Mainland company
Sharjah mainland company setup through SEDD
A Sharjah mainland company is licensed by the Sharjah Economic Development Department (SEDD). It can trade across the UAE and suits manufacturers, workshops, traders and service firms that want premises in Sharjah. Caliph reserves the trade name, obtains the site approval, arranges the lease attestation and files the licence application for you.
At a glance Fact sheet
- Licensing authority
- Sharjah Economic Development Department (SEDD)
- How you apply
- SEDD website and app with UAE Pass, SEDD branches or Tasheel service centres
- Where you can trade
- Anywhere on the UAE mainland and abroad. A shop or office in another emirate needs a branch there
- Ownership
- Up to 100% foreign ownership for most activities. Some are reserved or need a local partner
- Office
- Leased or owned premises in Sharjah, with the lease attested by Sharjah City Municipality
- Site check
- SEDD's technical evaluation approves the location for the activity
Overview
Mainland businesses in Sharjah are licensed by the Sharjah Economic Development Department, SEDD. The department issues trade names, checks that a location suits the activity and issues commercial, professional, industrial and e-commerce licences. Most services run online through the SEDD website and app with UAE Pass, and the same services are available at SEDD branches and Tasheel centres.
What sets Sharjah apart is the order of the steps. Before the licence, SEDD carries out a technical evaluation of the site, so the premises are approved for the activity before you are licensed there. The lease is attested by Sharjah City Municipality, an electricity deposit is paid to the Sharjah Electricity, Water and Gas Authority, and company contracts are certified by SEDD's Legal Affairs Department.
Sharjah borders Dubai and also has towns on the east coast, including Khorfakkan and Kalba. Founders often choose it for industrial premises, workshops, warehouses and shops, or because their staff and customers already live there. If your buyers are mostly in Dubai, your consultant compares both emirates with you before you commit.
Why founders pick Sharjah
Space for making and storing
Industrial licences in Sharjah are tied to sites in its industrial areas, which is why manufacturers and workshops look here first.
The site is approved before the licence
Because the technical evaluation comes first, you know the premises are accepted for your activity before the licence fees are paid.
Online filing with UAE Pass
Partners approve the application through UAE Pass, so signing does not always need everyone in one room.
A licence for online sellers
SEDD has an e-commerce licence for online and social media selling that does not need a physical shop.
Full ownership in most activities
Foreign investors can hold the whole company in most mainland activities. Sole establishments and some activities follow separate rules.
What to have ready
- Passport or Emirates ID copies of every partner
- Personal photographs of the partners
- Proposed trade names
- A site plan and the lease for the premises, for the technical evaluation
- The lease attested by Sharjah City Municipality, or the title deed if you own the property
- For a company, the Memorandum of Association certified by SEDD's Legal Affairs Department
- Approvals from other authorities, if the activity needs them
Activities such as food and industry can need municipality, environmental or Civil Defence approval. Your consultant tells you which apply.
How Sharjah mainland setup works
Activity and ownership check
We match your business to SEDD's activities and confirm whether it is open to full foreign ownership.
Trade name
The name is checked for availability and against SEDD's naming rules, then issued.
Technical evaluation of the site
SEDD reviews the trade name, the site plan and the lease and approves the location for the activity.
Lease attestation and utilities
The lease is attested by Sharjah City Municipality and the electricity deposit is paid to the utilities authority.
Company contracts
For a company, the Memorandum of Association is signed and certified through SEDD's Legal Affairs Department.
Licence application
The file is submitted through SEDD, each partner approves it with UAE Pass and the fees are paid. The licence is then issued.
After the licence
Caliph opens the establishment card, registers the company with the labour ministry and starts the visas.
Good to know
- Sharjah's free zones, such as SAIF Zone and Hamriyah Free Zone, issue their own licences. This page covers mainland licences from SEDD only.
- If you move premises, SEDD asks for a new attested lease and a new technical evaluation.
- A sole establishment in Sharjah is open to UAE and GCC nationals. Other founders normally set up a company.
Questions people ask
Who issues trade licences in Sharjah?
The Sharjah Economic Development Department, SEDD, issues mainland licences across the emirate. Free zone companies are licensed by their own zone authority instead. SEDD services are available on its website and app, at its branches and through Tasheel service centres.
Can foreigners own 100% of a Sharjah mainland company?
Yes for most activities, and no local partner is needed in those cases. Certain activities remain reserved for citizens or need a local partner, and a sole establishment is open only to UAE and GCC nationals. Your Caliph consultant confirms what applies to you before the trade name is issued.
What is the technical evaluation in Sharjah?
It is SEDD's check that the premises suit the activity. You submit the trade name, a site plan and the lease, and the department approves or rejects the location. Common reasons for refusal are too little space or an area where the activity is not permitted, so the site is worth checking before you sign.
Do I need an office to get a Sharjah licence?
For most licences, yes. SEDD asks for an attested lease or a title deed and approves the site before licensing. The e-commerce licence is an exception because it is designed for online selling without a physical location. Your consultant tells you which category your activity falls into.
How is Sharjah different from Dubai for a mainland company?
The authority is SEDD instead of DET, leases are attested by Sharjah City Municipality instead of registered in Ejari, and the site is evaluated before the licence. Federal rules on company law, tax, labour and visas are the same. The practical choice usually comes down to where your premises and customers are.
Can a Sharjah company work with clients in Dubai?
Yes. A Sharjah mainland company can sell goods and services to customers anywhere in the UAE. If you want your own shop, office or warehouse in Dubai, that location needs a branch licence from Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism.
- Sharjah Economic Development Department (SEDD)
- SEDD: licence issuance service
- SEDD: frequently asked questions
Reviewed by Caliph Business Solutions on . Rules differ by activity and by authority. Your Caliph consultant confirms what applies to you.
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