Logistics & transport Dubai —
RTA + DED + Customs.
Open a Dubai logistics or transport company — taxi services, freight transport, delivery fleets, limousine, courier. Roads & Transport Authority (RTA) + DED + Customs registration.
- Timeline
- 14–30 d
- From
- AED 25k
- Authorities
- 3
- Activity codes
- 8
Dubai logistics & transport — full stack.
A Dubai logistics or transport business operates under specific RTA (Roads and Transport Authority) licences combined with Dubai DED commercial registration. RTA categorises transport services by fleet type and use case: freight transport, courier, taxi services, limousine, school transport, ambulance services. Each category has dedicated permits, vehicle approvals, and driver requirements. Freight forwarders need Dubai Customs Code for import/export operations. Some categories (school transport, ambulance) require additional safety inspections.
Dubai DED activity codes covered
4923 — Freight transport by roadTruck and freight movement within UAE
5320 — Other postal and courier activitiesCourier and parcel delivery
4922 — Other passenger land transportLimousine, private hire
5210 — Warehousing and storageWarehousing operations
5224 — Cargo handlingLoading, unloading, port-side handling
Logistics / transport setup — competitor pricing.
Includes DED + 1 RTA category permit + 2 commercial vehicle registrations + Customs Code + 4 driver visas. Excludes vehicle purchase/lease and yard-rental.
| Provider | Setup price | RTA category handling | Customs code |
|---|---|---|---|
| YABS | AED 25,000 | Included | Included |
| Shuraa | AED 30,000+ | Add-on | Add-on |
| Virtuzone | AED 33,000+ | Add-on | Add-on |
| Creative Zone | AED 28,000+ | Included | Add-on |
| Adam Global | AED 36,000+ | Add-on | Add-on |
7 steps, 14–30 d.
Trade name + DED activity selection
Reserve trade name. Choose primary RTA-categorised activity.
DED initial approval
DED 1–2 days.
RTA permits per vehicle category
RTA approves operational permit per vehicle category. Freight, courier, limousine each need specific RTA category. Per-vehicle registration fees apply.
Customs Code (if freight import/export)
Dubai Customs Code AED 600. Freight forwarders need this.
MoA + Ejari + final DED trade licence
Office + yard requirements depend on operational scope. AED 220 Ejari + AED 1,100 MoA + AED 11,500 trade licence.
Vehicle registration + driver licensing
Each commercial vehicle registered to the company licence. Drivers need RTA-approved commercial driving permit per vehicle category.
Establishment Card + visa quota
Logistics businesses sponsor large numbers of driver/labour visas — MOHRE quota allocation accordingly.
What you actually pay.
| Item | AED |
|---|---|
Trade name + DED initial approval | 855 |
MoA notarisation | 1,100 |
Ejari (office + yard) | 220 |
Trade licence fee (logistics commercial) | 11,500 |
Customs Code (if freight) | 600 |
RTA category permit (initial) | 4,500 |
Vehicle registration (initial vehicle) | 1,200 |
Establishment Card + immigration file | 2,600 |
| Government fees subtotal | 22,575 |
| YABS service fee | 8,500 |
| 5% VAT (on YABS service fee) | 425 |
| Total | 31,500 |
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 before RTA category permit issuance
Cost: Vehicle impoundment + AED 5,000 per-vehicle fines
YABS fix: We sequence RTA category permit completion before delivering operational vehicles to clients.
Using a residential / non-commercial yard for vehicle parking
Cost: Dubai Municipality + RTA enforcement; tenancy violation; fleet relocation costs
YABS fix: We confirm yard zoning and Ejari category match RTA requirements before lease signature.
Skipping Customs Code registration when handling import shipments
Cost: Customs clearance blocked; AED 500–2,500/day storage charges at Jebel Ali
YABS fix: We obtain the UAE Customs Code during the licence-issuance week — it's a free registration but takes 5–7 days.
Frequently asked questions
How much for a Dubai logistics licence?
Total typical AED 25,000–55,000 fully delivered for licence + RTA category permit + initial vehicle registration. Costs scale with fleet size — each additional commercial vehicle is AED 1,200/year RTA registration + AED 600/year RTA category permit. Drivers need separate RTA commercial driving permits AED 600 each.
What RTA categories do I need to choose?
Categories include: freight transport (heavy goods vehicles), light freight (vans), courier (motorcycles + small vans), limousine (premium passenger), private hire, school transport, ambulance services. Each category has different operational rules and pricing. Some operators run multiple categories under one licence with separate per-category RTA permits.
Do I need a yard or warehouse for a Dubai logistics company?
Generally yes — RTA category permits typically require a designated parking yard for commercial vehicles. Yards in Al Quoz, Ras Al Khor, Al Aweer, Dubai Industrial City. Yard size scales with fleet — typical 1,000–5,000 sqft for SME logistics, 20,000+ sqft for major operators. Some courier-only businesses with 2-wheel fleets operate from smaller premises.
Can I run a courier service from home in Dubai?
No — RTA requires dedicated commercial premises for courier business operations. Home-based courier is not permitted under DED + RTA regulations. Some Intelaq-licensed home freelance work for individual delivery drivers is permitted but doesn't extend to running a commercial courier company with employees and vehicles.
How long does Dubai logistics licensing take?
Standard 14–30 working days from initial application to operational status. DED licence (5–7 days) + RTA category permit (10–14 days) + vehicle registrations (3–5 days each) + Customs Code if applicable (5–7 days). Multi-category operations or large fleet rollouts can take 30–60 days due to per-vehicle and per-category RTA approvals.
Apply for the logistics & transport 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.