Sole Establishment
- One individual owner, no partners
- No minimum share capital required
- Cheapest and fastest to set up
- Owner carries unlimited liability
Consultancy License in Dubai, UAE
A consultancy license is a professional permit that allows individuals or companies to legally provide advisory services in Dubai. These services may include management, HR, IT, finance, marketing, and other professional domains.
Excellent
Legal advisory operations
Mainland or free zone option
Wide range of services
100% foreign ownership (FZ)
Flexible setup structures
Suitable for solo experts
Excellent
Professional Licensing
What Is a Consultancy License in Dubai?
A consultancy license is a professional license for advisory work. It lets you bill knowledge and expertise as a service, and it sits under ISIC Division 70, Management Consultancy Activities, on code 7020.
It is not a trading license. You can advise a client on procurement, but you cannot buy and resell goods on this license. That single line decides which code you register and which approvals apply.
The Real Decision
Mainland or Free Zone for Consulting?
Every consultant faces the same first decision, and it is not about cost. It is about who your clients are. A mainland license lets you contract directly with UAE government entities and bill mainland clients without an agent. A free zone license is cheaper and faster, but limits direct mainland work.
Pick the mainland if you want government contracts, a Dubai commercial address, and visa numbers that scale without a cap. Pick a free zone if your clients are regional, international, or private sector, and you want a lean, low-cost base. The right answer follows your client list, not the sticker price.
Side by side
How the Two Routes Compare
| Factor | Mainland (DET) | Free Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Govt contracts | Direct | Restricted |
| Mainland clients | Bill directly | Needs a permit |
| Setup cost | Higher | Lower |
| Visa quota | No cap | Capped by package |
| Office | Ejari required | Flexi-desk allowed |
| Corporate tax | 9% over 375k | 0% if qualifying |
Legal Structure
Which Company Structure Fits You?
Civil Company
- For partners in the same profession
- Common for lawyers and accountants
- 100% foreign ownership available
- Shared professional responsibility
LLC
- For multi-shareholder consulting firms
- Liability limited to invested capital
- Needs an MoA with stated capital
- Best for scaling and hiring teams
Eligibility
Who Can Hold a Consultancy License in Dubai
Dubai keeps the entry bar reasonable but expects proof of expertise. There is no nationality limit and full foreign ownership is available. What most consultancy codes ask for is evidence that you are qualified in the field you advise on.
This is where applications stall. Many consultancy activities require an attested university degree before the license issues, and a foreign degree must clear both home-country and UAE attestation.
- You are 21 years of age or older
- You hold a passport and, if resident, a valid Emirates ID
- You have a degree or proven experience in your consultancy field
- Your chosen activity code matches the exact service you offer
- Regulated fields may need a professional body membership
- Your degree is attested where the activity code requires it
Note: Degree attestation is a top cause of delay. A foreign degree needs home-country attestation plus UAE MoFA attestation, which adds 5 to 15 business days. RIZ & MONA flags this before you apply.
Costs
Consultancy License Cost in Dubai (2026)
A professional license government fee runs roughly AED 10,000 to 15,000. The real year-one total is higher once office, approvals, and a visa are added, and it differs by route.
Solo Mainland, Year One
AED 50,000 to 55,000
A realistic solo mainland total covering the license, flexi-desk with Ejari, initial approvals, one investor visa, and PRO work.
DET professional licenseAED 10,000 to 15,000
Free zone package, fromAbout AED 12,000
Extra activity approval, eachAED 2,000 to 5,000
Visa amendment to add quotaAED 2,000 to 3,000
Year One and Renewal by Route
All figures are indicative and current to early 2026. Government fees are set by the DET and free zone authorities and change at their discretion, while office and visa costs vary by size and route. RIZ & MONA Consultancy provides a personalized quote before you commit to a jurisdiction.
Visa Quota
How Many Visas Your License Allows
Visa capacity is one of the clearest reasons to pick one route over the other. The mainland scales with office size, while free zones cap by package.
Mainland: 1 visa per 2 sqm
Your office size sets your quota. A 20 sqm flexi-desk can unlock around 10 visas for a consultancy.
Mainland: no upper cap
Quota scales without a ceiling. Add office space, amend the license, and your visa count grows.
Free zone: capped by package
Most free zone packages cap visas, commonly around 10 to 15, set by the tier you buy.
Scaling the quota
On the mainland, adding visa capacity means amending the license, usually AED 2,000 to 3,000.
Improved 2025 ratio
The mainland ratio moved to 1 visa per 2 sqm, up from 1 per 3, so smaller offices unlock more.
Family sponsorship
Once your own visa is active and income rules are met, you can sponsor family members.
The Process
How to Get a Consultancy License in Dubai
Every stage from activity choice to a live professional license in the order the authorities set.
Step 1
Confirm activity and code
Match your service to the correct 7020 code and reserve your trade name.
Step 2
Choose route and structure
Decide mainland or free zone, then pick sole establishment, civil, or LLC.
Step 3
Attest your degree
Complete degree attestation early where your activity code requires it.
Step 4
Get initial approval
Secure initial approval from the DET or free zone authority.
Step 5
Sign office and MoA
Register Ejari or a flexi-desk and sign the MoA if your structure needs one.
Step 6
Pay and receive license
Settle fees, get the license, then process your establishment card and visa.
Typical End to End
1–3
Weeks
Assumes documents are complete and approvals are straightforward. Attesting a foreign degree can add 5 to 15 business days on top.
Tip: Start degree attestation before anything else. It runs in the background while your trade name and approvals are processed, so it never becomes the step that holds up your license.
Timeline
A clean professional license can issue in 3 to 5 working days once approvals are in. The realistic end-to-end range is 1 to 3 weeks, with degree attestation the main variable.
- Trade name and initial approval take a few days
- Degree attestation is the biggest variable
- MoA signing applies to civil companies and LLCs
- Ejari or flexi-desk registration is quick
- The license issues in 3 to 5 days once approved
Banking
Banking for a Dubai Consultancy
A consultancy needs a corporate account to invoice clients and receive fees. Banks review the activity, the office, and the transaction pattern. RIZ & MONA Consultancy prepares your file so the account clears the first time.
Banks and timelines
Banks used by Dubai consultancies
Emirates NBDTraditional
Mashreq NeoBizDigital
RAKBANKTraditional
Wio BusinessDigital
How long it takes
Digital bank2 to 4 working days
Traditional bank1 to 3 weeks
- A virtual office can block a corporate account, as some banks still want a physical Ejari.
- Your activity code should match your invoicing pattern, or the bank may query it.
- Bank terms and minimum balances differ by bank and can change without notice.
- Banking timelines are indicative only. RIZ & MONA Consultancy cannot guarantee any bank's decision, as approval rests with the bank.
Start Today
Ready to Set Up Your Consultancy in Dubai?
Tell us your field, your clients, and your visa plan. We will confirm the code, recommend the route, and send a clear, personalized quote before you commit.
Right code, first time•Route matched to clients•Attestation handled early•Quote before you commit
All costs are indicative. RIZ & MONA Consultancy provides a personalized quote based on your route and structure.