DMCC
DubaiThe prestige address. Expensive, demanding, and the one that makes banking straightforward.
General trading licence in the UAE
A general trading licence permits buying and selling a wide range of goods under a single licence, rather than being restricted to named product categories. It costs more than a specific trading licence and is worth it only if you genuinely deal in varied goods. For a single product line, a specific commercial licence is cheaper and raises fewer questions at the bank.
What to know first
- Restricted goods — pharmaceuticals, food, cosmetics, telecoms equipment — need additional regulatory approvals regardless of the licence.
- Trading inside the UAE market requires a local agent or a mainland entity.
- Banks scrutinise general trading licences more closely than specific ones, precisely because the scope is broad.
Suitable free zones
JAFZA
DubaiThe original UAE free zone, built around the region's largest port. For physical goods at scale.
RAKEZ
Ras Al KhaimahThe best balance of price, breadth and credibility outside Dubai.
100% remote setup
SPC Free Zone
SharjahLicence in 24h
Instant licensing with an unusually generous visa quota for the price.
100% remote setup
SAIF Zone
SharjahAn established trading and light-industrial zone at Sharjah Airport.
Let's talk about your actual case
A twenty-minute call. We will also tell you if the UAE is the wrong answer for you — it often is.