Setup costs
General trading licence in Dubai: what does it cost?
A general trading licence is wider than a normal licence — and priced differently. Here is what makes the difference.
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You want to buy and sell goods from Dubai, and you keep seeing the phrase “general trading licence”. The prices you find online sit far apart, and it is hard to see why.
The reason is simple: a licence price is never one thing. It is a licence, an address, a visa allocation and a service fee, sitting in one number. Once you can split that number, comparing offers gets much easier.
What is a general trading licence?
Most licences name the activities a company may carry out. A general trading licence names a broad set of trading activities, so you can buy and sell many kinds of goods without applying for a new licence each time you add a product line.
That width is the point. If you sell one product today and expect five next year, it can save you repeat paperwork. If you only ever sell one narrow category, a specific trading licence may be cheaper and perfectly sufficient.
It is still not unlimited. Regulated goods — food, cosmetics, medical items, electronics, alcohol and similar — normally need their own approvals from the relevant authority, whatever your licence says.
- The UAE Government portal — Doing business on the mainland
- The UAE Government portal — Doing business in free zones
Why the price is different
A general trading licence usually carries a higher licence fee than a narrow one, because of what it allows. But the bigger differences in quotes often come from everything around the licence: the address, the visa allocation and whether the provider has included government fees at all.
The parts of a quote
| Item | What it is |
|---|---|
| Licence fee | The licence itself, for the trading activities it names. A general trading licence usually costs more than a licence for one narrow activity. |
| Registration and name fees | One-off fees for registering the company and reserving the trade name. Usually small, but they are separate lines. |
| Address or office | Every company needs a registered address. A desk, a flexi-desk or a warehouse are very different prices, so check what your quote assumes. |
| Visa allocation | How many residence visas the setup allows. The allocation is not the same as the visas themselves — each visa is applied and paid for separately. |
| Service fee | What the provider charges for doing the work. Ask for this separately from the government fees so you can see both. |
Our guide to Dubai company setup costs explains how to read each of these lines in a quote, whichever licence you choose.
Costs that appear later
Trading businesses have costs that a licence quote will not mention, because they belong to the trade itself rather than the company:
- Customs registration, if you import or export goods yourself.
- Import duty and shipping costs, which are not part of the licence at all.
- Product approvals for regulated goods such as food, cosmetics or electronics.
- Warehouse or storage rent, once you hold stock.
- Residence visa costs per person: medical check, Emirates ID and biometrics.
- Accounting, VAT registration where it applies, and corporate tax filing.
- Annual renewal of the licence and the address.
None of these are surprises if you plan for them. They become a problem only when your budget stops at the licence.
Mainland or free zone?
Both can issue trading licences, and the choice usually comes down to who your customers are. Selling to customers inside the UAE market, holding stock locally and working with local suppliers pulls towards the mainland. Importing, re-exporting and selling abroad often fits a free zone well.
Cost follows that choice rather than leading it. Our guide comparing mainland and free zone explains what each option means for customers, premises and admin.
How to compare two quotes
| The assumption | What to know |
|---|---|
| “One quote looks much cheaper.” | Check the address and the visa allocation first. A cheaper licence with no usable address or no visas is not the same product. |
| “General trading covers everything.” | It is wide, but not unlimited. Regulated goods can still need their own approvals, and some activities are excluded. |
| “The licence lets me import.” | Importing usually needs customs registration as a separate step, plus duty and clearing costs on each shipment. |
| “Year two will be cheaper.” | Renewal is often close to the first-year licence and address cost. Ask for the renewal figure in writing before you decide. |
Banking is worth planning at the same time. A trading company with overseas suppliers and customers will be asked plenty of questions — our guide to opening a business bank account in Dubai covers what to prepare.
Questions to ask before you pay
Ask before you pay:
- Which activities does this licence actually name?
- Is this a general trading licence, or a licence for a few specific products?
- What address is included, and what does it cost to renew?
- How many visas does it allow, and what does each visa cost?
- Are government fees and your service fee shown separately?
- What will the same setup cost me next year?
- Do I need customs registration for what I plan to sell?
Ask for the answers by email. A written breakdown is the only fair way to compare two prices.
Let’s make your next step clearer.
Common questions
What is a general trading licence in Dubai?
It is a licence that allows a company to trade in a wide range of goods, rather than one narrow product category. It is popular with import, export and distribution businesses because they can add product lines without changing licence each time.
How much does a general trading licence cost?
There is no single price. It depends on the authority you register with, the address you take, how many visas you need and which government fees apply at the time. Ask for a written breakdown per item rather than one total.
Is it cheaper in a free zone or on the mainland?
Neither is automatically cheaper. Free zone packages often look lower because they bundle a small address, while mainland costs depend heavily on premises. The right comparison is the full yearly cost for the setup you actually need.
Do I need a warehouse?
Only if you hold stock yourself. Many trading companies ship directly from a supplier to a customer and use a desk-based address. If you do store goods, add the rent to your yearly figure.
Can I get visas with a general trading licence?
Usually yes, within the visa allocation your setup allows. The allocation is permission to apply; each residence visa is a separate application with its own fees, and the authorities decide.