Your essential guide to Dubai general trading license

What Is General Trading License in Dubai

When setting up your business in a Dubai Free Zone, an important step is to apply for a business license. A business license in Dubai is an official acknowledgement of your business as a legal entity and permits you to operate within your jurisdiction. Without a license, you could face heavy penalties. What’s more, being a licensed business raises your professional and personal profile.

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One of the most sought-after business licenses in the UAE is the Dubai General Trading License.

In this blog, we will lead you through important details that you need to know about obtaining your Dubai General Trading License.

What is a Dubai General Trading License?

A Dubai General Trading License is a specialized business activity that allows you to import, trade and re-export of a range of legally permitted goods – even unrelated ones – under one business license. Trading activities that need special approvals can also be traded under this activity upon obtaining third party approvals (TPAs) from the related government regulators.

Unlike regular commercial business activities that only permit the trade of a specific product or range of products, a General Trading License gives you the ability to trade a variety of goods and the flexibility to change the product mix at any time without having to amend your commercial business license.  In other words, you could potentially trade almost everything from computers and clothes to paper products and pet supplies.

Given Dubai’s strategic global position, a Dubai General Trading License provides you the ability to trade efficiently across the Middle East and internationally, among many other benefits that include,

  • Opportunity to offer a product mix that fits the frequently changing demands of your target markets
  • Access to the UAE’s advanced logistics and related business support services
  • Tax-free import and export of goods in and out of the Free Zone
  • 100% repatriation of profits and capital
  • Flexibility to upscale or downscale your company any time, to suit market conditions

What are the steps to obtaining a Dubai General Trading License?

If you choose to apply for a Free Zone license that allows you to conduct General Trading in Dubai, our global network of Professional Partners can assist you through the following simple steps:

  • Submit your application with completed UBO details and supporting documents
  • Obtain license approval, including any third-party approvals, if required
  • Issuance of Business License
  • Continuing support, including UAE Residence Visa application, office spaces for rent, and others

What documents do I need to form a Dubai General Trading Company?

IFZA has streamlined the process and requirements to open a general trading company in Dubai.

If you would like to set up a Dubai General Trading company with individual shareholders, you will need to submit the following:

  • Passport copy
  • Digital passport photo
  • Application form with UBO information (provided by IFZA)
  • Emirates ID and Visa Copy for UAE residents
  • Business Plan, which includes your proposed top 5 items to trade
  • Related third party approvals, if required

If you would like to set up a Dubai General Trading company with corporate shareholders, you will need to submit the following:

  • Passport copy of every shareholder and General Manager of the corporate shareholder
  • Digital passport photo of every shareholder and General Manager of the corporate shareholder
  • Application form with UBO information (provided by IFZA)
  • Emirates ID and Visa Copy of every shareholder who is a UAE resident
  • Board Resolution
  • Memorandum & Articles of Association of the corporate shareholder (or its equivalent)
  • Valid Trade License (or its equivalent)
  • Certificate of Incorporation or Formation of the corporate shareholder
  • Business Plan, which includes your proposed top 5 items to trade
  • Related third party approvals, if required

Why should I choose IFZA?

IFZA provides fast and efficient Free Zone company establishment and world-class access to global markets. Our international network of Professional Partners can help you navigate every stage of your IFZA License application. You do not even need to physically be in the UAE during the company formation process.

Enjoy the freedom to choose from thousands of business activities, even combine commercial and professional activities under a single license that gives you the benefits of 100% foreign ownership and 100% repatriation capital and profit.

After company formation in the UAE, the IFZA Free Zone ecosystem continues to assist businesses through its growing range of products and services that include corporate bank account opening support, medical insurance coverage, and others.

If you are ready to take your first step, we are here to help you. Contact an IFZA Professional Partner or go to https://ifza.com/en/contact-us/

NOTE: All content on this page along with the downloadable guides is created solely for educational purposes. The information provided is accurate to the best of our knowledge, and it may not reflect any changes or developments that occur after the date of publication.

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