How to Get an E-Commerce Licence in Dubai (2026)

An e-commerce licence in Dubai lets your company sell online from the emirate that holds most of the UAE's online retail, logistics and payment infrastructure. You can trade through your own website, Amazon or noon, or social media, and deliver to customers across the UAE and abroad from a Dubai address, a Dubai IBAN and Dubai fulfilment partners.

The hard part is that Dubai has more routes than any other emirate. The Department of Economy and Tourism licenses mainland sellers, Dubai CommerCity, DMCC and Meydan license free zone sellers, and UAE and GCC nationals can use the home-based eTrader licence. Each route has different rules on who can apply, whether you can sell to mainland customers and what it costs.

This is where we come in. We form Dubai companies ourselves, so the route, the activity, the licence, the TDRA approval and the bank and payment accounts all run through one team. You get one clear price and a licence in about a week.

Ready to start selling online from Dubai? Our team forms e-commerce companies on the Dubai mainland and in Dubai free zones.

E-Commerce Licence in Dubai at a Glance

It is a trade licence with an online selling activity, issued either by the Department of Economy and Tourism for the mainland or by a Dubai free zone authority. It sits under the federal e-commerce law and needs the telecoms regulator's approval before you sell.

The Three Dubai Routes

The mainland route gives you the whole UAE market. The free zone route gives you a cheaper package and fulfilment partners, with extra steps to sell on the mainland. The eTrader route is the cheapest, but it is limited to UAE and GCC nationals selling from home.

The Federal Rules Behind It

Federal Decree-Law No. 14 of 2023 on Trading by Modern Technological Means has governed online selling since 16 September 2023. It requires every digital merchant to hold the right licences, show prices and terms, issue digital invoices and accept returns of goods that are defective, damaged or not as described. Our guide to the e-commerce licence in the UAE covers the national picture and the other emirates. Selling from the capital instead? See the e-commerce licence in Abu Dhabi.

The Market

The UAE's online retail market reached AED 32.3 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach AED 50.6 billion by 2029, according to Euromonitor figures reported with EZDubai. Dubai holds most of the fulfilment, payment and marketplace infrastructure behind those sales, which is why most sellers start here.

The TDRA Approval

TDRA, the telecoms and digital government regulator, requires a no objection certificate for any economic activity on the internet in the UAE, through websites, apps or social media accounts. It is free, takes about 2 working days and requires a .ae domain for your website. Every social media account you sell through must be listed.

The Dubai Mainland E-Commerce Licence

The mainland route is issued by the Department of Economy and Tourism through the Invest in Dubai portal. It suits sellers whose customers are in the UAE and who want no doubt about delivering to them.

What You Get

A mainland company can sell to any customer in the UAE, sign contracts with UAE companies, hold stock in a Dubai warehouse and sponsor visas. Foreign owners can hold 100% for most activities. Our guide to mainland company formation in Dubai covers the setup in detail.

Government Fees

Dubai's fee schedule, Executive Council Resolution No. 13 of 2011, sets the licence issue or renewal fee at AED 600, initial approval at AED 100, trade name reservation at AED 200 and commercial registration at AED 200. The office lease must be registered through Ejari, which costs AED 177.75 in total. The Department of Economy and Tourism publishes no single all-in tariff for an e-commerce company, because activity charges and the office decide the total.

The Office

A mainland company needs a registered office with an Ejari tenancy. Read our guide to Ejari and the office requirement for a mainland licence.

The Instant Licence

For activities that need no outside approval, the Department of Economy and Tourism issues an Instant Licence in minutes. Khaleej Times reported that it can include a virtual site for the first year and allow up to three employees for some legal forms, which suits a seller testing the market before taking an office.

Dubai Free Zones for E-Commerce

Several Dubai free zones license online sellers, and our guide to free zone company formation in Dubai compares them. Each bundles the licence with a desk or office, and each has its own view on selling to mainland customers.

Dubai CommerCity

Dubai CommerCity is the free zone dedicated to digital commerce, run by Dubai Integrated Economic Zones with Wasl. It offers e-commerce, trade and general trading licences and a dual licence with the Department of Economy and Tourism that lets you apply for a mainland licence without separate office space. It publishes no prices.

DMCC

DMCC runs an e-commerce ecosystem with Basic, Starter and Premium packages, and points sellers to JAFZA and The Box for fulfilment. Prices are quoted on application. Our guide to DMCC company formation covers the zone.

Meydan Free Zone

Meydan publishes AED 12,500 a year for a licence with up to 3 activity groups and a flexible desk, with no visa included. Its e-commerce activity is 4791.02, retail sale of any kind of product over the internet, which it describes as B2C only with no third-party approval. Read our guide to Meydan Free Zone company formation.

IFZA

IFZA licenses e-commerce companies but publishes no price. Its own guide says you can sell to the entire UAE but need a mainland distributor. See our guide to IFZA company formation.

Selling to Dubai Mainland Customers From a Free Zone

This is the question most Dubai online sellers get wrong. Free zones disagree, so check your zone and activity before you rely on local sales.

Resolution No. 11 of 2025

Dubai Executive Council Resolution No. 11 of 2025, issued on 3 March 2025, lets a free zone company operate on the Dubai mainland through the Department of Economy and Tourism. There are three routes: a branch licence in the emirate, a branch licence operating out of the free zone at AED 10,000 a year, or a temporary permit for specific activities at AED 5,000 for up to 6 months. The company must keep separate accounts for its mainland activity, and the rule does not apply to the DIFC.

Eligible Activities

The Department of Economy and Tourism publishes the list of activities that qualify. Check that your e-commerce activity is on it before you plan mainland sales around a permit.

When the Mainland Is Simpler

If most of your customers are in the UAE, a mainland licence avoids the permit, the separate accounts and the renewal. If most are abroad, a free zone company with an occasional permit can be cheaper. Our guide to company formation in Dubai compares the routes in full.

The Dubai eTrader Licence

The eTrader licence is Dubai's home-based licence for selling through social media. The UAE government portal says it is for UAE nationals and GCC nationals residing in Dubai.

Rules

It is issued as a sole proprietorship with single ownership, much like the freelance licence in Dubai for professionals, so the owner carries full liability. There is no physical shop and no employee visas. Gulf News reported that more than 18,000 eTrader licences had been issued by March 2022.

Cost

Khaleej Times reported the cost as AED 1,070 for the licence and innovation fees plus AED 300 for Dubai Chamber membership, subject to the activity. Dubai Islamic Bank offers an eTrader business account with no minimum balance, free in the first year and AED 1,700 a year after that.

E-Commerce Licence Cost in Dubai

The e-commerce licence cost in Dubai depends on the route more than on the licence fee. These are published prices, not full first-year budgets.

The office, visas, the .ae domain, audit and payment fees usually cost more than the licence. We form Dubai e-commerce companies from €1,899 and quote every fee before you commit. Our guide to the cost of business setup in Dubai builds a full budget.

Which Dubai Route Fits Your Store

A UAE or GCC National Selling From Home

The eTrader licence is the cheapest start, at about AED 1,370 with Chamber membership, as long as you do not need staff or a shop.

A Foreign Founder Selling Mostly in the UAE

A mainland licence avoids the extra permit for local customers and lets you hold stock anywhere in Dubai. The Instant Licence can speed up the first year.

A Seller Shipping Abroad or Across the GCC

A free zone package with a fulfilment partner is usually cheaper, and Resolution No. 11 of 2025 covers occasional mainland sales.

A Brand Selling on Amazon and noon

Either route works if the activity matches what you list. Marketplaces check the licence and the bank account before they pay out, so set up both first.

Requirements for a Dubai Online Store

The licence is only one requirement. These rules apply to every online seller based in Dubai.

The Right Activity

The licence must list the activity you actually run. A general trading or consultancy activity does not cover online retail (see commercial vs professional licence in Dubai), and payment gateways check that your website matches the licence. Read our guide to the general trading licence in Dubai if you also trade offline.

Product Registration in Montaji

Dubai Municipality's e-commerce guideline requires cosmetics and personal care products, fragrances, detergents and sanitisers, and health supplements to be registered in its Montaji system before import or sale. The fee is AED 10 per product and AED 50 per container, and products need at least 50% of their shelf life left.

The Advertiser Permit

The UAE's advertiser permit for paid social media promotion became mandatory on 1 February 2026, according to published guidance. Owners promoting their own business on their own account are reported to be exempt, but influencers you pay need their own permit.

Returns, Invoices and Data

The e-commerce law gives buyers the right to return goods that are defective, damaged or not as described, with exceptions such as used items, expired food and single-use media. You must issue a digital invoice for every sale, keep a secure technical environment, let customers opt out of marketing and give them a permanent way to complain.

Consumer Protection

The consumer protection law's executive regulations, in force since 14 October 2023, require accurate advertising, visible prices, dated invoices, secure payment and information in Arabic, or Arabic plus another language.

How to Get an E-Commerce Licence in Dubai

These are the steps in order, whatever the route.

Choose the Route and Activity

Decide between the mainland, a Dubai free zone and, if you qualify, the eTrader licence. Then choose the activity that matches your model, B2C retail, B2B or a marketplace.

Get Initial Approval and the Trade Name

Reserve the trade name and get initial approval from the Department of Economy and Tourism or the free zone.

Sign the Documents and the Office

Sign the memorandum of association and the lease, flexi desk or office agreement. On the mainland, register the lease through Ejari.

Receive the Licence

Pay the fees and receive the licence. Dubai's Unified Licence then gives the company a single number and QR code that can be shown instead of the licence certificate.

Apply for TDRA's Approval

Register your .ae domain and apply for TDRA's approval with the licence and any product approvals.

Open Bank and Payment Accounts

Open a business account and connect a payment gateway. Gateways ask for the licence, the owners' passports, the memorandum and a live website with a UAE address, delivery, refund and privacy policies.

Documents for an Ecommerce License in Dubai

The documents for an ecommerce license in Dubai are short. The Department of Economy and Tourism and the free zones ask for much the same list.

• Passport copy of each shareholder and manager
• Emirates ID and residence visa for UAE residents
• Passport photo
• Trade name options and the chosen activity
• A short business description for some zones
• Attested company documents if a company is the shareholder
• For TDRA, the licence and any product approvals

After the Licence Is Issued

These rules apply once your Dubai store starts trading.

VAT and Corporate Tax

VAT is 5%, and registration is mandatory once taxable supplies and imports pass AED 375,000 in 12 months. Corporate tax is 0% on taxable income up to AED 375,000 and 9% above it, and a free zone company that meets the Qualifying Free Zone Person conditions pays 0% on qualifying income. Read about UAE VAT registration for new companies and UAE corporate tax for companies.

Dubai Customs

If you import goods into Dubai, customs duty is waived on low-value parcels. The threshold was reported as rising from AED 300 to AED 1,000 on 3 August 2026, excluding tobacco, vaping products and alcohol, and B2C returns within 60 days are exempt.

Licence Renewal

A Dubai licence is valid for one year and must be renewed in its last month. Dubai's fee schedule charges AED 200 for each month of late renewal. Our guide to the trade licence in Dubai covers renewal in detail.

Payments and Banking for Dubai E-Commerce

Your bank and payment gateway decide how fast you get paid and what each sale costs.

Payment Gateways

Gateways ask for the trade licence, owners' passports and visas, the memorandum and recent bank statements or a bank letter. The e-commerce law bars gateways from charging undisclosed fees.

Before approving you, a gateway also checks the website. Expect to need content that matches the licensed activity, terms naming the UAE as the country of domicile with UAE governing law, privacy, cookie, delivery, refund and cancellation policies, full contact details with a UAE address, and card logos on the checkout. Fixing these before you apply saves weeks.

Stablecoins

Under the Central Bank's Payment Token Services Regulation, only dirham payment tokens can be accepted as payment for goods and services. Foreign stablecoins such as USDT cannot be used to pay for ordinary goods.

Business Accounts

Our partners open multi-currency accounts for Dubai e-commerce companies in days, online and with no resident signatory, so you can receive marketplace payouts and pay suppliers abroad. Our guide to a multi-currency business bank account in the UAE explains how it works. Read our guide to opening a business bank account in Dubai.

Common Mistakes With a Dubai E-Commerce Licence

Most problems come from a few avoidable gaps.

Assuming a Free Zone Can Deliver Anywhere

Check how your free zone company reaches Dubai mainland customers, whether through a distributor, a branch licence or a permit under Resolution No. 11 of 2025.

Skipping Montaji

Cosmetics, fragrances, detergents and supplements need Montaji registration before sale in Dubai.

Selling Before TDRA's Approval

The licence alone is not enough. TDRA's approval is free and quick, so there is no reason to sell without it.

Comparing Licence Fees Only

The e-commerce licence cost in Dubai is a small part of the budget. Compare the office, visas and renewal, not the headline licence price.

Bottom Line

An e-commerce licence in Dubai comes from the Department of Economy and Tourism, a Dubai free zone or, for UAE and GCC nationals, the eTrader route. Every route needs TDRA's free approval and a .ae domain, and restricted products need Montaji registration. Choose the mainland if your customers are in the UAE, and a free zone if you sell mainly abroad, using Resolution No. 11 of 2025 when you need mainland sales.

We form the company, handle the approvals and set up the bank and payment accounts with you, from €1,899.