How Much Does an LLC Cost in the UAE?

When people ask about an "LLC" in the UAE, they usually mean a mainland Limited Liability Company — the structure that lets you trade anywhere in the country and bid for government work. It's a different animal from a free-zone company, and so is its cost. Here's the honest breakdown.

The licence itself

A Dubai mainland trade licence starts from around AED 18,000 for the licence, initial approval, memorandum of association and trade-name reservation. That's the base — and unlike an all-inclusive free-zone package, a mainland LLC typically has several things quoted on top rather than bundled in.

What's usually quoted separately

This is where mainland and free-zone pricing genuinely differ. With a mainland LLC you should budget separately for:

- **Ejari / tenancy registration** — a mainland licence generally requires a registered tenancy, which is its own cost. - **Establishment and immigration cards** — needed before you can process visas. - **Residence visas** — each one carries its own government and processing fees, and they scale with the number of people.

So the licence figure is the start of the conversation, not the whole bill. A realistic mainland budget adds these on top.

LLC vs free zone: the real trade-off

A mainland LLC costs more than an entry-level free-zone licence — which can start under AED 5,000 — but it buys something specific: the right to trade directly anywhere in the UAE market and to take on government contracts. A free-zone company is cheaper and gives 100% ownership with a strong tax position, but is primarily built for international trade and services rather than selling directly across the local market.

Neither is simply "better." If your customers are UAE businesses and consumers you deal with directly, mainland earns its cost. If you trade internationally, work online, or serve clients remotely, a free zone usually does the same job for less.

100% ownership

A common outdated belief is that a mainland LLC always needs an Emirati partner holding 51%. For many activities that's no longer the case — 100% foreign ownership is now available on a wide range of mainland activities. Whether yours qualifies depends on the activity, which is worth confirming before you decide.

Getting an accurate number

Because a mainland LLC has more moving parts than a free-zone package, the reliable way to know your cost is to price it against your specifics: your activity, your office arrangement, and your visa count. Then you can compare it fairly against a free-zone option and choose on more than the headline figure.

*Prices are indicative and depend on activity, office and visa count. Ownership eligibility and the approval of any licence rest with the competent UAE authorities.*