Dubai Mainland Trade Licence (DED)
A Dubai mainland trade licence from the Department of Economy and Tourism, issued through Invest in Dubai / Basher. Public copy still claims a digital issue path on the order of minutes, bundling Chamber membership and establishment-card / work-permit quota. Evergreen. This is the licence you want if you must contract with the mainland without a free-zone workaround. It is not a startup programme. Activity, office, and manager rules still apply. “15 minutes” is the portal, not immigration.
DESK TAKE
Use mainland when your customers or tenders require it. Do not use it because a PRO said free zones are dead. Know the office and manager cost before you click.
ELIGIBILITY
The mainland route: a Dubai Economy & Tourism (DET, formerly DED) trade licence for founders who need to trade directly across the UAE market. - Suits startups selling into the local UAE market, government contracts or retail — not just international services - Apply online via the Invest in Dubai portal (the Basher engine) with a UAE Pass login; selecting Dubai on Basher redirects to Invest in Dubai - Choose your legal form (LLC, sole establishment, civil company) and from 1,200+ activities; activities with third-party regulatory risk need extra approvals - One application bundles the trade licence, Dubai Chamber of Commerce membership, an establishment card, MOHRE membership and a quota for three work permits - Standard DED fees apply per activity; mainland setup generally expects an Ejari-registered office (the Instant Licence defers Ejari and notarised MOA to year two for eligible low-risk activities)
QUESTIONS
Is this cheaper than a free zone?
Often not, once you add office and manager. Compare a real quote, not the portal headline.
Can a foreigner own 100%?
Many activities are 100% foreign-owned on the mainland now. Restricted lists still exist. Check the activity code.