BAE dual licensing

Dual licensing is an arrangement through which a company registered in a BAE serbest bölge receives additional authorisation to conduct specified activities outside that serbest bölge.

The company retains its original serbest bölge kayıt while obtaining a anakara lisans, branch lisans or activity-specific permit from the relevant anakara authority. The legal structure and permitted scope depend on the programme being used.

Dual licensing does not necessarily mean that two separate companies are created. In many cases, the anakara authorisation is connected to the existing serbest bölge legal entity. A licensed branch generally does not have a legal personality independent of its parent serbest bölge company.

The term "dual lisans" is often used broadly in the market, but several legally different arrangements olabilir be involved:

It is bu nedenle important to identify the exact authorisation being offered instead of relying only on the label "dual lisans."

Yes, an eligible serbest bölge company olabilir legally operate in the anakara when it obtains the lisans, permit or other approval required by the competent anakara authority.

A standard serbest bölge lisans primarily authorises the company to operate within the scope of the issuing serbest bölge. It gerekir not be assumed that the lisans alone permits the company to establish anakara premises, perform regulated work at anakara locations, open a retail outlet or undertake every form of direct local trading.

The appropriate route olabilir include:

The right solution depends heavily on the business model. A danışmanlık performing short-term projects olabilir need a different structure from a retailer, construction contractor, medical provider or goods importer.

No. The BAE does not have one universal anakara permit that automatically authorises a serbest bölge company to operate in every emirate.

Economic licensing is administered through the competent yetkililer of the respective emirates, alongside the relevant serbest bölge otoritesi and any federal or local sector regulator.

A permit issued by Dubai's Ekonomi ve Turizm Departmanı concerns activities conducted outside Dubai free zones but within the Emirate of Dubai. If the company intends to establish permanent operations in Abu Dhabi, Sharjah or another emirate, it olabilir need authorisation from the competent authority in that jurisdiction.

This distinction is especially important for companies with clients BAE genelinde. Serving a customer in another emirate does not always mean that the company has established a regulated operational presence there. Ancak, opening premises, assigning staff permanently, operating a shop or facility, or performing an activity requiring local supervision yapabilir trigger additional licensing requirements.

Dubai Executive Council Resolution No. 11 of 2025 created a formal framework for establishments registered Dubai'de free zones that want to perform activities outside their free zones and within Dubai.

The Resolution does not apply to financial establishments licensed to operate in the Dubai International Financial Centre. DIFC entities and regulated financial businesses are governed by separate rules and gerekir obtain specialised advice before undertaking activities outside their licensed jurisdiction.

Under the Resolution, the Dubai Ekonomi ve Turizm Departmanı olabilir authorise an eligible serbest bölge establishment through one of three routes:

Each route has a different purpose, validity period, cost and operational effect.

A serbest bölge company olabilir apply to establish a branch with a physical location in anakara Dubai.

The branch is legally connected to the serbest bölge parent company. Under the Dubai Resolution, it does not have a separate legal personality and is not considered independent from its parent.

Uygunluk generally requires:

Premises-ilgili costs, tenancy kayıt, external approvals and ordinary licensing charges olabilir apply bağlı olarak the activity and location.

Dubai's framework ayrıca permits DET to issue a branch lisans that allows the serbest bölge establishment to conduct approved anakara activities while operating from its existing serbest bölge location.

This olabilir be attractive to businesses that require ongoing anakara access but do not need a second physical office.

The official Resolution prescribes an annual fee of AED 10,000 for issuing or renewing this type of branch lisans. This amount gerekir not be treated as the entire cost of the arrangement. The company olabilir ayrıca incur serbest bölge approval fees, documentation costs, activity charges, external-approval costs and professional fees.

The application olabilir require:

The licensed activities gerekir remain within the scope approved by the yetkililer. The branch cannot use its anakara authorisation to undertake unrelated activities.

An eligible Dubai serbest bölge company olabilir apply for a temporary permit to undertake specified activities within anakara Dubai.

Under Executive Council Resolution No. 11 of 2025, the temporary permit olabilir be valid for a period not exceeding six months. The official fee for issuing or renewing the permit is AED 5,000.

Dubai subsequently launched the Serbest Bölge Anakara Operating Permit framework in cooperation with the Dubai Serbest Bölge Council. Eligible companies holding a Dubai Unified Lisans yapabilir apply through the Invest Dubai'de platform.

The actual activity list and applicant uygunluk gerekir be checked at the time of application. The inclusion of a general activity category does not guarantee that every activity within that category olacaktır qualify.

Businesses requiring permanent premises or continuous anakara operations olabilir find a branch lisans more appropriate.

Abu Dhabi ayrıca offers an official Dual Lisans through the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development.

ADDED describes this lisans as allowing establishments registered in Abu Dhabi free zones to conduct their activities and manage their businesses outside the serbest bölge.

The programme yapabilir help qualifying companies access the Abu Dhabi anakara while retaining their serbest bölge presence. Ancak, the exact permitted activities, required approvals, premises position and supporting documents gerekir be confirmed through ADDED and the applicable serbest bölge.

The availability of a Dual Lisans in Abu Dhabi does not mean that a Dubai, Sharjah or other non-Abu Dhabi serbest bölge company automatically qualifies for the same route. Uygunluk is connected to the issuing authority's rules.

Which Serbest Bölge Companies Olabilir Qualify?

A company gerekir obtain confirmation from both the serbest bölge otoritesi and the anakara licensing authority before making contractual or operational commitments.

Are All Business Activities Eligible?

No. Dual licensing does not automatically cover every business activity.

The competent anakara authority determines which activities olabilir be performed under a temporary permit, branch lisans or other form of authorisation. Some activities are non-regulated and relatively straightforward, while others require approvals from specialist regulators.

Activities that olabilir require additional review include:

The business activity on the anakara authorisation gerekir align with the company's serbest bölge lisans and constitutional documents. If the proposed anakara activity is materially different, the company olabilir first need to amend its serbest bölge lisans.

Potentially, yes. Dubai's Serbest Bölge Anakara Operating Permit was introduced with domestic trading among its intended commercial uses. Nevertheless, trading goods raises additional issues beyond the business permit itself.

A company olabilir need to consider:

A anakara operating permit gerekir not be treated as a substitute for customs clearance or product approval.

Dubai Customs states that a lisans holder involved in customs activities gerekir obtain a Customs Business Code and submit the appropriate declaration for the relevant movement of goods.

It yapabilir, but only when the relevant retail activity and premises are specifically authorised.

Operating a physical shop, showroom, food outlet, clinic or customer-service centre yapabilir require more than general permission to work with anakara clients. Premises olabilir need to satisfy:

Where a permanent retail location gereklidir, a anakara branch with approved premises olabilir be more suitable than a temporary activity permit.

Dubai's Serbest Bölge Anakara Operating Permit was introduced partly to expand access to government tenders and domestic contracts. An eligible permit olabilir bu nedenle help a serbest bölge company participate in procurement opportunities that require anakara operating authority.

Ancak, the permit does not guarantee tender uygunluk or contract award. Each purchasing body olabilir impose separate requirements relating to:

The company gerekir review the tender documents before choosing a licensing route.

Dubai Executive Council Resolution No. 11 of 2025, an establishment authorised under the framework olabilir engage its existing workforce registered through the serbest bölge portal and devam edin benefiting from the applicable serbest bölge employment privileges.

This is a useful feature of the Dubai framework because it olabilir avoid the need to create an entirely separate workforce merely to undertake approved anakara activities.

It does not remove the company's other responsibilities. The işveren gerekir devam edin to comply with applicable employment, immigration, health and safety, insurance, site-access and professional-qualification requirements.

Certain projects or regulated premises olabilir require additional çalışan permits, professional cards or site approvals.

"Operating on the anakara" is too broad for licensing purposes. The application gerekir clarify whether the company olacaktır provide danışmanlık, trade goods, open premises, perform project work, participate in tenders or establish a permanent branch.

Determine where the activities olacaktır physically and commercially take place.

A Dubai permit concerns activities within Dubai. Operations in another emirate olabilir require authorisation from that emirate's competent authority.

Check whether the proposed anakara activity is already included in the serbest bölge lisans and constitutional documents.

If the activities do not align, an amendment olabilir be necessary before applying for anakara authorisation.

Confirm whether the activity qualifies for:

Do not assume that a general category örneğin "danışmanlık" or "trading" includes every activity within that category.

Apply for the required approval or no-objection certificate from the serbest bölge licensing authority.

The serbest bölge olabilir review the company's lisans status, uyumluluk record, facilities, proposed activity and constitutional documents.

If the activity is regulated, obtain the necessary approvals from the competent regulator.

The anakara authority olabilir not issue the final lisans or permit until these approvals are available.

Choose between a temporary permit and a branch lisans dayanarak the operational model.

A temporary permit olabilir suit limited or trial operations. A branch lisans olabilir be better for permanent activity, ongoing contracts or premises-based operations.

Compile the company, manager, hissedar and approval documents. Ensure names, lisans numbers, activities and ownership information are consistent across all records.

Eligible Dubai applicants olabilir use the Invest Dubai'de platform. Other applications olabilir be submitted through the competent economic department or its service channels.

Pay the authority fees and any additional charges imposed by the serbest bölge, regulator or service provider.

Check the issued document carefully, dahil:

Create separate records for anakara activities where required. Update invoicing, contracts, tax coding and internal approval processes before beginning operations.

How Much Does a Anakara Permit Cost?

AED 10,000 yıllık for issuing or renewing a branch lisans operating from the serbest bölge

These figures relate to the specified DET authorisations. They olabilir not represent the complete cost of becoming operational.

Additional expenses yapabilir include:

The fee for a conventional branch with physical anakara premises bağlıdır the applicable licensing and premises requirements.

CTA: Request a tailored cost assessment dayanarak your serbest bölge, activities and intended anakara operations.

How Long Does the Application Take?

The timeline bağlıdır:

A straightforward application for an eligible non-regulated activity olabilir be processed more efficiently than a branch requiring premises, regulatory approval or technical inspection. Companies gerekir avoid committing to a project start date until the relevant authorisation has been issued.

Dual licensing yapabilir affect the Kurumsal Vergi treatment of a serbest bölge company.

A serbest bölge entity is not automatically muaf from Kurumsal Vergi. A company seeking the zero-percent rate available to a Nitelikli Serbest Bölge Kişisi gerekir satisfy all applicable conditions, dahil requirements relating to qualifying income, adequate substance, transfer pricing, audited finansal tablolar and the de minimis limit for non-qualifying revenue.

Income attributable to a anakara or domestic permanent establishment olabilir not receive the same treatment as qualifying serbest bölge income. The structure of the anakara operation, personnel, premises, contracts and revenue-generating functions gerekir bu nedenle be reviewed before the company applies for a permit or branch lisans.

Dubai's 2025 Resolution expressly requires separate financial records for activities conducted outside the serbest bölge and within Dubai. This distinction supports regulatory and tax transparency, but muhasebe separation alone does not determine whether income qualifies for a particular Kurumsal Vergi rate.

The company gerekir assess:

A licensing decision gerekir not be made without considering its tax consequences.

Serbest bölge companies are bağlıdır the BAE KDV legislation. Merely operating in a serbest bölge does not create a general KDV exemption.

A business gerekir generally register for KDV when its vergiye tabi teslimatlar and imports exceed the zorunlu eşik of AED 375,000. Gönüllü kayıt olabilir be available when vergiye tabi teslimatlar, imports or qualifying expenses exceed AED 187,500.

KDV treatment bağlıdır:

The movement of goods from a KDV Designated Zone into anakara BAE is generally treated as an import. Import KDV olabilir bu nedenle become payable by the importer, followed by the KDV treatment applicable to any subsequent anakara sale.

A Dubai serbest bölge establishment authorised to operate in anakara Dubai gerekir maintain separate financial records for the activities it conducts outside the serbest bölge.

The company gerekir establish muhasebe controls that identify:

Contracts and invoices gerekir identify the correct entity and authorisation. Using inconsistent trade names, lisans details or tax-kayıt information yapabilir create problems during audits, customer onboarding and payment processing.

A anakara permit or branch lisans olabilir strengthen the commercial documentation available to a serbest bölge company, but it does not guarantee bank-account approval.

The bank olabilir request:

If a separate branch account or merchant facility gereklidir, the bank olacaktır determine whether it yapabilir be opened under the existing legal entity and customer profile.

Does the Anakara Branch Have Separate Legal Personality?

Dubai's 2025 Resolution, a branch licensed within anakara Dubai or a branch operating from the serbest bölge does not have a separate legal personality and is not considered independent of its parent company.

The serbest bölge company remains responsible for the branch's contracts, liabilities and regulatory obligations. This differs from forming a separate anakara subsidiary, which has its own legal personality.

The absence of separate legal personality yapabilir simplify ownership but ayrıca means that liabilities arising from branch operations olabilir affect the parent company directly.

A separate anakara company olabilir be preferable when:

The least expensive structure at the beginning is not always the most efficient long-term structure.

A goods-trading serbest bölge company olabilir sometimes access the yerel pazar through a licensed anakara distributor rather than obtaining its own anakara authorisation.

A distributor arrangement olabilir be suitable where:

Direct anakara authorisation olabilir provide greater control over customers, pricing and operations. Ancak, it ayrıca creates additional licensing, customs, tax and uyumluluk responsibilities.

The commercial agreement gerekir clearly define responsibility for importation, customs duties, KDV, product kayıt, returns, warranties and consumer complaints.

A dual-licensed company gerekir maintain both sides of its regulatory structure.

Typical continuing obligations include:

A temporary permit gerekir not be allowed to expire while the company continues anakara operations. Operating outside the authorised period or activity scope olabilir expose the business to cezalar and contractual risk.

A serbest bölge lisans alone does not automatically authorise every anakara activity. The company gerekir confirm the legal route before beginning local operations.

A temporary permit olabilir be insufficient for a permanent shop or facility. Conversely, a full anakara branch olabilir be unnecessarily costly for a limited project.

The activity on the anakara application gerekir correspond with the company's existing serbest bölge activities and the authority's eligible list.

A general permit does not replace approvals required for sağlık, engineering, education, food, financial services or another regulated field.

Dubai's framework requires separate records for anakara activities. Inadequate muhasebe yapabilir create licensing and Kurumsal Vergi complications.

An authorisation to operate within Dubai does not automatically grant operating rights in every other emirate.

A business permit does not replace customs declarations, product kayıt, conformity assessment or import approval.

Temporary permits and branch licences have defined validity periods. Yenileme planning gerekir begin before expiry.

A Dubai serbest bölge technology danışmanlık wants its çalışanlar to work periodically at customer offices. If its activity is eligible, a temporary anakara operating permit olabilir provide an efficient route without requiring a second permanent office.

If the company expects continuous anakara work and recurring tenders, a branch lisans operating from the serbest bölge olabilir offer greater continuity than repeated temporary permits.

A serbest bölge company planning a permanent retail outlet is likely to require a branch or another anakara structure with approved premises. A temporary professional-services permit olabilir not meet the operational requirements.

The company gerekir assess its anakara trading authority, customs kayıt, importer-of-record arrangement, product approvals, KDV treatment and lojistik. A permit alone does not complete the import and distribution framework.

A Dubai serbest bölge company that wants permanent operations in Abu Dhabi gerekir check the licensing requirements of Abu Dhabi's competent authority. Its Dubai permit cannot simply be extended BAE genelinde.

Before applying, confirm that:

KPM Global Services yapabilir help an existing or proposed serbest bölge company evaluate the most appropriate route into the anakara market.

Every application remains bağlıdır the decisions of the relevant serbest bölge, economic department and sector regulator. KPM Global Services does not guarantee government, banking or regulatory approval.

No. Uygunluk bağlıdır the emirate, serbest bölge, legal form, business activity and applicable anakara-licensing programme. Approval from the serbest bölge otoritesi and the anakara authority olabilir be required.

Yes, an eligible company olabilir apply for a anakara branch lisans or temporary permit Dubai's applicable framework. It cannot assume that its original serbest bölge lisans alone is sufficient.

3. What is Dubai's Serbest Bölge Anakara Operating Permit?

It is a anakara-access framework that allows eligible Dubai serbest bölge companies holding a Dubai Unified Lisans to apply to perform approved activities in anakara Dubai.

Executive Council Resolution No. 11 of 2025 allows DET to issue a temporary permit valid for no more than six months. It olabilir be renewable bağlıdır the prevailing conditions.

The Resolution prescribes AED 5,000 for issuing or renewing the temporary permit. Serbest bölge approvals, activity amendments, regulatory approvals and professional services olabilir cost extra.

The prescribed DET fee is AED 10,000 yıllık for issuing or renewing this branch lisans. Additional government, serbest bölge and uyumluluk costs olabilir apply.

Not always. A branch operating from the serbest bölge olabilir use the existing serbest bölge location where permitted. A conventional anakara branch or premises-based activity olabilir require a anakara office, shop or facility.

The Dubai Resolution requires approval from the relevant serbest bölge licensing authority. The authority olabilir issue an NOC or another form of approval göre its procedures.

Dubai's 2025 Resolution permits an authorised establishment to engage its existing workforce registered through the serbest bölge portal. Other employment, professional and site-specific rules still apply.

Potentially, if the trading activity is eligible and included in the permit or lisans. The company olabilir additionally need customs kayıt, product approvals, import documentation and KDV uyumluluk.

No. A Dubai authorisation applies within Dubai. Activities conducted in another emirate olabilir require approval from that emirate's competent authority.

Yes. ADDED officially offers a Dual Lisans for eligible establishments registered in Abu Dhabi free zones that want to conduct approved activities outside their free zones.

A suitable anakara authorisation olabilir allow participation in eligible tenders, but each government entity maintains its own supplier-kayıt and procurement requirements. Contract awards are not guaranteed.

It olabilir. Income attributable to anakara operations olabilir not qualify for the zero-percent treatment available to a Nitelikli Serbest Bölge Kişisi. The effect bağlıdır the structure, activity, income and uyumluluk with Kurumsal Vergi conditions.

Dubai's Resolution requires separate financial records for activities conducted outside the serbest bölge and within Dubai. The company gerekir be able to distinguish anakara revenue, costs, assets and tax treatment.

A Dubai branch licensed under the 2025 Resolution does not have a legal personality independent of its serbest bölge parent. A separately incorporated anakara subsidiary would be a distinct entity.

Regulated activities olabilir be excluded from a simplified permit or olabilir require approval from the relevant sector regulator. Uygunluk gerekir be checked for the exact activity.

Only if the chosen route, approved activity and premises satisfy all applicable licensing conditions. A permanent retail outlet olabilir require a anakara branch, approved tenancy and additional municipal or sector approvals.

It bağlıdır the business model. A permit offers more direct operational control, while a distributor olabilir handle importation, lojistik and local sales. Costs, responsibilities and customer ownership gerekir be compared carefully.

The anakara authorisation normally bağlıdır the underlying serbest bölge lisans remaining valid. Failure to renew the serbest bölge lisans yapabilir affect the company's continued uygunluk to conduct anakara activities.