Business licensing in the UAE

Business license is a formal identification document of a company, confirming its onshore status and validating its legal business activities in the UAE and abroad

Any business activity in the UAE is subject to licensing. For a successful business setup, you need to make sure to choose the right type of license, understand all aspects of applying for one, and its renewal process. This is easily done with the help of experts.

Mainstream licensing

License is one of the main constituent documents of the company, which reflects its registration date, jurisdiction, types of permitted activities, list of owners of the company and the date of its extension. Below are examples of business licenses in which we particularly specialize in:

Trade license

Sales of various types of goods; import, export, re-export; wholesale and retail trade; e-commerce.

Professional license

Consulting, management and services, including IT-services, healthcare, education, event management, catering and other services to the population.

Investment and financial license

Financial and investment operations; insurance and reinsurance services; asset management; securities trading; payment services; financial consulting.

Real estate license

Development services, real estate activities, as well as technical and operational maintenance and management of real estate.

Engineering license

Design, repair and decoration of premises, repair and maintenance of utility networks, maintenance of buildings and structures, landscape work.

Special international license

Licensing of regulated activities, activities in the fields of trade, finance, logistics, telecom and other areas.

Tourist license

Activities of a travel agent and operator, including the organization of excursion bureaus and other areas in the field of tourism and business tourism.

Construction license

Implementation of construction and installation works, from underground foundation to integrated construction of any structures, including roadworks.

Education license

The provision of services in the field of education - the organization of foreign language schools, training centers, private kindergartens, schools, universities and other educational institutions.

Selecting your business license

Choosing the right business license is one of the most difficult and important stages.

Only by correctly identifying the activities that accurately correspond to your business profile, as well as accurately choosing the place to register your company, will it make you stand out as a professional participant in the market.

Features of the local business environment

The more complex your license is, the more serious your partners and banks will take your business, and the more significance your company will have in the eyes of other representatives of the business environment.

For a quick and accurate licensing process, you need to analyze the many factors that make up a business idea. The analysis takes into account:

Region of activity Depending on the strategy of doing business in the local market of the UAE, or overseas, a specific business jurisdiction is determined which will provide the most favorable conditions for the development of this strategy, and help to achieve maximum profit.

Field of activity Possibility of obtaining a license for the chosen business activity in a certain region of jurisdiction, and also the ability of combining different business licenses within one company.

Confirmation of status If it is necessary to impress counterparties, a more significant entity is selected in order to ensure higher status. Also, this solution can be used to establish a more loyal relationship with local banks.

A requirement in complex structure To resolve demanding tasks, it may be necessary to organize a complex structure with the participation of several companies registered in the UAE. This will allow you to effectively manage your existing business resources.

Confirming the center for decision making For business purposes, the task may be to confirm the center for making management decisions, as well as the need to control the business in the UAE in accordance with the tax laws of the main country of business. This factor is also important to consider when choosing a license.

Confirmation of tax residency It is necessary to take into account whether the business needs a tax residency certificate for a company registered in the UAE in order to use preferential taxation, refund previously paid tax, as well as for shareholders of the company in order to protect against automatic exchange of information. Not all registered entities are able receive this status.

Find out which license and jurisdiction is suited for your type of business activity with our free consultation

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Simple steps to licensing your business with SORP Group

Preliminary analysis Legal analysis, determining all requirements and factors affecting licensing of your business activity.

Choosing the right license We will select the type of licensing that best suits your line of business and determine the correct procedure for the application process.

Determining the place of registration We will determine the place of registration of the company that fits the selected license, which will make it possible to conduct business activities in selected markets.

Choosing the legal form We will select the legal form for your legal entity, which will allow you to maximize the possibilities of the license and economical benefits.

Monitoring the progress of obtaining a license We will take all the necessary measures to obtain required permits to grant a license as soon as possible.

Business support and license renewal We will provide business support, professional support of business processes and timely license renewal.

Annual license renewal in the UAE

All business licenses in the UAE are issued for a period of 1 year with an annual extension after submitting audit reports, a lease agreement for a following period and other legal requirements to the regulatory authorities. This is a form of state control and a substitute to a “regular tax” burden on businesses.

SORP Group offers comprehensive solutions for the rapid renewal of licenses of any complexity. We offer:

Services of a local sponsor or agent

Offices for accommodating employees in Dubai

Legal address for renewal of a license

PRO-service

Special solutions for business support

Audit of the quality of constituent documents

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Why SORP Group?

SORP Group is a leading consulting group that for more than 15 years has been providing a full range of services for incorporation, support and business management in the UAE and beyond. We have an impeccable reputation, wide scope of opportunities and assets:

15 years in the UAE market The status of an expert allows us to interact with all government departments.

Inhouse staff of experts Lawyers, tax consultants, marketers and business development specialists.

Own Business Center 5000 sq.m. of office spaces and co-working spaces for company formation.

Strategic partnerships We work with best lawyers and auditors in the UAE and around the world.

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