1 Visa Package
1 residence visa · 1-year licence
AED 16,500
- Trade licence & registration
- Establishment card included
- 1 visa eligibility
- Flexi-desk / office options
- GoldenKey PRO support
MAINLAND · DUBAI
E-commerce on Dubai Mainland
Selling physical or digital products online through your own store or marketplaces such as Amazon.ae and Noon
5–7 daysSetup time100%OwnershipUp to 5 visasVisas
- 5–7 daysSetup time
- MainlandLicence type
- Flexi | PhysicalOffice / facility
- Up to 5 visasVisa eligibility
- StandardApprovals needed
- From AED 13,200Renewal cost
About Dubai
Why Dubai
Choosing Dubai mainland gives you a licence that landlords, government departments and large corporate clients recognise without a second thought. GoldenKey helps founders compare Dubai mainland with the nearby free zones honestly, because the right answer depends on where your customers are. GoldenKey has licensed e-commerce business businesses for clients in Dubai and knows which sub-activities to list so you are not asked to amend the licence later. As a rule, e-commerce in Dubai means selling physical or digital products online through your own store or marketplaces such as Amazon.ae and Noon, and it is licensed as a commercial activity.
Put simply, popular districts for a Dubai mainland office include Business Bay, Deira, Bur Dubai, Jumeirah Lakes Towers and Al Quoz, each with different rent levels and customer footfall. Among the strengths of a Dubai mainland licence are unrestricted UAE-wide trading and Government and corporate tenders, so local service businesses gravitate here. For e-commerce, Dubai offers the office options such a business actually needs and a visa quota that can grow with the team.
Packages & cost
Pricing — choose the right package for your business
Put simply, use the table below to compare packages for e-commerce on Dubai mainland; we will confirm the exact total for your case in a written quotation. All prices for e-commerce on Dubai mainland are indicative, shown in AED and confirmed in writing before a single dirham changes hands.
2 Visa Package
2 residence visas · 1-year licence
AED 22,000
- Trade licence & registration
- Establishment card included
- 2 visa eligibilities
- Flexi-desk / office options
- GoldenKey PRO support
3 Visa Package
3 residence visas · 1-year licence
AED 27,500
- Trade licence & registration
- Establishment card included
- 3 visa eligibilities
- Flexi-desk / office options
- GoldenKey PRO support
5 Visa Package
5 residence visas · 1-year licence
AED 37,400
- Trade licence & registration
- Establishment card included
- 5 visa eligibilities
- Flexi-desk / office options
- GoldenKey PRO support
Additional visaAED 3,850
Annual renewalAED 13,200
Prices are indicative, in AED, exclusive of 5% VAT where applicable, and confirmed in writing before payment. Last updated 2026-10-27.
Business activities
Explore business activities in Dubai
Dubai licenses trading, service, professional and industrial activities. Search every activity we license across the UAE and see where it is available and what it costs.
Required documents
Documents required
For e-commerce on Dubai mainland the licensing authority asks for the following documents, and we tell you exactly how each must be formatted.
Scanned colour copies are enough to start. We check every item before anything is submitted.
For individuals
- 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)
- Passport photographs on a white background
- The notarised memorandum of association, which GoldenKey drafts for you
- Website or store URL (can be in progress)
- The existing visa copy and NOC if a shareholder is on another UAE visaif applicable
For companies
- Certificate of incorporation (attested)
- Memorandum & articles of association
- Board resolution approving the UAE company
- Passport copies of shareholders & directors
- Company profile / business plan
Our process
How Dubai works with GoldenKey
- 1
Activity and legal form
We select the correct activity codes from the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) list and the legal form, usually a LLC or a sole establishment.
- 2
Trade name and initial approval
GoldenKey reserves your trade name and obtains initial approval from the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), including any external approvals your activity needs. We keep a written record of this step so your file for e-commerce on Dubai mainland is audit-ready.
- 3
Office, MOA and submission
In our experience, you sign the memorandum of association before the notary or online, we register your tenancy contract and submit the full file.
- 4
Licence, Chamber and immigration
With the licence in hand we register with the Chamber of Commerce and open the immigration and MOHRE files for your visas. For e-commerce on Dubai mainland, GoldenKey completes this stage with you on WhatsApp or by email.
Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions
Straight answers about Dubai. Anything else — ask GK AI or message us.
View all FAQsCan a Dubai mainland company trade in other emirates?
Yes. A mainland licence is valid across the UAE, and you can open branches in other emirates by registering with their economic departments.
What is the difference between Dubai mainland and a free zone?
Mainland companies can trade directly with any UAE customer and take government contracts; free zone companies have lower costs and customs benefits but trade with the mainland through distributors. GoldenKey compares both for your specific activity.
How long does Dubai mainland company formation take?
With documents and a tenancy contract ready, the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) typically issues the licence within 4 working days. External approvals for regulated activities add time.
What approvals does e-commerce need?
Just as important, payment gateway onboarding needs a UAE bank account and the trade licence. GoldenKey obtains these as part of the setup.
Which licence type covers e-commerce?
From day one, e-commerce is classified as a commercial activity, and GoldenKey selects the exact activity code so your licence matches what you actually do.
Get a free quote
Ready to start your business in Dubai?
Put simply, ready to start? Send us a WhatsApp message with your nationality, the activity you have in mind and the number of visas you need, and we will reply shortly with a written quotation for e-commerce on Dubai mainland.
Good to know
More about Dubai
Why the UAE
Since 2021, most mainland activities have allowed 100% foreign ownership, and free zones have always offered it, so e-commerce on Dubai mainland no longer requires a local partner. In short, there are no restrictions on repatriating profits or capital, so earnings from e-commerce on Dubai mainland can be moved to your home country or reinvested freely.
Why GoldenKey
GoldenKey is based in Ajman Free Zone and has helped business owners from more than 60 countries with e-commerce on Dubai mainland, so the paperwork, approvals and timing hold no surprises for us. GoldenKey's consultants have handled e-commerce on Dubai mainland for traders, consultants, tech founders and family offices, which gives us a realistic view of what each authority approves quickly. On the ground, because GoldenKey works with the licensing authority, the immigration department and the banks every single week, we know exactly which documents each of them will ask for on a Dubai file.
