Choose the correct 业务活动 for a 迪拜 商业执照

A 业务活动 is the officially recognised description of the commercial, professional, industrial or other economic work a licensed entity may conduct.

Each activity can carry specific conditions relating to:

迪拜's official activity-search platform allows applicants to search by activity name or activity number across categories including trading, services, 承包, 制造业, hospitality and other sectors. Invest 在迪拜 business-activity search

The activity should be confirmed through the relevant licensing authority before incorporation or amendment.

The 商业执照 is not a general permission to conduct any profitable work. The company is expected to operate within its approved scope.

An incorrect activity can cause:

The best time to identify the correct activities is before paying for the company, premises or external approvals.

Before searching activity names, identify exactly how the company will make money.

Answer the following questions:

What will the company sell?

Will it sell products, services or both?

Will it charge professional fees?

Will it earn commission?

Will it receive subscription income?

Will it manufacture products?

Will it import or export goods?

Will it hold inventory?

Will it operate an online marketplace?

Will it act as an agent or intermediary?

Will it undertake construction work?

Will it provide installation or maintenance?

Will it manage customer funds or assets?

Will it provide regulated advice?

Will it operate a physical facility?

Who will be named in customer contracts?

What wording will appear on invoices?

Every material revenue stream should be matched with an authorised activity.

Prepare a short operating description before approaching the licensing authority.

A useful description should explain:

The company will purchase branded household products from overseas suppliers, import them into 迪拜, store them with a third-party logistics provider and sell them through online marketplaces and its own website.

This description indicates that product trading, importation, 电子商务, customs and product 合规 may all need attention.

迪拜 offers different 执照 categories according to the nature of the activities. The exact classification should be verified through the competent authority.

Commercial activities generally involve buying, selling, importing, exporting or distributing goods.

Examples may include:

Professional activities generally involve services based on knowledge, skill, experience or expertise.

Examples may include:

Some professional activities require qualifications, experience, professional membership or external approval.

Industrial activities involve 制造业, processing, assembly or production.

They may require:

A simple trading 执照 does not authorise 制造业 merely because the finished products will be sold by the company.

承包 activities may cover defined construction, installation, maintenance or specialist works.

They can require:

A maintenance activity is not always equivalent to a construction or 承包 activity.

电子商务 refers to conducting transactions through online channels, but the company may still need the underlying activity covering what is sold.

Depending on the model, the business may require:

The website or platform should identify the licensed entity and provide required consumer information. 阿联酋 Government guidance states that 电子商务 businesses must provide consumers and 主管部门 with information about the licensing entity and relevant terms. 阿联酋 consumer-protection guidance

A company's commercial branding may use broad language, but its 执照 requires recognised activities.

For example, "property services" could mean:

A specific trading activity authorises the company to trade within a defined product category.

General Trading may allow a broader range of goods, subject to exclusions and regulated-product requirements.

Before choosing General Trading, review:

General Trading should not be selected merely because the entrepreneur has not yet decided what to sell. Banks and regulators still expect a clear business model.

A consultancy provides analysis, advice or recommendations. An operational service performs the underlying work.

Examples include:

If the company will both advise and implement, it may require more than one activity.

A company earning commission for bringing parties together may require a brokerage, agency or intermediary activity rather than ordinary consultancy.

Who signs the final customer contract?

Does the company represent another party?

Does it negotiate transactions?

Does it receive customer money?

Is commission linked to a regulated transaction?

Does it advertise another party's products?

Does it have authority to bind a supplier?

Brokerage in 房地产, 保险, finance, commodities and other regulated sectors may require specialist approval.

An online platform that connects buyers and sellers may not be adequately covered by a basic 电子商务 or software activity.

Determine whether the company:

The platform model can trigger consumer-protection, payment, data, tax and sector-specific requirements.

An importer should identify:

The 执照 may need to cover specific product categories rather than only "import and export."

Additional registrations may include:

A service provider should identify:

The chosen activity should cover both the contractual wording and actual delivery.

The same business idea may be described or regulated differently by different licensing 主管部门.

A 自由区 activity may suit:

Before selecting a 自由区 activity, confirm that it supports the intended Mainland transactions and customer relationships.

Multiple activities may sometimes be included under one 执照 when they are compatible and accepted by the authority.

The authority may consider:

Activities that appear commercially related may still belong to different regulatory categories.

Software development and regulated payment services are not equivalent.

Technical maintenance and building 承包 may be separately classified.

Property management and real-estate brokerage can require different approvals.

Separate structures may be appropriate where:

Creating multiple entities increases cost and administration, so separation should have a clear legal or commercial purpose.

Certain activities cannot proceed solely through the economic licensing authority.

External approval may be required for:

The regulator may assess:

Approval should be investigated before committing to rent, fit-out, staff or equipment.

Foreign ownership is widely available, but activities with strategic impact are subject to specific rules.

The Ministry of Economy and 旅游 identifies strategic-impact areas including security and defence, banking, exchange, finance, 保险, currency printing, 电信, Hajj and Umrah services, Quran memorisation centres and certain fisheries services. Ministry of Economy and 旅游 strategic-impact activities

A foreign investor seeking such an activity may require review by the relevant sector authority, which can impose ownership, capital, governance and other conditions.

Activity selection can affect whether:

The Ministry confirms that foreign investors may have full ownership across economic activities subject to the activities identified by competent local 主管部门 and strategic-impact exceptions. 阿联酋 foreign-ownership guidance

A 代表处, for example, may be limited to promotional or liaison functions and may not perform the same revenue-generating activities as an operational subsidiary.

A proposed name should:

Words suggesting banking, 保险, investment, legal practice, 医疗保健 or government affiliation may require special consideration.

Regulated and operational activities may require:

Do not sign a lease before confirming that the property is suitable for the activity.

Certain activities require:

The activity can also influence the job titles and work permits available to the company.

Banks examine whether the expected transactions match the licensed activities.

An inconsistency can arise where:

Correct activity selection improves consistency but does not guarantee bank approval.

The 业务活动 can affect:

A 自由区 company does not automatically receive a 0% 企业所得税 rate on all income. The actual activity and income must be assessed against the qualifying conditions.

Activity selection can influence whether supplies are:

A 执照 description does not by itself determine 增值税 treatment. The actual supply, customer, location and contractual arrangement must be reviewed.

Examples requiring particular attention include:

Certain activities are subject to enhanced anti-money-laundering requirements.

These may include relevant:

Obligations may involve:

The 合规 cost should be understood before selecting the activity.

Certain activities may require or benefit from:

An insurer may reject a claim if the company performs work outside its licensed and declared scope.

Use the following 流程:

Depending on the activity:

An existing company may apply to add or amend activities, subject to authority approval.

The amendment may require:

The company should not begin the new activity until the amendment and required approvals are completed.

A company may generally apply to remove an activity, subject to the authority's procedure.

Before removal, consider:

Removing an activity does not automatically cancel obligations created while it was conducted.

At renewal, the business may need to maintain:

A cheaper activity that does not support the business creates greater future costs.

Adding activities later may require amendments, premises changes and new approvals.

The competitor may have different permissions, ownership, facilities and approvals.

KPM Global Services helps entrepreneurs and existing companies select business activities that match their actual operations.

Our assistance may include:

KPM Global Services does not issue government or regulatory approvals. Final activity classification and approval remain with the relevant licensing and regulatory 主管部门.

It is the officially recognised economic activity describing what a licensed business is authorised to perform.

迪拜's official Invest 在迪拜 portal provides an activity search by name, category and activity number.

3. Can I choose an activity that is similar to my business?

Similarity is not enough. The official activity must cover the actual services, products and revenue streams.

Compatible activities may sometimes be combined, subject to licensing-authority and regulator approval.

Potentially, but this depends on the activities, 执照 category, legal structure and authority requirements.

Trading involves buying or selling goods. Consultancy generally involves providing professional advice or analysis.

Not necessarily by itself. The company may also require the appropriate underlying product-trading activity, customs registration and product approvals.

No. Regulated, restricted or specially controlled products can require additional activities, approvals and registrations.

Software development does not automatically authorise regulated payment or 金融服务.

The exact scope must be reviewed. Consultancy, advertising execution, media production and social-media management may have different classifications.

Not automatically. Installation, maintenance and construction 承包 may be separately classified.

医疗保健, 教育, finance, 房地产, 旅游, food, 运输, virtual assets and other regulated sectors commonly require additional approval.

Yes. Most activities may permit full foreign ownership, but strategic-impact and regulated activities can carry special conditions.

Yes. Consultancies may qualify for flexible space, while retail, industrial, food, 医疗保健 and 承包 activities may require approved premises.

It can affect establishment classification, professional job titles, employee qualifications and visa capacity.

Banks compare licensed activities with expected customers, suppliers, countries, turnover and transactions. Consistency is important.

The 执照 activity alone does not determine the tax rate, but the actual activities and income affect 企业所得税 analysis.

增值税 treatment depends on the actual supply, customer and transaction—not only the 执照 wording.

Yes, subject to authority approval, compatibility and 完成 of any external approval or premises requirement.

The company should not conduct or advertise an unauthorised activity before the amendment and required approvals are complete.

It may. The amendment can involve activity, approval, memorandum, premises and administrative charges.

Generally, yes, subject to the applicable amendment procedure and existing regulatory or contractual obligations.

Include foreseeable activities only where they are genuinely expected and compatible. Unnecessary activities can increase cost and 合规.

No. KPM Global can research and coordinate the application, but the licensing authority and external regulators make final decisions.

Provide a detailed description of products, services, customers, revenue streams, delivery methods, premises, employees, imports and regulated features.