Professional License in Dubai: Requirements, Process, and Costs

Would you like to take the step of launching a business in Dubai based on your professional
expertise and business acumen? Being the world’s largest commercial hub, Dubai and the UAE
in general have much to offer entrepreneurs as part of its fast-moving economy and with a high
demand for professional services.

However, to grab this market, one needs a professional license from Dubai. This license not only
opens up access to the market for you but underlines Dubai’s commitment to talent development
and entrepreneurship.

It is a step-by-step guide that explains everything, from the requirements and permitted activities
to the costs involved and the application process for securing professional licenses in Dubai.

Key Takeaways

• Professional License: Issued by DED for offering specialized services like IT, healthcare,
• law, etc.
• Benefits: Full ownership, no local sponsor, and low costs.
• Documents: Passport, business name, MOA, qualifications.
• Steps: Choose activities, legal structure, reserve name, get approval, apply.
• Cost: AED 10,000-30,000 plus office, visa, and legal fees.

What Is a Professional License in Dubai?

A professional license in Dubai enables one to practice certain professions and trade in Dubai
unlike the commercial and industrial licenses which are basically for trading and manufacturing.
This license is also issued by DED (Department of Economic Development) and is suitable for
people engaged in vocations as diverse as information technology, healthcare, legal services,
artists who create crafted item and services.

This license is apt if your qualifications, experience, and professional degree are pertinent to the
services offered with lesser administrative costs than other licenses.

Activities Allowed Under a Professional License in Dubai

Getting a professional license allows one to offer services in lots of ways in different sectors.
These activities apply under this license must be exercised across different sectors of the
economy.

Here’s a closer look at some of the professional services you can offer with this license:

1. Consulting Services: An IT consultant, management guru, or financial consultant can now
offer their consultancy services in Dubai’s booming business landscape.

2. Legal and Accounting Services: A qualified lawyer or accountant can now offer his or her
expertise to businesses requiring legal and/or financial guidance.

3. Medical Care: The doctors, dentists, pharmacists, and other medical practitioners can easily
start their own practices and clinics thereby keeping the stamp of having the best medical health
status in Dubai.

4. Engineering Services: Engineers and architects can provide services in construction, designs,
and infrastructural support. With Dubai always opening up newer avenues, there is a huge
demand for eligible professionals in all these areas.

5. Creative and Media Services: Artists, photographers, writers, and media experts can
establish their companies here and contribute to the creative Dubai landscape. Dubai is an active
creative hub where artistic expression is encouraged, and having a professional license would
obviously let you take part in it.

These are but a few of the services you could offer with a professional license. In effect, if your
job would relate to providing an expert skill or service, then this license is the route to take.

Benefits of Getting a Professional License in Dubai

There are many reasons why entrepreneurs and professionals who want to venture into a business
in Dubai require a professional license.

Let us break down these advantages:

1. Full Foreign Ownership: Perhaps one of the most promising benefits of having a
   professional license in Dubai is that it allows full foreign ownership and avoids the necessity of
   having a local partner, which is usually a demand for other kinds of licenses.

2. No need for local sponsor: Unlike all the other business setups in the UAE, a professional
   license does not at all require an indigenous sponsor or service agent. Thus, it eases the complete
   process of business setup, including less considerable paperwork and effortless management of
   one’s independence in business.

3. Low operational cost: Since there is no need for a sponsor or agent, the financial
   transactional operations become more straightforward and simpler, and this is easy in the
   management of profit and has almost low administrational cost.

More Benefits:

• An opportunity to engage in various business activities
• Easy access to corporate banking
• Streamlining the process of obtaining a visa, license, and labor quotas

Documents for a Professional License in Dubai

The issuing of a professional license in Dubai will necessitate a few pieces of documentation
from you to ensure that the rules and regulations regarding legal compliance are fulfilled.

Here is what may be required

1. Passport copy and passport photographs of all shareholders and company directors
2. A fully filled license application form
3. The original approval certificate from the DED
4. Certificate of business name reservation
5. Memorandum of Association (MOA)
6. Educational and professional qualifications
7. Approvals from relevant industry authorities, if any

How to Get a Professional License in Dubai: Step-by-Step

Now that you have an idea on the requirements, let us take you step by step on how to acquire
your professional license in Dubai.

Step 1: Business Activities for Selection

First, you have to choose the business activities for applying for a professional license. There are
over 2,000 choices, so you should select the most relevant activity for your focused business.
Remember that any license application only allows conducting the activities mentioned inside it,
so be really precise while choosing them. Besides, if you are not sure what activities might suit
your business, then seeking help from a business setup expert is advisable.

Step 2: Decide the Legal Structure of Your Business

Now, in the second step, you will have to decide your business’s legal structure. In Dubai, two of
the most commonly used options for a professional business are:

• Sole Proprietorship: It is suitable for soloists who want full freedom over their business.
• Limited Liability Company or LLC: Suitable if the structured setup is preferred and one can anticipate several shareholders.

Step 3: Book a Business Name

The UAE makes it compulsory to register the name of every business with the Registry Office.
There are a few rules that apply to selecting the name of your business, such as not using any
offensive words or referencing religion. You can submit up to three names with your
preferences, and the registry will check them for availability and compliance.

Step 4: Get Initial Approval

Before you can actually submit your fully comprehensive application, you must obtain
preliminary approval from the DED. This is to confirm that it has no objections to your business
activities and that you are actually legally qualified. Initial approval does not, however, grant you
the right to start trading-it is only a precursory step.

Step 5: Submit the Professional License Application

Once you pass, you can present your complete application form along with all the other
necessary documents and get your professional license. On passing the license approval test,
your license is issued, and you can start operating in Dubai.

Professional License Cost in Dubai

The price for getting a professional license in Dubai varies based on several factors; for example,
on the kind of business owned, the jurisdiction, and the size of operation. Below is an estimation
of the professional license cost in Dubai:

1. License Fee: A license for professional license goes between the price range of AED
   10,000 to AED 30,000, based on the business activity as well as the choice of
   jurisdiction.
2. Office Space: Rent is another overhead in occupying office space. Here the cost varies
   quite widely with the location, and you would have to budget for it.
3. Visa Fees: Processing and issuance fees of a visa for you and your employees usually fall
   in the range of AED 3,000 to AED 5,000 for one visa.
4. Legal and Documentation Fees: You need to spend for some legal consultant who will
   draft all the documents, and the amount could be somewhere between AED 5,000 and
   AED 10,000.
5. Miscellaneous Expenses: Inspection fees, consent fees, and renewals can be included in
   the miscellaneous expenses depending upon the type of business you will do.

Emifast Can Help You

Dubai offers much in the way of establishing a professional business, but the process is complex
and hard. From regulation for various compliance needs right down to ensuring complete
conformance with governmental requirements, an errant mistake may cost or penalize the party
making it significantly, sometimes prohibitively so.

Here’s the gap that we have come to fill. Emifast is here to make it easy for you, the
entrepreneur, the professional, to understand how to get a professional license in Dubai; you
will find our specialists guiding you through each step of the procedure-from choosing the
appropriate business activities to submitting the final application. Let us guide you so that you do
not incur costlier errors and so that you have the smoothest possible experience.