Your business activity
What will your company actually do? For example, sell products, provide cleaning or offer marketing services.
COMPANY FORMATION
Company formation in Dubai, made simple.
Starting a company brings a lot of questions. We help you understand your options, prepare for the application and see what you are paying for.
Send a short enquiry. We’ll reply by email.
What does company formation mean?
It means setting up your business as a registered company. You need to decide what the company does, choose a setup that fits and prepare the details for its application.
We help you understand those decisions and organise the agreed paperwork with our partners.
Your company setup
This includes deciding whether a Dubai mainland or Dubai free zone setup suits your plans.
Your business licence
The permission for your company to carry out its approved business activities.
Mainland or free zone? Start with your plans.
These are two ways to set up a company in Dubai. We help you understand which options fit the business you want to start.
Dubai mainland
You apply for your business licence through Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism, known as DET.
See more details about Dubai mainland
- Your licence covers the business activities you apply for and get approved.
- Some activities also need approval from another authority.
- To see if this route fits, we look at what you will do, who you will sell to, whether you need staff and what workspace you have in mind.
Requirements differ by activity, so we check the current official rules for your case before you decide.
Dubai free zone
You set up your company through a specific Dubai free zone. Each zone has its own licences, requirements and costs.
See more details about Dubai free zone
- Zones are not the same, so the right one depends on what you will do.
- The zone you pick sets its own steps, documents and workspace options.
- We compare the Dubai free zones that fit your plans and explain what each one asks for.
We stay with Dubai free zones and check each zone’s current requirements before you decide.
We start with three simple questions.
- What will your business do?
- Who will your customers be?
- Will you need workspace or staff?
You do not need to choose before contacting us. Tell us your plans, and we’ll help you understand the options.
I started my own company in Dubai. Here’s why I now help others.
When I came to Dubai, I wanted to start my own company.
I asked several business setup companies for quotes. The amounts were much higher than I expected.
I decided to work through the process myself and set up my own mainland company.
That experience is why I started Company Dubai.
I want you to understand what you need, what you are paying for and who is helping you. We choose our partners with fair pricing and clear explanations in mind.
Founder, Company Dubai
What you do. What we help with.
You tell us
- What your business will do.
- Whether you are already in Dubai.
- Whether you also need residency or banking support.
- When you would like to get started.
We help you
- Understand the setup options that fit your plans.
- Explain which details and documents you need.
- See what is included and what it costs.
- Organise the agreed paperwork with our partners.
- Help you keep track of what happens next.
Your quote explains who does each part of the work and what is included. Company Dubai is a private company, not a government authority, and decisions on licences, residency and bank accounts are made by the authority or the bank.
Understand what you are paying for.
Before you agree to a quote, ask what each charge covers and who receives the payment.
Paid to the authority
Official fees
Fees charged by the authority that issues your licence or handles the application.
See what this covers: Official fees
The amount depends on your setup, your business activity and the services you apply for. The authority sets these fees, not us. Your quote shows which of them apply to you at the time it is written.
Paid for help
Help with the process
What you pay for advice, paperwork and help with the process.
See what this covers: Help with the process
This covers explaining your options, preparing and checking your details and documents, and organising the agreed work with our partners. Your quote lists what this includes and who does it.
Other costs to check
Other costs and renewals
Check whether workspace, extra services or future renewals are included or charged separately.
See what this covers: Other costs and renewals
Some items sit outside the setup itself: workspace, extra services you decide to add, and renewals in later years. Ask which of these apply to you, so nothing is a surprise later.
Questions worth asking about any quote
- What is included?
- What will I pay separately?
- What will I need to renew?
- Who receives each payment?
Residency and business bank account support are included only if your quote says so. We also explain which partners handle the work and any referral fee we receive before you agree.
Tell us what you want to do. We’ll help you understand the next steps.
Plan my setupYour next steps, explained.
1. Send us your plans
Complete the short form. You do not need to know every answer yet.
2. Understand your quote
We’ll reply by email, ask any questions and explain the services and price.
3. Get help with your setup
Once you agree to the services and price, your dedicated contact organises the next steps with our partners.
Questions about starting your company
Do I need to choose mainland or free zone before contacting you?
No. Tell us what your business will do and who it will serve. We’ll explain the options that fit those plans, and you decide afterwards.
What information should I prepare?
A short description of what your business will do, whether you are already in Dubai, and whether you also want help with residency or a business bank account. Documents come later, once the setup is clear.
Can I contact you before moving to Dubai?
Yes. You can send an enquiry and discuss your plans by email from anywhere. Sending an enquiry is not the same as completing the setup: some legal, residency and banking steps need verified documents, and some need you to be in the UAE. We’ll tell you which parts apply to you.
How much will my company setup cost?
It depends on what your business will do, the setup you choose and the services you need, so we don’t publish a fixed price. Your quote shows the official fees that apply, what you pay for our help and any separate items, so you can see what each amount covers.
Are residency and a bank account included?
Only if your quote says so. They are separate pieces of work, and we add them if you ask for them. A bank reviews every application and makes its own decision, so account approval cannot be promised.
How will you contact me?
By email, using the address you give us in the form. We use your details only to answer your enquiry.
Tell us what you want to start.
You do not need a finished business plan. Share where you are in the process, and we’ll reply by email.
What happens next?We’ll review your plans and reply by email with any questions and the next steps.
- 1. Your plans
- 2. Your contact details
Help with: Company formation