The UAE's most common company form
Limited Liability Company Setup in UAE
An LLC limits your liability to what you put into the company. The real decision is mainland or free zone, because that governs where you can sell, what premises you must hold and how many visas you can sponsor.
GCC business setup specialists
Getting the LLC decision right first time
Converting later is possible but rarely cheap: a new licence, a new tenancy, visas transferred and bank accounts reopened. The structure is worth an hour of proper thought before anything is filed.
- Mainland or free zone decided on your customers, not ours
- Memorandum drafted and notarised for you
- Visa quota confirmed before you commit to premises
20+
Mainland, free zone and offshore jurisdictions we file in — so the recommendation is based on your activity, not on which authority we happen to be registered with.
7,000+
Companies successfully established.
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Compare the two
Mainland LLC or free zone limited company
Both give you limited liability and a corporate identity. Everything that follows differs.
| Mainland LLC | Free zone limited company | |
|---|---|---|
| Ownership | Depends on the activity — confirmed against the current activity list | 100% foreign ownership |
| Where you can sell | Anywhere in the UAE, and eligible for government tenders | Inside the zone and internationally; mainland sales need a distributor or branch |
| Premises | Registered premises with a tenancy filed | Flexi-desk upwards, inside the zone |
| Visa quota | Tied to the premises you hold | Fixed by the package you buy |
| Audited accounts | Depends on the authority and activity | Required by most zones |
| Typical fit | Trading, contracting, retail, services sold to UAE customers | Consultancy, e-commerce, holding, regional headquarters |
Requirements differ between emirates and between individual free zones, and they change. The position for your activity is confirmed in writing before you commit.
How it works
Forming the company
A straightforward LLC is normally licensed within about a week once the paperwork is in order.
01
Structure and shareholders
Who owns what, who signs, how many visas you need and where your customers actually are. That settles mainland or free zone, and you get a written quote separating government fees from ours.
02
Name, approval and memorandum
Trade name reservation, initial approval, then the memorandum of association drafted to your shareholding and notarised. Where the activity is regulated, external approvals run alongside.
03
Premises, licence and file
Tenancy registered so it can be filed, licence issued, establishment card and immigration file opened, corporate bank account introduced and corporate tax registration completed.
Before you start
What forming an LLC needs
Have these ready and the filing stage is measured in days.
- Passport copies for every shareholder and director
- Passport-size photographs, white background
- UAE entry stamp or visa page if you are in-country
- Three proposed trade names in order of preference
- Shareholding split agreed between the shareholders
- Detailed description of the business activities
- Manager appointed, with their passport and signature
- Proof of residential address
- Parent documents and board resolution for a corporate shareholder
- Tenancy contract and Ejari for mainland premises
- Attested and legalised documents where they originate abroad
- Certified Arabic translation where required
Scope
What is included, and what is not
Stated plainly, so nothing is added once the engagement starts.
Included in the service fee
- Mainland or free zone recommendation
- Trade name reservation and initial approval
- Memorandum of association drafted to your shareholding
- Notarisation and submission
- Licence application end to end
- Establishment card and immigration file opening
- Corporate bank account introduction
- Corporate tax registration
Not included, quoted separately
- Government and authority fees, paid at cost
- Office space, Ejari or flexi-desk rental
- Document attestation and legalisation abroad
- Legal translation into Arabic
- Medical tests and Emirates ID charges
- Sector-specific regulatory approvals
- Statutory audit, where your authority requires one
- Ongoing bookkeeping and tax filing
Verify independently
Official UAE authorities
We file directly with these bodies on your behalf.
Federal Tax AuthorityMinistry of Human Resources & EmiratisationIdentity, Citizenship, Customs & Port SecurityAbu Dhabi Department of Economic DevelopmentIFZA — International Free Zone AuthorityUAE Government Portal
Questions
Limited Liability Company Setup in UAE — FAQs
What does limited liability actually protect?
It separates the company's obligations from your personal assets, so your exposure is normally limited to what you have put into the company. It does not cover personal guarantees you sign, and it does not survive trading while insolvent or abandoning the company without closing it properly.
How many shareholders can an LLC have?
The permitted range depends on the authority and the company form. Single-shareholder companies are available in both mainland and free zone settings. We confirm the limits for the authority you are filing with before the memorandum is drafted.
Do I need an office, or is a desk enough?
A mainland LLC needs registered premises with the tenancy filed. Most free zones will license you on a flexi-desk. Either way the premises decide your visa quota, so it is settled before you sign a lease.
Can I convert a free zone company to mainland later?
Yes, but it is effectively a new licence rather than an edit: new premises, visas transferred, bank account reopened. That is the reason the initial decision is worth getting right.
Does my LLC need audited accounts?
Most free zones require them annually. On the mainland it depends on the authority and the activity. Either way you must keep proper records, and corporate tax registration applies regardless.
How long does it take?
A straightforward company is normally licensed within about a week once documents are in order. Regulated activities that need external ministry approval take longer, and visas and banking then follow on the authority's and the bank's timetable.
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