Consultancy Dubai —
DED professional, flexi-desk allowed.
Open a Dubai mainland consultancy. Management, business, IT, marketing, HR, financial, training, engineering consultancy under DED professional licence. Flexi-desk allowed — lower setup cost.
- Timeline
- 5–10 d
- From
- AED 16k
- Authorities
- 1
- Activity codes
- 8
Dubai consultancy — full stack.
A Dubai consultancy business operates under DED Professional Licence — a category distinct from commercial licensing, applicable to knowledge-work activities. Professional licences allow flexi-desk and shared office arrangements (lower setup cost). Most consultancy activities don't require ministry pre-approval. Some specialised consultancies (legal, audit, engineering) require additional regulatory body registration: legal practice through Ministry of Justice, audit firms through Ministry of Economy + FTA, engineering through Society of Engineers UAE.
Dubai DED activity codes covered
7022 — Business and other management consultancy activitiesStrategy, operations, organisational consulting
6201 — Computer programming activitiesIT consulting, software development advisory
7320 — Market research and public opinion pollingMarketing research, brand strategy
7022 — HR consultancyTalent strategy, organisational design
7490 — Other professional, scientific consultancySpecialty consultancy (sustainability, ESG, etc.)
Consultancy setup — competitor pricing pulled 2026 Q2.
Cheapest mainland category. The competitor markup vs YABS reflects sales-call gating + bundled flexi-desk add-ons that we publish as itemised line items.
| Provider | Setup price | Flexi-desk inclusion | First investor visa |
|---|---|---|---|
| YABS | AED 16,000 | Included (12 months) | Included |
| Shuraa | AED 18,500+ | Add-on | À la carte |
| Virtuzone | AED 22,000+ | Add-on | À la carte |
| Creative Zone | AED 19,500+ | Included (6 months) | À la carte |
| Adam Global | AED 25,000+ | Add-on | À la carte |
5 steps, 5–10 d.
Trade name + DED activity selection
Reserve trade name AED 620. Choose primary professional consultancy activity.
DED initial approval
Professional licence track 1–2 days, AED 235.
MoA + Ejari (flexi-desk acceptable)
MoA AED 1,100. Ejari from AED 220 (flexi-desk in business centres acceptable).
Final trade licence
Professional licence fee AED 7,500–9,500 — lower than commercial licences.
Establishment Card + immigration file
AED 2,600 combined.
What you actually pay.
| Item | AED |
|---|---|
Trade name + DED initial approval | 855 |
MoA notarisation | 1,100 |
Ejari (flexi-desk) | 220 |
Trade licence fee (professional) | 8,500 |
Establishment Card + immigration file | 2,600 |
| Government fees subtotal | 13,275 |
| YABS service fee | 5,500 |
| 5% VAT (on YABS service fee) | 275 |
| Total | 19,050 |
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.
Filing under commercial licence when consultancy professional licence applies
Cost: Higher DED fee + physical-office requirement triggered unnecessarily
YABS fix: We classify your activity against the DED professional/commercial split before opening the licence ticket.
Issuing invoices for licensed activities (legal, audit, engineering) without regulator registration
Cost: Ministry-of-Justice / FTA / Society-of-Engineers enforcement; client-engagement contracts unenforceable
YABS fix: We confirm regulator registration is in hand before issuing the consultancy licence.
Booking only 1 visa quota at start when team will grow within 6 months
Cost: MOHRE quota expansion adds 2–4 weeks per amendment; lost hire offer windows
YABS fix: We apply for 2–3 visa quota at initial setup based on the 12-month hiring plan.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between professional and commercial licence in Dubai?
Professional licence is for knowledge-work activities (consultancy, IT services, marketing, design, training) — lower setup cost, flexi-desk allowed, lower visa quotas typically. Commercial licence is for trading and physical-product businesses — physical office often required, higher setup cost, larger visa quotas. Activity nature determines category; you don't choose freely.
Do I need professional credentials to open a consultancy in Dubai?
Most consultancy activities don't require specific certifications for licence issuance. Exceptions: legal practice (Ministry of Justice approval, UAE bar admission), audit (Ministry of Economy approval, audit firm registration), engineering consultancy (Society of Engineers UAE membership). Standard business/IT/management consultancy: no formal credential check at licensing stage.
How much does a Dubai consultancy licence cost?
Total typical AED 16,000–28,000 fully delivered: DED professional licence + flexi-desk Ejari + MoA + Establishment Card + YABS service + 5% VAT. The cheapest mainland setup category. Premium consultancies with dedicated office add AED 18,000–45,000 for office costs.
Can I sponsor my own visa as a consultancy founder?
Yes. A consultancy founder typically takes a partner/investor visa tied to the licence. AED 3,200 typical fee fully delivered. Family sponsorship (spouse, children) becomes available once your residency is stamped — separate fees per family member.
Can I run a consultancy from a flexi-desk in Dubai?
Yes — professional licences specifically permit flexi-desk arrangements. Approved business centres (Servcorp, Regus, Office Plus, MyOffice) provide flexi-desk packages from AED 8,000/year including Ejari registration. Some clients eventually upgrade to dedicated office for team scale and credibility but flexi-desk is fully compliant.
Apply for the consultancy 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.