How Long Does It Take to Get a Dubai Trade License?

For most founders, a Dubai trade license takes 1–5 working days once documents are ready and no external approvals are needed. However, instant licenses can issue same day, whereas activities requiring regulators (healthcare, education, food, transport, financial services) may stretch to 5–15+ working days. Free zone timelines vary: many finish in 2–7 working days, while complex setups take longer.

What “time to license” really includes

When people ask, how long to get a Dubai trade license, they usually mean from decision to license in hand. Practically, your clock covers five checkpoints:

1. Trade name reservation & initial approval (DET/DED or free zone authority)
2. Activity mapping (and whether external approvals apply)
3. Constitution (MOA/AOA or single-owner terms)
4. Office address (tenancy + Ejari for mainland; flex-desk/e-office for many free zones)
5. Fee payment & license issuance

Get these right, and you move fast. Miss one, and you wait. Get details on Business Setup in Dubai.

Mainland vs Free Zone: Typical Timelines

• Mainland (Dubai DET/DED)
  • Instant License (no lease, certain activities): Same day
  • Standard commercial/professional license: 1–5 working days after you have the tenancy/Ejari and MOA
  • With external approvals: 5–15+ working days depending on regulator
• Free Zones (varies by zone & activity)
  • E-license / flex-desk packages: 2–7 working days
  • Warehousing/industrial or special permits: 7–20 working days after site/fit-out or NOCs

Pro tip: 

Apparently,count working days (Mon–Fri or Mon–Thu depending on the authority) year-end rushes, Ramadan hours, and public holidays can add days. Because of which, plan buffers. Looking for a Business Setup Consultant in Dubai?

Step-by-step timeline (mainland example)

Below is a realistic end-to-end schedule when Black Swan pre-checks your documents.

Day 0–1: Activity fit + name reservation

Usually,we map your business activity to DET codes, after that file trade name reservation. For the time being , we draft your scope to avoid external approvals unless they are essential.

Time: same day to twenty four hours

Day 1–2: Initial approval

Apparently,we submit basic KYC and file initial approval for the manager and shareholders

Time: Same day to one working day

Dubai Day two to three : AOA/MOA & signatures

Usually,we arrange e-sign or notary, and generate the MOA (or LSA agreement for professional license if applicable) depending on structure.

Time: Same day when e-signing, +1 day if notary needed 

Day 2–4: Office address (Ejari)

For standard mainland licenses, you need a lease and Ejari. Choose a desk/office that fits your activity and visa plans.

Time: Same day–3 days (availability + landlord paperwork)

Day 3–5: Fee payment & license issue

We submit final documents, pay fees, and collect your Dubai trade license.

Time: 1 working day (often same day once docs are complete)

Total (no external approvals): 1–5 working days after documents are ready.
With external approvals: add 4–10+ working days depending on the regulator. Get details on Trade License Amendment Service in UAE.

What slows applications—and how we remove friction

Even when authorities move quickly, small gaps create delays. Therefore, we front-load the process:

• Name conflicts or restricted words: We pre-screen names and keep three backups.
• Activity mismatches: We right-size your activity list to avoid unnecessary regulators.
• Address issues: We secure Ejari or free zone flex-desk before final filing.
• Shareholder KYC: We format passports, photos, and addresses exactly as portals require.
• Signature logistics: We use e-sign where allowed, and we schedule notary windows early.

External approvals: how long do they add?

Some activities require external approvals from sector bodies. Examples include:

F&B, healthcare, education, transport, media, financial services, engineering/ consultancy, and chemical trading.

Timelines vary, yet a practical range is 3–10 working days after your file is complete. Industrial projects or anything with HSE/fit-out inspections can run longer.

Free zone timelines (what affects speed)

Free zones issue quickly when:

• Your activity is standard (consultancy, trading, holding).
• Shareholders sign digitally and reside in the UAE.
• You choose a flex-desk package (no physical fit-out).

They take longer when:

• You need a warehouse, import/export code, or customs code activation.
• You require third-country trading arrangements with local distributors.
• You request multi-license bundles (e.g., trading + e-commerce + service).

Typical range: 2–7 working days (simple) to 7–20 working days (complex).

After the license: what else adds days?

Your trade license opens the door, but you might still need:

• Establishment card & investor/employee visas: 3–10 working days each stage (medical/ID included)
• Corporate bank account: 1–4 weeks depending on bank KYC and activity risk
• VAT registration: 1–3 weeks, case-by-case
• Import/export code (customs): 1–3 working days once license and lease are active

How Black Swan cuts your time-to-license

Because time costs money, we design for speed:

1. Activity engineering: We pick the fastest compliant pathway (mainland instant license vs free zone e-license).
2. Parallel processing: We reserve the name, draft MOA, and prepare Ejari together—instead of waiting sequentially.
3. E-sign & smart notarization: We reduce visits; where needed, we group signatures in one slot.
4. Document templates: We provide passport/KYC templates that match portal requirements exactly.
5. Regulator relationships: We pre-brief special approvals to avoid rework.
6. Calendar clarity: We publish working-day calendars including Ramadan and public holidays so you plan deliveries and hires realistically.

Real-world timeboxes you can plan around

• Instant license (mainland, simple activity): Same day
• Mainland standard license (office ready): 1–5 working days
• Free zone consulting/trading (flex-desk): 2–7 working days
• With external approvals (food, health, education, transport): 5–15+ working days
• Add visas + bank + VAT: expect 2–6 weeks beyond license if you need all three

Your pre-filing checklist (copy this)

• 3 trade names in priority order
• Clear passport scans + UAE entry page (if any)
• Residential address and phone/email for each shareholder
• Activity list (primary + secondary)
• Shareholding & manager structure
• Office plan (Ejari/flex-desk/lease)
• Power of Attorney if a representative signs
• Source-of-funds outline for bank KYC (saves time later)

Bring this pack; leave the chasing to us.

Related Articles:

» How to get Instant Trade License in Dubai?

» All About Trade License in Dubai

» What is the Procedure to get Trade License in Dubai?

» Different Types of Trade Licenses in Dubai

» What is the Process for Registering a Trade License in Dubai?

Understanding the Dubai Trade License Timeline

The time to get a Dubai trade license depends on jurisdiction (mainland vs free zone), activity, external approvals, and address readiness. With a clean file, instant or standard mainland licenses issue in same day to 1–5 working days. Free zone licenses typically land in 2–7 working days, while regulated activities add 5–15+ working days. Because Black Swan engineers the route, prepares documents, and runs steps in parallel, you compress time-to-license and start trading sooner.

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