Business licences
Industrial licence in Dubai for manufacturing businesses
An industrial licence is for businesses that manufacture, process, assemble or package goods. On the Dubai mainland it is issued by the Department of Economy and Tourism and is tied to suitable production premises. Depending on the product, further approvals apply, including at federal level from the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology. Caliph prepares the file and coordinates the approvals.
At a glance Fact sheet
- Issued by
- Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) on the Dubai mainland
- Covers
- Manufacturing, processing, assembly and packaging of goods
- Premises
- A factory, workshop or warehouse that meets municipal planning rules for production
- Federal authority
- Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology, for the national industrial licence
- Ownership
- Up to 100% foreign ownership for most industrial activities
- Free zones
- Industrial free zones issue their own manufacturing licences
Overview
An industrial licence applies when the business turns materials into products. That includes full manufacturing, and also processing, assembling parts, blending, bottling and packaging. Food production, furniture, plastics, metal fabrication, garments and building materials are typical examples. If you only import finished goods and sell them on, you need a commercial licence instead.
What sets this licence apart is the premises. The authority wants to see where production will happen, so the factory or workshop has to meet the municipal planning rules for that kind of work and be suitable for the process. Products such as food and consumer goods also fall under Dubai Municipality's safety standards. For these reasons the site is chosen early, together with the activity.
Industrial activity has a federal side too. The UAE government lists the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology as the authority for the national industrial licence, and some products need clearance from the regulator of their sector. Which approvals you need depends on what you make and how you make it. Your Caliph consultant confirms the list for your product before you commit to a site.
What an industrial licence allows
Make and sell under one company
The licence lets you produce the goods and sell what you produce, in the UAE and for export, without setting up a separate trading company.
Bring in your own inputs
The company can register with customs and import raw materials, parts and machinery in its own name.
Full foreign ownership in most cases
Most industrial activities on the mainland are open to up to 100% foreign ownership.
Visas for a production workforce
After the establishment card is opened, the company can sponsor owners, technicians and factory staff within its allocation.
Direct supply across the country
A mainland factory supplies shops, distributors and government buyers in every emirate without an intermediary.
What to have ready for an industrial licence
- Passport copies of the owners and the manager, with visa and Emirates ID copies for UAE residents
- A description of the product, the raw materials and the production process
- A list of the main machinery and the power it needs
- The planned site, or the tenancy contract for the factory or warehouse registered in Ejari
- A layout plan of the premises
- Two or three trade name options
- Expected production capacity and number of workers
- Parent company documents, if a company will be the shareholder
Food, chemical, medical and similar products bring extra papers from their own regulators. Your consultant lists them for you.
How an industrial licence is issued
Product and process review
Your consultant goes through what you will make and how, selects the industrial activity and lists the approvals it triggers.
Trade name and initial approval
The name is reserved and DET issues initial approval for the company.
Site secured
You rent premises that suit the process and are accepted for production, and the tenancy is registered in Ejari.
Company documents
The Memorandum of Association is prepared and signed where the legal form requires one.
Approvals for premises and product
The file goes to the authorities concerned with the site and the product, and any conditions they set are met.
Licence issued
With the approvals attached and the fees paid, DET issues the industrial licence.
Federal licence and start-up
Caliph follows up the federal industrial licence where it applies, then the establishment card and staff visas.
Good to know
- Do not sign a long lease before the activity is checked against the site. A unit that suits storage may not be accepted for production.
- Changing the product or adding a production line later is a licence amendment and can reopen the approvals.
- Industrial free zones are an alternative when most of the output is exported. Manufacturing there is licensed under the rules of the zone.
Questions people ask
Who needs an industrial licence?
Any business that manufactures, processes, assembles or packages goods needs one. This covers factories, food production units, workshops that fabricate products and packaging plants. Businesses that only buy and resell finished goods use a commercial licence.
Which authorities are involved in an industrial licence in Dubai?
The Department of Economy and Tourism issues the licence. The federal government lists the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology for the national industrial licence, and the premises must meet municipal planning rules. Products such as food fall under Dubai Municipality's standards. Other regulators join in depending on the product.
Can I get an industrial licence without a factory?
No. The licence is tied to premises where production takes place, and the authority looks at the site as part of the application. You need a workshop, factory or warehouse that is accepted for the process, with a registered tenancy, before the licence is issued.
Can foreigners own a factory in Dubai?
Yes. Most industrial activities on the mainland allow up to 100% foreign ownership under the amended Commercial Companies Law. A few activities with strategic impact carry their own conditions. Your consultant checks your activity against the current list.
Can I sell the goods I make with an industrial licence?
Yes. An industrial licence covers selling your own production, inside the UAE and for export. If you also want to trade goods made by others, a trading activity usually has to be added, and your consultant checks whether it can sit on the same licence.
Is a free zone better for manufacturing?
It depends on your market. A mainland factory sells directly across the UAE. A free zone unit suits export-led production and works under the zone's own licence and customs rules. Caliph compares both against your supply chain and your customers before you choose.
Reviewed by Caliph Business Solutions on . Rules differ by activity and by authority. Your Caliph consultant confirms what applies to you.
Ready to establish your company in the UAE?
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