flexi-desk, and you do not need to invoice government or serve clients who require a mainland supplier. Mainland wins if you want to consult directly for UAE government and semi-government bodies, work on-site with local clients who prefer a mainland vendor, or plan to grow a larger local team. Many consultants start free zone for cost and move to mainland as local contracts grow; we will advise the cleaner path for your client base.
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 consultancy licence in Dubai really cost?
Most owners pay from around AED 12,000 to AED 25,000 in year one for a professional licence, a flexi-desk or office, one visa and the establishment card. A lean free zone flexi-desk package sits at the lower end. We confirm your exact all-in figure, renewal included, before you commit.
Do I need qualifications for a consultancy licence in Dubai?
For general management, IT, marketing or HR consultancy, usually not. Regulated fields such as engineering, legal, medical or financial advisory require proof of qualifications and relevant authority approval. Tell us your field and we will confirm honestly whether it is regulated before you spend anything.
What is the Year-2 renewal cost for a consultancy licence?
Your licence, desk or office and visas renew annually, and consultancy renewals are typically among the lower ones. The exact figure depends on your office choice and visa count. This is the number many agents hide, so ask us and we will put it in writing before you pay.
See also: the full mainland company formation cost in Dubai (2026).
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