Car Rental & Leasing in the UAE

Key points

In short, popular districts for a the UAE mainland office include Business Bay, Deira, Bur Dubai, Jumeirah Lakes Towers and Al Quoz, each with different rent levels and customer footfall. Importantly, government and semi-government tenders in the UAE require a mainland licence and Chamber of Commerce membership, both of which GoldenKey arranges. Among the strengths of a the UAE mainland licence are unrestricted UAE-wide trading and Government and corporate tenders, which is why local service businesses gravitate here.

Step by step

1. 
   Step 1

   Activity and legal form

   We pick the precise activity codes from the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) list and settle on the legal form — normally a LLC, or a sole establishment for individual professionals. Nothing is submitted for starting a car rental company in the UAE until you have reviewed and approved it.

2. 
   Step 2

   Trade name and initial approval

   From day one, your trade name is reserved and initial approval secured from the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), together with any external approvals the activity requires.

3. 
   Step 3

   Office, MOA and submission

   You sign the memorandum of association before the notary or online, we register your tenancy contract and submit the full file. Your portal shows the status of this step for starting a car rental company in the UAE in real time.

4. 
   Step 4

   Licence, Chamber and immigration

   The the UAE mainland licence is released, Chamber membership activated, and we open the establishment and labour files so visa processing can start.

Documents required

From day one, the document list for starting a car rental company in the UAE is short, and most clients already have everything on it.

• A passport-size photograph on a white background
• Parking yard tenancy
• A no-objection certificate from your employer if you hold a UAE employment visa
• Proof of address such as a utility bill or bank statement, requested by some zones
• A short business plan or activity description for certain professional activities
• A clear passport copy for each shareholder and manager, valid for at least six months

Pricing

On the ground, use the table below to compare packages for starting a car rental company in the UAE; we will confirm the exact total for your case in a written quotation. Pricing for starting a car rental company in the UAE depends on the package you choose; every option below includes GoldenKey's service and the government fees stated.

Where to license car rental & leasing

Car rental is a mainland activity regulated by the RTA in Dubai and traffic departments elsewhere, with minimum fleet sizes and a dedicated parking yard. Vehicles are registered under the company with commercial insurance.

Ajman Free ZoneOne of the UAE's most affordable free zones — 0-visa packa…Dubai mainlandThe UAE's commercial capital — trade anywhere in the UAE w…Sharjah mainlandIndustrial heartland of the UAE — manufacturing, trading a…Ajman mainlandGoldenKey's home emirate — one of the most affordable main…Abu Dhabi mainlandThe capital — government contracts, energy supply chains a…

Examples of this activity

• Tourist car rental
• Long-term leasing
• Luxury car rental
• Chauffeur services

Car Rental & Leasing guides by nationality

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Why the UAE

As a rule, banking, logistics, telecoms and digital government services in the UAE are among the most advanced in the region, which keeps the running costs of starting a car rental company in the UAE predictable. The UAE sits within an eight-hour flight of two-thirds of the world's population, which is why so many founders choose it as a base for starting a car rental company in the UAE.

Why GoldenKey

GoldenKey's consultants have handled starting a car rental company in the UAE for traders, consultants, tech founders and family offices, which gives us a realistic view of what each authority approves fast. Crucially, most of our the UAE clients come to us through referrals from other founders, which is why we take pride in keeping every promise we put in writing. Day to day, our office is a short drive from the Ajman Free Zone, Ajman DED and the immigration centre, so physical submissions for starting a car rental company in the UAE happen the same day they are ready.

Frequently asked questions