can a Свободна зона company conduct business в Дубай mainland

Confirm the legal entity, issuing authority and exact activities.

Identify customers, locations, contracts, goods, employees and premises.

Identify every external approval required.

Confirm whether the activity and Свободна зона qualify for the operating-permit route.

Evaluate a permit, branch, distributor and separate mainland LLC.

Determine whether the operation creates non-qualifying income or a Domestic Permanent Establishment.

Confirm invoicing, importer responsibilities and product treatment.

Secure any no-objection certificate, resolution or supporting document required.

Submit the permit or branch application with the necessary supporting records.

Obtain an office, shop or warehouse suitable for the activity.

Confirm how existing staff can perform mainland duties.

Create ledgers, cost centres and records for mainland activity.

Update the company's operating profile where necessary.

Do not exceed the permit, branch or external approval.

Review the structure before each лиценз, permit and tax-reporting deadline.

The official operating permit was launched at AED 5,000 for six months, renewable for the same period and fee. This amount should be reconfirmed and should not be treated as the entire operational cost.

The лиценз is issued under a particular Свободна зона framework. Mainland operations may require DET approval.

Permits, branches and direct structures may now be available.

It applies only to eligible activities and approved operations.

Mainland operations can create taxable income at 9% and affect Qualifying Свободна зона Person analysis.

Separate financial records are required for authorised mainland operations.

Not every Свободна зона is a Designated Zone, and Designated Zone treatment is limited.

Yes, a Свободна зона company can conduct eligible business in the Дубай mainland—but it must use a legally permitted route.

A Свободна зона лиценз does not automatically authorise unrestricted operations everywhere в Дубай. Depending on the activity, the company may need a mainland operating permit, a branch лиценз from the Дубай Департамент за икономика и туризъм, a mainland distributor or importer, a dual-licensing arrangement, or an independently incorporated mainland company.

Дубай materially expanded the available options through Executive Council Resolution No. 11 of 2025. Under this framework, a company licensed by a Дубай Свободна зона authority may operate outside its Свободна зона and within the Emirate of Дубай after obtaining the required лиценз or permit from the Дубай Департамент за икономика и туризъм.

Дубай subsequently introduced the Свободна зона Mainland Operating Permit for eligible non-regulated activities. This creates a more direct path for certain Свободна зона companies to undertake approved mainland operations without immediately establishing a separate mainland company.

KPM Global Services LLC can review a Свободна зона company's лиценз, business model, customers and tax position before recommending the appropriate Дубай mainland operating route.

A Дубай Свободна зона company may conduct business in the Дубай mainland through one or more of the following routes:

Online or cross-border transactions that do not require an additional physical mainland presence, subject to the applicable rules

The company should not assume that issuing an invoice to a mainland customer is the only test.

Executive Council Resolution No. 11 of 2025 established a clearer legal framework for Свободна зона establishments seeking to conduct activities outside their zones and within Дубай.

The Resolution applies to Свободна зона establishments operating outside their designated zones, with an exception for financial institutions licensed in the Дубай International Financial Centre, which remain subject to their specialised framework.

Under the Resolution, a Дубай Свободна зона establishment may operate outside its Свободна зона after obtaining the necessary лиценз or permit from DET. Дубай Legislation Portal

Branch licences issued under the framework are generally valid for one year and may be renewed, subject to the applicable conditions.

The Resolution does not mean every Свободна зона company can automatically perform every activity in mainland Дубай. DET and the relevant Свободна зона authority determine activity eligibility, licensing conditions and coordination requirements.

Дубай introduced the Свободна зона Mainland Operating Permit as an implementation route supporting eligible Свободна зона businesses that want to operate in mainland Дубай.

According to the official Дубай announcement, the initial phase covers certain non-regulated activities, including areas such as:

Eligibility depends on the approved activity and participating licensing framework. A company should not rely only on a broad activity category. Its exact licensed activity must be checked.

Designed to allow eligible Свободна зона companies to conduct approved mainland operations

Capable of supporting use of the company's existing workforce for authorised mainland activities

The current fee and conditions should be reconfirmed before applying. Government of Дубай Media Office

Does Every Дубай Свободна зона Company Qualify?

A company established in another emirate's Свободна зона should not assume that Дубай's local permit framework applies to it in the same manner.