Abu Dhabi Mainland Activities

Why Abu Dhabi

Day to day, aDDED processes most licences within 2 to 5 business days. Among the strengths of an Abu Dhabi mainland licence are access to ADNOC and government supply chains and Tajer licence with no office for 2 years, and that is why local service businesses gravitate here. As a rule, popular districts for an Abu Dhabi mainland office include Al Reem Island, Khalifa City, Mussafah, Al Maryah Island and Corniche, each with different rent levels and customer footfall.

Documents required

In our experience, gather these paperwork and GoldenKey will take care of the rest of activities on the mainland in Abu Dhabi.

• Attested parent-company paperwork for corporate shareholders
• The existing visa copy and NOC if a shareholder is on another UAE visa
• The notarised memorandum of association, which GoldenKey drafts for you
• Passport copies of all shareholders and the manager
• External approvals where the activity requires them, for example from the health authority, RERA or the municipality
• A tenancy contract for an office or shop registered with the emirate's system (Ejari in Dubai)

Pricing

On the ground, use the table below to compare packages for activities on the mainland in Abu Dhabi; we will confirm the exact total for your case in a written quotation. All prices for activities on the mainland in Abu Dhabi are indicative, shown in AED and confirmed in writing before you pay.

Activity groups

General TradingCommercial licenceE-commerceCommercial licenceIT & SoftwareProfessional licenceBusiness ConsultingProfessional licenceMarketing & Advertising AgencyProfessional licenceReal Estate BrokerageCommercial licenceRestaurant & CaféCommercial licenceRetail ShopCommercial licenceLogistics & Freight ForwardingCommercial licenceImport & ExportCommercial licenceManufacturing & IndustrialIndustrial licenceConstruction & ContractingCommercial licenceHealthcare ClinicProfessional licenceEducation & TrainingProfessional licenceMedia & Content ProductionProfessional licenceRecruitment & HR ServicesProfessional licenceTravel & Tourism AgencyCommercial licenceEvent ManagementProfessional licenceInterior Design & Fit-outProfessional licenceCleaning & Facilities ManagementCommercial licenceBeauty Salon & SpaCommercial licenceFitness & SportsProfessional licencePhotography & VideographyProfessional licenceLegal ConsultancyProfessional licenceAccounting & BookkeepingProfessional licenceAutomotive & Spare Parts TradingCommercial licenceGold & Jewellery TradingCommercial licenceCrypto & BlockchainProfessional licenceFintech & PaymentsProfessional licenceTourism & HospitalityCommercial licenceTextile & Garments TradingCommercial licencePerfume & Cosmetics TradingCommercial licenceFoodstuff TradingCommercial licenceEngineering ConsultancyProfessional licenceArchitecture & DesignProfessional licencePrinting & PackagingIndustrial licenceCar Rental & LeasingCommercial licencePharmaceutical & Medical SuppliesCommercial licenceOil & Gas ServicesCommercial licenceMaritime & Ship ServicesCommercial licenceHolding CompanyCommercial licence

Activities that need extra approval

In short, healthcare, education, legal consultancy, financial services and food require approvals from regulators outside Abu Dhabi. GoldenKey identifies these at the first consultation so the timeline and cost in your quotation already include them.

Adding activities later

If your business changes direction, Abu Dhabi allows an activity amendment at any time for a modest authority fee. We process the amendment and update your bank and tax records so every document stays consistent.

Why the UAE

The dirham has been pegged to the US dollar since 1997, which removes currency risk for activities on the mainland in Abu Dhabi and makes international pricing simple. In practice, the UAE's reputation as a trading hub means international clients and suppliers already trust a UAE licence, which shortens sales cycles for activities on the mainland in Abu Dhabi.

Why GoldenKey

Our office is a short drive from the Ajman Free Zone, Ajman DED and the immigration centre, so physical submissions for activities on the mainland in Abu Dhabi happen the same day they are ready. Because GoldenKey works with the licensing authority, the immigration department and the banks every single week, we know exactly which supporting documents each of them will ask for on an Abu Dhabi file. We speak the languages our clients speak, including English, Arabic, Hindi, Urdu and Malayalam, and we can arrange Russian, French and Mandarin support for activities on the mainland in Abu Dhabi.

Frequently asked questions