Cleaning services Dubai —
DED + RTA + crew sponsorship.
Open a Dubai cleaning services company — residential, commercial, post-construction, deep cleaning. DED commercial licence + RTA vehicle permits + MOHRE crew visa quota.
- Timeline
- 7–14 d
- From
- AED 18k
- Authorities
- 2
- Activity codes
- 4
Dubai cleaning services — full stack.
A Dubai cleaning services business operates under DED commercial activity codes covering general cleaning, building cleaning, post-construction cleaning, pest control, and waste management. RTA vehicle permits are required if operating service vehicles. MOHRE labour quota for crew sponsorship — most cleaning companies sponsor 8–25 crew employment visas. Standard mainland LLC process with no ministry pre-approval; physical office not strictly required (flexi-desk allowed for office staff, with separate yard/storage for equipment).
Dubai DED activity codes covered
8121 — General cleaning of buildingsOffice, residential, retail premises cleaning
8129 — Other building and industrial cleaningIndustrial, post-construction, specialist cleaning
8122 — Other building and industrial cleaning activitiesWindow cleaning at heights, deep cleaning
8129 — Pest controlOptional add-on for cleaning + pest combined services
Cleaning services setup — competitor pricing pulled 2026 Q2.
Includes DED licence, MOHRE labour quota for ~10 crew, RTA commercial vehicle setup for 2 vehicles. Excludes labour-camp accommodation and crew visa fees beyond quota.
| Provider | Setup price | RTA vehicle inclusions | Labour quota negotiation |
|---|---|---|---|
| YABS | AED 22,000 | 2 vehicles | Up to 12 crew quota |
| Shuraa | AED 27,000+ | Add-on | Standard quota only |
| Virtuzone | AED 30,000+ | Add-on | Standard quota only |
| Creative Zone | AED 26,000+ | 1 vehicle | Standard quota only |
| Adam Global | AED 33,000+ | Add-on | Standard quota only |
6 steps, 7–14 d.
Trade name + DED activity selection
Reserve trade name AED 620. Activity codes 8121 primary, 8129 add-ons.
Initial DED approval
DED 1–2 days, AED 235.
MoA + Ejari
MoA AED 1,100. Ejari AED 220 — flexi-desk acceptable for office staff; separate yard/storage for equipment optional.
Final trade licence
DED licence fee AED 9,500–11,500 typical.
RTA vehicle permits (if applicable)
Each cleaning service vehicle (van, truck) needs RTA commercial vehicle permit. AED 600 per vehicle annually.
Establishment Card + crew visa quota
MOHRE allocates labour visa quota for cleaning crew. Quota larger than office-only businesses due to operational manpower needs.
What you actually pay.
| Item | AED |
|---|---|
Trade name + DED initial approval | 855 |
MoA notarisation | 1,100 |
Ejari (flexi-desk) | 220 |
Trade licence fee (cleaning commercial) | 10,500 |
RTA vehicle permit (1 vehicle initial) | 600 |
Establishment Card + immigration file | 2,600 |
| Government fees subtotal | 15,875 |
| YABS service fee | 6,500 |
| 5% VAT (on YABS service fee) | 325 |
| Total | 22,700 |
Government fees vary by activity and approval requirements. Final quote confirmed after activity selection.
Where people get this wrong.
Pulled from 500+ YABS engagements. Each pitfall has a knock-on cost in time or AED — knowing them up front is half the value of using a PRO.
Operating with personal-registration vehicles for commercial cleaning
Cost: RTA fines AED 5,000+ per vehicle plus impoundment risk on Dubai Police checks
YABS fix: We register every operational vehicle commercially during the licence-issuance week.
Quoting residential cleaning to mall-management contracts without commercial-grade insurance
Cost: Tender disqualification; lost AED 200k+ contract revenue
YABS fix: We bind commercial-grade public liability insurance (AED 5M+ cover) at licence issuance for tender-ready clients.
Using residential helpers (under sponsor visa) for commercial cleaning
Cost: MOHRE labour-violation; ban on the residential sponsor; deportation of helper
YABS fix: Commercial cleaning crew goes on company-sponsored employment visas — never on family-sponsor / residential helper visas.
Frequently asked questions
How much for a cleaning services licence in Dubai?
Total typical AED 18,000–32,000 fully delivered: DED licence + Ejari + MoA + 1 RTA vehicle permit + Establishment Card + YABS + 5% VAT. Add AED 600/year per additional vehicle. Crew labour visas billed separately at AED 2,900–4,500 per employment visa.
Do cleaning companies need physical office space in Dubai?
Flexi-desk acceptable for office and admin staff. Equipment storage and crew gathering may require separate yard/warehouse — typically 100–300 sqm in industrial zones (Al Quoz, Ras Al Khor, Dubai Investment Park). Some cleaning companies use crew transport directly from labour camps without dedicated yard.
How many crew visas can a Dubai cleaning company sponsor?
MOHRE allocates labour visa quota generously for service-sector activities. Typical 200 sqft office + crew justification supports 12–25 cleaning crew labour visas in initial allocation. Higher quotas achievable with audited contracts and demonstrated operational scale.
Do I need RTA permits for cleaning vehicles?
Yes for any commercial vehicle (van, pickup, truck) used in operations. AED 600/year per vehicle. Vehicles must be RTA-registered to the company licence; personal vehicles being used commercially require conversion to commercial registration.
Can I add pest control to a cleaning licence?
Yes — Dubai DED allows combining cleaning (8121) with pest control as one consolidated activity if applied for upfront. Pest control with chemicals requires Dubai Municipality pesticide handling certification per crew member. Standard cleaning + light pest control common in commercial cleaning contracts.
Apply for the cleaning services package
Apply online in 4 steps. Itemised AED quote, no sales-call 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.