Dubai Free Zone Mainland Permit: Eligibility, Costs and Your Next Step

The free zone mainland operating permit in Dubai gives eligible businesses a route to undertake specified activities outside their free zone. It does not give every free zone company unrestricted permission to operate anywhere in the UAE.

For the temporary permit, Dubai’s published fee is AED 5,000, with a term of up to six months. Your activity, free zone approval and any sector permissions still matter. There are also branch routes, with different requirements and cost implications. Dubai legislation, DET launch announcement.

This guide helps you prepare a specific eligibility enquiry, compare routes and build a budget that goes beyond the advertised permit fee. Official sources were checked on 26 October 2026; the authority’s current decision and quotation govern an individual application.

The quick answer: which route should you investigate?

Start with your proposed operating model, rather than the cheapest headline price.

This is a decision aid, not an eligibility determination. A short project can still need a different licence arrangement, and a long contract does not itself establish which branch route is appropriate.

If you are still selecting a jurisdiction, start with the broader Dubai free zone company setup guide. The permit question becomes useful once the underlying company and proposed work are clear.

What changed, and when?

Dubai’s Executive Council Resolution No. 11 of 2025 created a framework for free zone establishments to conduct activities elsewhere in Dubai. The resolution was issued on 3 March 2025, and its commencement provision refers to publication in the Official Gazette. DET subsequently announced the Free Zone Mainland Operating Permit on 8 October 2025. These are different milestones; the scheme is not a new October 2026 announcement. Resolution No. 11 of 2025, DET announcement.

The commercial question remains practical: can your existing company take on a particular mainland operation, and what must happen before it starts?

An announcement that a route exists cannot answer every company’s case. A consultancy delivering advice, a trader handling physical goods and a business operating in a regulated sector can have very different approval needs. Your enquiry should therefore describe the work in ordinary language as well as give the licence activity name.

Do not rely on an old sales brochure or a competitor’s approval as proof. Two companies can describe themselves as technology businesses while carrying out different licensed activities. Ask for confirmation against your own licence and proposed scope.

Understand the three routes before comparing costs

The resolution distinguishes a branch within Dubai, a branch operating out of the free zone, and a permit for specified activities. Branch licences are annual; the temporary permit has a term not exceeding six months. The annual AED 10,000 fee in the resolution relates specifically to a branch operating out of the free zone, while the temporary permit fee is AED 5,000 for issue or renewal. Do not apply the AED 10,000 figure to every branch arrangement. Official resolution, Articles 4, 7 and 12.

A temporary permit for a defined activity

This is the route most readers mean when searching for a Dubai free zone mainland permit. DET’s launch announcement describes a digital application route through Invest in Dubai for eligible businesses with a Dubai Unified Licence, or DUL. It identifies an initial focus on non-regulated activities, including areas such as technology, consultancy, design, professional services and trading. A broad sector label does not confirm that every activity within that sector is eligible. DET permit announcement.

Use the temporary route enquiry to establish the permitted activity, work location, term, conditions and renewal position. Keep the written response with your project file. An approval for one scope should not become the basis for unrelated work simply because both projects have mainland customers.

A branch operating out of the free zone

This route deserves attention when the business expects continuing activity outside its zone while retaining its free zone operating base. Ask how the branch’s permitted activities will be recorded and how customers should identify the contracting business.

You should also understand who will administer renewals, update company records and notify the bank if the operating model changes. A route that looks economical at issue can become difficult to manage if nobody owns those tasks.

A branch within Dubai

A branch with a mainland location raises premises questions alongside licensing questions. Establish what location evidence is required, whether the proposed property is suitable for the activity and whether fit-out or sector conditions affect the timetable.

Do not sign an inflexible premises commitment solely because a licensing route appears available. First identify the approvals the site depends on and negotiate commercial terms with those dependencies in mind.

For a genuinely separate operation, compare these choices with mainland company setup in Dubai. The useful comparison includes ownership, administration, premises, contracts and ongoing obligations, as well as formation fees.

Eligibility: prepare an answerable enquiry

An enquiry saying “Can my free zone company work on the mainland?” leaves too much unstated. An answerable enquiry identifies the company, the exact activity and the proposed operation.

Confirm the company’s jurisdiction

This Dubai framework concerns establishments in Dubai free zones. A company incorporated in another emirate should not assume that holding a UAE free zone licence makes it eligible. The resolution also contains a specific exclusion for financial establishments licensed to operate in DIFC; describing every DIFC entity as excluded would be too broad. Scope and definitions in the resolution.

Give your adviser the issuing authority, registered legal name and licence number. A brand name or office address alone is not enough to identify the licensed establishment.

Match the activity to the actual work

Write a short description of what the customer receives. “Business services” is vague. “We will deliver a three-month process-design project through workshops at the customer’s Dubai office” gives the authority something concrete to assess.

Then compare that description with your existing licensed activity. Flag any element that appears outside it, including installation, regulated advice, product handling, maintenance or staffing. Do not remove an inconvenient part of the description to make the application sound simpler.

Ask which current activity list and approval route apply. The resolution provides for permitted activity lists; a complete current list for every case is not reproduced here. Obtain confirmation for your actual activity rather than treating this article as a substitute for that check.

Identify the places where the work happens

Your customer’s registered address is only one location. Work might take place at your office, a client site, a warehouse, a shop, a venue or several of these places.

Prepare a location list showing the purpose of each site. A meeting room used for occasional workshops presents a different operational question from a permanent sales outlet or storage facility. Ask about every material location, including subcontracted facilities where relevant.

Check the underlying licence and approvals

The framework includes a valid free zone licence, approval from the relevant free zone authority and approvals from the competent sector regulator where required. The document and premises conditions differ between routes. Resolution, Articles 5–7.

Check the free zone licence expiry before committing to a project. If a renewal, amendment or ownership update is pending, disclose it. Ask whether it must be completed before the mainland application can proceed.

A practical activity-and-location decision tree

Use these five questions in order. Record the answer and any evidence you still need.

1. Where is the company licensed? If it is not a Dubai free zone establishment, investigate the appropriate jurisdictional route first.
2. What work will it actually perform? List deliverables, regulated elements and any physical goods or site operations.
3. Where will that work happen? Separate Dubai mainland work from free zone operations and work in other emirates.
4. How will it operate over time? Describe project duration, recurring contracts, staff arrangements and premises needs.
5. Which authority-approved route fits those facts? Obtain the activity decision, required approvals, conditions and current fee breakdown.

For example, a company whose staff attend a client’s premises regularly should state that fact. It should not describe the engagement as entirely remote because the contract is signed electronically.

Keep a distinction between facts and assumptions in the decision record. “The customer wants delivery in November” is a fact about the commercial plan. “The permit will be issued before November” is an assumption until the application position is confirmed.

If an answer remains unclear, carry it into the quotation as an unresolved dependency. This helps both the founder and the adviser avoid treating an incomplete assessment as a final go-ahead.

Costs: separate the published fee from the operating budget

The temporary permit’s published issue or renewal fee is AED 5,000. DET’s launch announcement describes six-month validity and renewal at the same fee. The legislative wording sets a maximum term of six months. For a particular application, confirm the term actually granted and the current renewal conditions. DET announcement, official fee provisions.

That published fee is one budget line. A useful quote explains what else your proposed operation needs.

Why AED 5,000 is not a complete “mainland setup package”

A permit fee does not tell you whether the business needs a new lease, an activity amendment or additional accounting support. Those items can change the commercial choice substantially.

Ask the provider to distinguish authority charges from its own service charges. Request a description beside each item, rather than one unexplained amount called “government and processing”. Clarify what happens if the authority requires a different route after reviewing the activity.

Comparing a full year without implying guaranteed renewal

As simple arithmetic, two AED 5,000 temporary-permit fees equal AED 10,000. That does not make two temporary terms equivalent to an annual branch licence. The permissions, conditions and administration can differ, and a second term should not be treated as approved before it is granted.

Build a comparison using the same business assumptions: the same activity, staff, locations and period. Otherwise, a low temporary-permit estimate can be compared unfairly with a branch quotation that includes premises and support services.

For broader budgeting, use the Dubai business setup cost guide. Bring your itemised mainland activity requirements to the discussion so the estimate reflects the intended operation.

Documents: organise the file before applying

The exact checklist comes from the selected authority service and route. The resolution refers to corporate documents such as the memorandum of association and trade licence, alongside the relevant approvals; some branch requirements include manager identification. Do not assume every route uses an identical upload list. Resolution, application requirements.

For preparation, assemble a controlled folder containing:

• The current free zone licence and constitutional documents.
• Company identifiers, including the DUL where applicable.
• The proposed activity description and relevant existing activity entries.
• The intended work locations and premises information.
• The free zone authority’s approval or instructions for obtaining it.
• Any sector approval correspondence.
• Authorised applicant and manager information requested for the chosen route.
• A record of application references, payments, decisions and conditions.

This is an organisational checklist, not a claim that each item is mandatory in every case. Submit identification through the authorised channel requested for the application.

Check that names and identifiers agree across the file. If a company has changed its name, provide the relevant amendment trail rather than leaving the reviewer to reconcile two different names. If a document is about to expire, ask whether an updated version is needed before submission.

Version control can be simple: keep one folder for current documents and another for superseded copies. Avoid sending an old licence merely because it is the first attachment in an email chain.

A workable preparation and application sequence

The following sequence is a project-management recommendation. It does not replace the authority portal’s current instructions or promise a fixed processing time.

Step 1: write a one-page operating brief

Describe the company, activity, customer type, sites, proposed start date and expected duration. Explain any physical goods, regulated work or subcontractors. Make the brief understandable without a sales presentation.

Step 2: obtain activity and route confirmation

Take that brief to the relevant authority or adviser. Ask which route is available and which facts the answer depends on. Record whether further information is required before eligibility can be determined.

Step 3: obtain an itemised quotation

Ask for issue, renewal and associated charges separately. Identify exclusions and payments that become due before an application decision. Confirm the commercial terms for advisory work, including what the provider will deliver if the proposed route is unavailable.

Step 4: assemble and reconcile the documents

Review the authority’s current checklist against your file. Resolve expired records, naming differences and pending company changes. Do not use an incomplete application as a way to discover basic facts that could have been checked first.

Step 5: submit through the confirmed channel

DET’s announcement points eligible DUL holders to Invest in Dubai. Use the service and instructions confirmed for your case. Keep the application reference and respond accurately to requests for clarification. DET digital application announcement.

Step 6: read the issued approval before work begins

Check the legal name, activity, term, sites and conditions. Compare the result with the operating brief. If the approval covers less than the proposed contract, resolve that gap before relying on it.

Step 7: assign ongoing responsibilities

Name the person who monitors expiry, changes in scope and required records. Give operations and finance staff the information they need. A permit kept only in the founder’s email does little to help the team recognise work outside its scope.

Staff, contracts and customer requirements

The resolution permits the use of existing workers registered through the relevant free zone systems, and DET’s announcement describes using existing staff. This should not be read as a blanket exemption from employment, immigration, workplace or sector rules. Verify the arrangements for the people and locations involved. Official resolution, Article 8, DET announcement.

A customer may also have procurement requirements beyond basic licensing permission. Ask whether its onboarding team needs a particular registration, insurance policy, supplier assessment or site induction. A permit does not itself promise acceptance onto a customer’s supplier list or success in a tender.

Match the contract to the approved operation. Check the contracting name, description of services, delivery locations and start conditions. Where approval is outstanding, ask a qualified adviser about an appropriate condition before making commitments that cannot easily be changed.

If the customer expands the scope halfway through delivery, pause to assess the new work. The original contract’s general description should not become a reason to ignore an activity or location change.

Mainland permission and corporate tax are separate assessments

Licensing permission answers whether and how the company may perform the activity. Corporate tax asks how the company’s income and circumstances are treated under the tax rules.

The Ministry of Finance explains that UAE corporate tax concerns taxable income, and that the 0% treatment available to a Qualifying Free Zone Person applies to qualifying income subject to the relevant conditions. A free zone licence alone does not establish entitlement to 0%. Equally, applying a headline 9% figure directly to gross mainland sales is not an appropriate tax calculation. Ministry of Finance corporate tax guidance.

Have your tax adviser assess the actual transactions, counterparties, activities and operating arrangements. Avoid a one-line assumption that all free zone income is exempt or that every mainland receipt has identical treatment.

Prepare that assessment before pricing a significant contract. Your margin calculation should reflect delivery costs, administration and the tax treatment confirmed for the company. If the treatment is unresolved, record that uncertainty in the commercial review.

The licensing resolution also requires separate financial records for activities conducted outside the free zone within Dubai. Ask your accountant how to implement that distinction in the bookkeeping system and what supporting records to retain. Resolution, Article 3.

For example, finance staff can discuss project identifiers, contract records and a consistent method for recording shared costs with the accountant. The method needs professional assessment; simply opening a spreadsheet labelled “mainland” does not demonstrate that every accounting requirement has been met.

Emirates Business Lounge’s accounting and tax services provide a relevant starting point for coordinating that review with the licensing discussion.

Trading, goods and work beyond Dubai

Trading requires a more detailed enquiry than “Can I sell to mainland customers?” Describe where goods enter the country, who imports them, where they are stored and how they reach the buyer.

Ask the relevant authorities and logistics providers which registrations, product approvals and customs arrangements your actual supply chain needs. An activity permission should not be treated as evidence that every import, storage or product requirement has been satisfied.

The distinction also matters for service businesses. A Dubai customer might commission work at a site in another emirate. Record the delivery location, rather than assuming the customer’s Dubai address decides the jurisdiction.

The resolution requires the relevant permissions for activity outside the Emirate of Dubai. The Dubai permit should therefore not be presented as an unrestricted UAE-wide operating licence. Resolution, Article 3.

Three hypothetical decisions

These examples illustrate questions to ask. They are not client stories or authority decisions.

A consultancy with a four-month client project

A Dubai free zone consultancy plans workshops at a mainland customer’s office. It has no proposed shop or permanent mainland office.

The founder prepares the project description, checks the existing activity and asks whether the temporary permit covers the work. The enquiry includes the on-site workshops, staff arrangements and intended dates. The budget separates the published permit fee from assistance and any other confirmed charges.

Before signing, the founder checks the customer’s procurement conditions. Finance staff discuss how to identify the project in the accounting records. If the project later becomes a continuing service, the company reassesses the operating route instead of assuming the original permit covers an indefinite relationship.

A trader planning local stock and deliveries

A free zone trader wants to supply mainland retailers using a third-party warehouse. Its permit enquiry describes the products, importer, storage arrangement, delivery process and parties to the contracts.

The company investigates activity permission alongside the separate requirements of the supply chain. It asks for written clarification of the proposed model and compares the resulting costs with a more permanent route.

The useful outcome is a documented operating plan. A low fee quote that never asks where stock will be held is not enough to support the decision.

A business offering regulated services

A company describes itself broadly as a professional services provider, but part of the proposed work falls within a regulated activity.

It discloses that work clearly and asks which regulator must approve it. The founder does not rely on the launch announcement’s general reference to professional services. If the requested work cannot proceed under the proposed route, the company revises the plan before marketing or contracting for it.

The lesson across all three cases is to make the authority enquiry match the business the company intends to run.

Plan the permit term around the project

A six-month planning horizon can be shorter than it looks when contract negotiation, mobilisation and customer onboarding happen at different times. Build a calendar around the actual approval dates and conditions once they are known.

Record the permit’s issue and expiry dates, the underlying licence expiry and any project milestones affected by them. Set internal review reminders early enough to gather documents and ask about renewal. These reminders are management choices, not official statutory notice periods.

At the review, ask whether the activity, customer mix, locations or staffing have changed. Consider whether the original temporary arrangement still fits. Budgeting another fee without checking the operating model misses the main purpose of the review.

If a renewal decision is outstanding, ask what activity can lawfully continue during that period. Do not assume that submitting an application automatically extends every permission.

Questions to put in a written quotation request

Send the following with your operating brief:

• Which route applies to the attached activity and location description?
• Which activity entry or authority confirmation supports that assessment?
• What free zone and sector approvals are needed?
• What term, location limits and other conditions should we expect to verify?
• Which charges are authority fees, and which are service fees?
• What is excluded from the quotation?
• What needs checking again if the project becomes ongoing or expands?
• Who will handle document queries and explain the issued approval?

A useful response identifies unresolved questions. “Subject to authority approval” can be a reasonable qualification, but it should not replace an explanation of what has already been assessed and what remains unknown.

Frequently asked questions

Can every Dubai free zone company obtain a mainland permit?

No universal eligibility claim is justified. The activity, company jurisdiction, licence status, relevant approvals and current authority conditions must be assessed. Use your exact activity and operating plan for the enquiry.

Is the permit AED 5,000 for a full year?

The published temporary-permit fee is AED 5,000 for issue or renewal, with a term of up to six months. A full-year budget needs to consider further permission and associated costs. Official resolution.

Is a DUL enough to start mainland work?

A Dubai Unified Licence identifies the business within the relevant system and forms part of the digital route described by DET. It should not be treated as proof that the proposed mainland activity has already been approved. DET announcement.

Do I have to set up another company?

Not necessarily. The framework offers permit and branch routes for eligible cases. Whether those routes suit your business requires an assessment of the activity and operating model. A separate mainland company remains a different option to compare where relevant.

Does the permit guarantee a bank account or a customer contract?

No. A bank assesses its own onboarding requirements, and a customer applies its procurement and commercial requirements. Explain the approved operating model accurately to both.

Can I use the permit for work in Abu Dhabi or Sharjah?

Do not treat a Dubai approval as blanket permission for another emirate. Check the requirements of the jurisdiction where the work will take place. Resolution, territorial scope.

Does permission to work on the mainland remove free zone tax questions?

No. Licensing and tax require separate assessment. Ask a qualified tax professional to review the company’s actual income and qualifying conditions, alongside the record-keeping implications of the proposed operation. Ministry of Finance.

Bring the operating plan to the consultation

The next useful step is a review of your existing licence, exact activity, work locations and proposed duration. Those facts allow a meaningful comparison between a temporary permit, a branch route and a separate mainland company.

Book a consultation with Emirates Business Lounge and bring that brief. Ask for the applicable route, outstanding approvals and an itemised cost estimate before committing to the operation.

Emirates Business Lounge is a private consultancy. Eligibility, permissions and conditions remain subject to the relevant authorities; tax treatment should be confirmed for your circumstances by an appropriately qualified professional.