UAE Ecommerce Licence: Types, Costs & How to Apply

Want to sell online to UAE shoppers from your own store? Then you need a trade licence with an ecommerce activity.

That's the whole rule. There's no single "ecommerce licence" in the UAE. Instead, a free zone or an emirate's economic department adds ecommerce to a normal trade licence.

The good news: it's cheap and fast. Free zone licences start at AED 6,000 with a visa included, and some arrive in under an hour.

Here are the licence types, who can hold each one, what they cost, which activities to list and how to apply.

Do you need a UAE ecommerce licence?

You need one if you sell from a UAE-facing store, hold stock in the UAE or import goods yourself. That covers Shopify sites, Instagram and TikTok shops, and a local seller account on Amazon.ae or noon.

You often don't need one if you sell into the UAE from abroad through a marketplace programme. Amazon Global Selling and noon Global Shipping handle import for you, using your home-country company.

Once licensed, UAE consumer law asks you to show your licence details on your store. Our UAE ecommerce law guide covers the rest of those duties.

What types of UAE ecommerce licence are there?

There are five main routes. Which one fits depends on your nationality, where you live and whether you sell goods or services.

Free zone ecommerce licence

This is the default for most online sellers. A free zone company is 100% foreign-owned, licensed by the zone. Delivering online orders to shoppers across the UAE is common, so ask the zone to confirm it in writing.

Zones like RAKEZ, Meydan, SPC and Shams sell ready-made ecommerce packages. Some include a residence visa, and most let you start with a flexi-desk, a shared desk that gives you a legal address.

Comparing zones? See the best UAE free zones for ecommerce, priced line by line.

Mainland ecommerce licence (DET and other emirates)

A mainland licence comes from an emirate's economic department, such as Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism (DET). It's a commercial licence with an ecommerce or "portal" activity.

Since 2021, it can be 100% foreign-owned for most activities. It lets you trade anywhere in the UAE, including shops, showrooms and direct B2B supply.

The catch is the office. Mainland licences usually need an Ejari-registered lease, which is why year one costs more.

Dubai eTrader licence

The eTrader is DET's home-based licence for selling through websites and social media. It's a sole establishment licence, applied for online through the Invest in Dubai portal.

You'll need to be 21 or older, with a Dubai residence visa and Emirates ID. UAE nationals face no activity limits, and GCC nationals living in Dubai can apply too.

Resident expats can get one only for service activities, such as consulting or digital work. Selling physical goods on an eTrader is for UAE and GCC nationals, so expats who sell products need a free zone or mainland licence.

Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and the other emirates

Each emirate has its own version. Some issue a dedicated individual ecommerce licence, while others add ecommerce to a regular trade licence.

• Abu Dhabi: Tajer Abu Dhabi. Register with just your Emirates ID and skip the office lease for your first three years. The basic AED 790 licence includes six activities. Each extra activity costs AED 100, and fees reach AED 5,500 depending on activities and legal form. It's open to UAE nationals, residents and GCC nationals.
• Sharjah. The Sharjah Economic Development Department issues mainland licences, including a youth licence for young Emiratis that covers ecommerce. On the free zone side, Shams and SPC sell ecommerce licences from AED 5,750.
• Ajman and Ras Al Khaimah. Their economic departments issue trade licences with ecommerce activities. RAK also offers a home-based "virtual trader" licence.

Freelance permits

A freelance permit lets an individual sell their own services, such as design, consulting or content work. It isn't built for trading physical goods.

So if you sell products, choose a trade licence. Creators often hold a freelance or media licence for paid content and a trade licence for their own product line.

Which activities should your licence list?

Your activity list is what marketplaces, banks and payment gateways actually check. A licence that says "consultancy" won't get a skincare store approved.

Aim for a short, honest list that covers how you sell and what you sell:

Zones bundle activities differently. RAKEZ includes two extra activities free, and Meydan lets you combine up to three activity groups on one licence.

Regulated goods need more than the right activity. Cosmetics, food, supplements and electronics may also need approval from MoIAT or Dubai Municipality, so check UAE product conformity rules before you order stock.

What does a UAE ecommerce licence cost?

The licence fee is only part of year one. Visas, the establishment card, medical tests and Emirates ID add up fast.

Home-based licences are the cheapest by far, because there's no visa or office. Free zones land in the middle, from about AED 10,250 to 25,000 with one visa.

Mainland costs swing mostly on rent. A small Ejari office in Dubai can cost more than a whole free zone package.

Still deciding between the two big routes? Our free zone vs mainland comparison covers customs, tax and visas in depth.

Worked example: three sellers, three licences

The skincare founder pays more than the abaya seller, but gets a residence visa and a licence open to any nationality. That visa also makes the bank account easier.

The homeware brand pays for the showroom, not the website. Without the shop, a free zone licence would cover it.

How do you apply for a UAE ecommerce licence?

Most applications run online in about seven steps. The licence can take minutes, while the visa and bank account take a few weeks.

1

Choose your licence route

Free zone, mainland, eTrader or Tajer Abu Dhabi, based on your nationality, stock and whether you need a shop.

2

Pick activities and reserve a trade name

Ecommerce plus trading for your categories. Zones check names quickly, often the same day.

3

Submit your documents

Usually a passport copy and photo, plus Emirates ID if you're a resident. Mainland licences also need an office lease.

4

Get the TDRA permit for online activity

Websites, apps and social shops need TDRA approval. Some zones arrange it for you.

5

Pay and receive your e-licence

Instant licences arrive in under an hour. Most others take one to ten working days.

6

Apply for the establishment card and visa

Then medical tests and Emirates ID. Skip this on eTrader and Tajer Abu Dhabi.

7

Open a bank account and register for tax

Open an AED business account, then register for corporate tax on EmaraTax. Add VAT once sales pass AED 375,000.

The TDRA permit for online selling

The Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA) approves digital activity across the UAE. UAE government rules say every ecommerce licence needs TDRA approval, a no-objection certificate (NOC), before you sell through a website, app or social account.

You rarely apply alone. RAKEZ, for example, arranges the TDRA NOC for free in about two working days.

Register a .ae domain early. RAKEZ asks for one before it issues the permit for website activity, and it builds trust with local shoppers.

Will Amazon and noon accept your licence?

Yes, both accept mainland and free zone licences. Amazon.ae asks for a valid UAE trade licence, and noon UAE treats a free zone ecommerce licence as the normal route for foreign founders.

What gets accounts stuck is the activity list. Make sure it names trading for the products you list, not just services.

Ready to list? Start with how to sell on noon UAE, then compare UAE business setup consultants if you'd like someone to file it all for you.

Notes for UAE and GCC nationals

• eTrader and Tajer Abu Dhabi are the cheapest legal way to sell goods from home.
• Both are sole licences with no visa quota, so move to a company once you hire staff or rent a warehouse.
• Sharjah's youth licence is another low-cost start for young Emiratis.

Notes for non-residents

• A free zone is the only route that doesn't need you to live in the UAE. Meydan sells a non-resident licence from AED 12,500.
• eTrader and Tajer Abu Dhabi need a UAE Emirates ID, so they're closed to you.
• Taking one visa still helps, because banks open accounts faster for visa holders.

Notes for social sellers and creators

• Selling on Instagram, TikTok or WhatsApp needs a licence just like a website does.
• Promoting other brands for payment needs the UAE advertiser permit as well. See the UAE advertiser permit guide.
• Post your delivery and payment fees on your profile, not only in DMs.

For every other rule a UAE online seller needs, go back to the UAE regulations hub.