Licenses and permits to open an importer or e-commerce seller in Dubai
Selling imported goods online means customs registration and import paperwork before the first shipment lands. Here are the 3 filings, in the order they're made.
Dubai trade licence
Dubai Department of Economy and TourismDubai
Reserve the trade name, get initial approval, then issue the licence online through Invest in Dubai. Free zones license through their own authority instead.
- Fee
- Varies
- Filed
- Filed online
- Renews
- Every year.
Corporate tax and VAT registration
Federal Tax AuthorityUnited Arab Emirates, national
Every company registers for corporate tax on EmaraTax. VAT registration is required once taxable supplies pass AED 375,000 a year.
- Fee
- Free
- Filed
- Filed online
Customs client registration
Dubai CustomsDubai
Importers register with Dubai Customs to get a customs code before clearing goods.
- Fee
- Varies
- Filed
- Filed online
More on opening in Dubai
Questions people ask
Other businesses in Dubai
Agency requirements change. Check each agency's page before you file.
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Get the plan for your importer or e-commerce seller in Dubai
This guide covers the city. Your exact address decides the county, the health district and the zoning. Placetta maps every filing for it, fills the official forms from your details, adds the deadlines and puts them up for your approval.
- The full list for your address, in filing order
- The official forms, filled line by line
- Renewal and inspection reminders