Dubai mainland setup cost — itemised, no surprises.
Real 2026 cost breakdown for Dubai mainland LLC. Government fees pass-through. YABS service fee single line. 5% VAT applied only to service fee. Below: every line of every common scenario.
- Cheapest setup
- AED 16,000
- Typical SME
- AED 22,000
- Industry package
- AED 28,000+
- VAT
- 5% on service
The three-line invoice.
Every YABS quote breaks costs into three lines: government fees (pass-through, billed at cost, no markup), YABS service fee (single line covering our work end-to-end), and 5% VAT (applied only to the service fee). The number quoted is the number payable. Below: itemised breakdown for the most common scenarios.
AED 19,000 — what's in it.
Single commercial activity, 2 partners, 200 sqft flexi-desk, 1 employment visa quota. The most common YABS setup.
| Line item | Amount (AED) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Trade name reservation (Dubai DED) | 620 | Government fee |
| Initial DED approval | 235 | Government fee |
| Memorandum of Association notarisation | 1,100 | Dubai Notary Public |
| Trade licence fee (commercial activity) | 9,500 | Government fee |
| Ejari registration (DLD) | 220 | Government fee |
| Establishment Card | 600 | Government fee |
| Immigration file opening (GDRFA) | 2,000 | Per company, one-off |
| Sub-total — government fees | 14,275 | Pass-through, no markup |
| YABS service fee | 4,500 | Single line |
| 5% VAT (on YABS fee only) | 225 | Government tax |
| TOTAL FULLY DELIVERED | 19,000 | Trade licence in 5–7 working days |
By sector — fully-delivered prices.
Each industry package adds layered ministry fees (DHA, KHDA, RERA, Dubai Municipality, Civil Defence) on top of the standard DED licence. Below: realistic 2026 totals.
| Package | Fully delivered (AED) | Major drivers | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-commerce | 16,000 | DED + Ejari + payment gateway intro | 7–14 days |
| Consultancy | 16,000 | DED Professional + flexi-desk | 5–10 days |
| Standard mainland LLC | 19,000 | DED + Establishment Card + visa quota | 5–7 days |
| Salon & spa | 22,000 | DED + Dubai Municipality + DHA | 14–21 days |
| Cleaning services | 22,000 | DED + RTA vehicle + crew quota | 14–21 days |
| Logistics & transport | 25,000 | DED + RTA category + Customs Code | 14–30 days |
| Cloud kitchen | 28,000 | DED + Municipality food + DHA cards | 21 days |
| General trading | 28,000 | DED master commercial + Customs + Chamber | 10–14 days |
| Construction & contracting | 30,000 | DED industrial + Municipality classification + CD | 21–45 days |
| Restaurant & café | 35,000 | DED + Municipality + DHA + Civil Defence | 30–60 days |
| Real estate brokerage | 35,000 | RERA + DED + AED 300k paid-up | 21–45 days |
| Education & training | 35,000 | KHDA + DED + curriculum approval | 45–90 days |
| Manufacturing | 35,000 | DED industrial + Municipality + Civil Defence | 30–60 days |
| Medical clinic | 45,000 | DHA pre-approval + DED + practitioners | 60–90 days |
What's not in the setup price.
Operating costs in year 1 run separately from the licence setup. Below: typical year-1 P&L additions.
| Line item | Typical year-1 cost | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Office rent upgrade (flexi → physical) | AED 18,000–60,000/yr | Optional; depends on visa quota + headcount |
| Additional employment visas (per visa) | AED 2,900–4,500 | MOHRE + GDRFA + medical + EID + insurance |
| Family visas (per dependant) | AED 2,400–3,500 | If sponsor's salary qualifies |
| Industry equipment / fit-out | AED 80,000–500,000 | Restaurant kitchen, gym equipment, clinic fit-out |
| Bank account opening (assistance) | AED 2,500 | YABS banking-assistance fee |
| Compliance retainer (annual) | AED 12,000–24,000 | Corporate tax + VAT + UBO + ESR + renewal |
| Bookkeeping (annual) | AED 14,400–48,000 | Tier-based on transaction volume |
| Insurance (medical + liability) | AED 2,000–8,000+/yr | Mandatory for some activities |
Frequently asked questions
How much does Dubai mainland LLC actually cost in 2026?
Standard commercial activity, 1–2 partners, flexi-desk, 1 visa quota: AED 16,000–22,000 fully delivered. Industry packages (restaurant, salon, medical) add AED 5,000–35,000+ for ministry approvals. Premium activities (real estate brokerage, financial services) add AED 8,000–25,000 for paid-up capital and regulator-specific fees. The page below itemises every line.
Why does cost vary so much by activity?
Government fees scale with activity classification. Standard commercial: AED 9,500–11,500. Restricted activities (medical, food, real estate, education, financial services): AED 14,000–18,000+ for the licence alone, plus separate ministry approvals (DHA, KHDA, RERA, Dubai Municipality) ranging AED 5,000–25,000+. The DED licence is uniform; the layered approvals drive the variance.
What's pass-through vs YABS fee?
Pass-through means YABS pays the government fee at cost, with no markup, and bills you for the same amount. Government fees include DED licence, MoA notarisation, Ejari, Establishment Card, Immigration File, MOHRE work permits, GDRFA visa stamping. The YABS service fee is a single line covering our work — document preparation, ministry coordination, KYC pre-clearance, project management, 30-day post-handover support. 5% VAT applies only to the service fee.
What costs aren't in the setup price?
Office rent (if you upgrade from flexi-desk), team hires (per-visa fees AED 2,400–6,500 each), specialised equipment for industry packages (gym fit-out, kitchen equipment, medical equipment), payment-gateway processor fees (Stripe / Telr usually 2.5–3.9% + AED 1.50/transaction), accounting / audit fees if mandatory, marketing / website / branding, insurance (mandatory for some activities). Operating costs in year 1 typically run AED 80,000–250,000 separate from the setup itself.
Get itemised pricing for your case
Online application returns an itemised quote with government fees, YABS service fee, and 5% VAT broken out — no email gate.
This page was last reviewed by the YABS compliance team in Q2 2026 and reflects current Dubai DED, Dubai Municipality, DHA, MOHRE, FTA, and DLD requirements.