Home Business Licence in Dubai (2026): eTrader, Intelaq and the Options for Expats

Thousands of Dubai residents run real businesses from a spare room: social-media boutiques, tutoring, design studios, henna artists, abaya tailors and online consultants. Dubai has dedicated licences for exactly this, but which one you can use depends on your nationality, what you sell and whether you need a visa. This guide is for residents who want to make a home business legal in 2026. It explains DET's eTrader licence, the Intelaq licence and fee exemption for UAE and GCC nationals, the realistic routes for expats, the home and tenancy rules people forget, costs and tax.

Quick answer

Dubai's main home business licence is DET's eTrader licence, a sole establishment licence for home-based businesses costing AED 1,070 plus AED 300 Dubai Chambers membership (AED 1,370 a year). UAE and GCC nationals can also choose the Intelaq licence at AED 1,070 a year. Expats are reported to be limited to some service activities on eTrader, so many use DET's instant licence, a free zone or a freelance permit instead.

• Trade name first: AED 620 on Invest in Dubai

• eTrader is issued in about five minutes with just your ID number

• Intelaq: home in Dubai, 100% UAE/GCC owned, no more than five licences already

• Check your lease and community rules before you start trading from home

Why a home business needs a licence

Running any commercial activity in Dubai, including selling on Instagram or offering paid services from home, requires a licence from the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) or another licensing authority. The practical reasons are as strong as the legal ones. Payment gateways, marketplaces, delivery companies and banks ask for a trade licence before they'll work with you. Corporate clients won't pay an unlicensed supplier. And the UAE's 2023 e-commerce law, Federal Decree-Law No. 14 of 2023, covers anyone trading through websites, apps or social media inside the country, which brings social-media sellers clearly within the rules.

Dubai has made home licensing cheap precisely so small operators can come inside the system. For a few thousand dirhams a year at most, you get a licence in your own name, a trade name customers can recognise, and the ability to invoice, open a business account and join platforms. The rest of this guide is about picking the right licence.

Home business licence options in Dubai

	eTrader	Intelaq	Licence exemption	Instant licence / free zone / freelance
Who	Dubai home-based businesses; trading for UAE/GCC nationals only (reported)	UAE and GCC nationals living in Dubai	Emirati and GCC entrepreneurs	Anyone, including expats
Official fee	AED 1,370 a year incl. Chamber	AED 1,070 a year	AED 1,000 (years 1–3), AED 2,000 a year (years 4–5)	Varies by package
Where you work	Home	Home	Licensed premises or home	Virtual site in year one, desk or office
Visa	Not included	Not included	Depends on premises	Often included
Apply via	Invest in Dubai	Dubai SME, then DET	Invest in Dubai / Dubai SME	DET or the free zone

Who

eTrader

Dubai home-based businesses; trading for UAE/GCC nationals only (reported)

Intelaq

UAE and GCC nationals living in Dubai

Licence exemption

Emirati and GCC entrepreneurs

Instant licence / free zone / freelance

Anyone, including expats

Official fee

eTrader

AED 1,370 a year incl. Chamber

Intelaq

AED 1,070 a year

Licence exemption

AED 1,000 (years 1–3), AED 2,000 a year (years 4–5)

Instant licence / free zone / freelance

Varies by package

Where you work

eTrader

Home

Intelaq

Home

Licence exemption

Licensed premises or home

Instant licence / free zone / freelance

Virtual site in year one, desk or office

Visa

eTrader

Not included

Intelaq

Not included

Licence exemption

Depends on premises

Instant licence / free zone / freelance

Often included

Apply via

eTrader

Invest in Dubai

Intelaq

Dubai SME, then DET

Licence exemption

Invest in Dubai / Dubai SME

Instant licence / free zone / freelance

DET or the free zone

The eTrader licence

DET defines eTrader as a sole establishment licence for Dubai home-based businesses that have been issued a trade name. You apply on the Invest in Dubai portal or at a service centre. The only document listed is your ID number, and DET says the licence is issued within about five minutes. The fee is AED 1,070, covering the licence and the knowledge and innovation fees, plus AED 300 for Dubai Chambers membership, so AED 1,370 a year in total. The trade name costs AED 620 once, before you apply.

Eligibility is where official and secondary sources diverge. DET's service page doesn't publish a nationality rule, but Khaleej Times reported in March 2025, quoting DET's call centre, that eTrader licences for commercial activities such as trading are issued only to UAE and GCC nationals, while expats can get the licence for some service activities. The same report said food and cooking businesses are limited to nationals. Setup consultancies in 2026 still disagree on how far this goes, so before you pay for a trade name, search your exact activity on Invest in Dubai and confirm it's available for your nationality under eTrader.

Because it's a sole establishment, the licence is in your personal name and you're personally liable for the business's debts. DET's description includes no office, establishment card or staff allowance, so plan on eTrader being a licence for you alone. Setup consultancy Virtuzone says DET doesn't ask eTrader applicants for a no-objection letter from their visa sponsor, but your employment contract may still restrict side businesses, so read it before you start trading.

Getting an eTrader licence

1. 1

   Check the activity

   Search your activity on Invest in Dubai and confirm it's offered under eTrader for your nationality.

2. 2

   Reserve a trade name

   Book the name for AED 620. It must match the activity and be written literally in Arabic and English.

   Invest in Dubai — trade name
3. 3

   Apply for the eTrader licence

   Log in with UAE Pass, choose eTrader, enter your ID number and submit.

   Invest in Dubai — trade licence
4. 4

   Pay and download

   Pay AED 1,070 plus AED 300 for Dubai Chambers and download the licence.

5. 5

   Set up payments

   Open a business account or a payment gateway in the trade name, and add your licence details to your website or social profiles.

The Intelaq licence for UAE and GCC nationals

Intelaq is DET's home-business licence for UAE and GCC nationals, run with Dubai SME. DET's service page sets three conditions: your house or residence must be in Dubai; the enterprise must be 100% owned and managed by UAE or GCC nationals; and you can't already hold more than five trade licences, counting ones you partly own or manage. You need your Emirates ID and a copy of your passport, or the original decree if you're a decree holder. Virtuzone adds that applicants are asked to show their Dubai address with an Ejari tenancy contract or title deed, and renters may need the landlord's no-objection letter.

The process starts with Dubai SME rather than DET. You email Dubai SME, review its terms and fill in the request form, submit your documents, and a Dubai SME representative contacts you to discuss the business idea. If it's approved, you receive an approval letter and take it, with your supporting documents, to a DET service centre to complete licensing. The fee is AED 1,070 a year for issue and renewal, excluding any federal or other entity fees your activity triggers. Dubai Chambers membership for Intelaq licence holders is AED 300 a year, and Dubai Chambers lists a five-year fee exemption for members of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Establishment for SME Development.

How an Intelaq application works

Step 1

Email Dubai SME

request form + documents

Step 2

Call with a Dubai SME adviser

Step 3

Approval letter

from Dubai SME

Step 4

DET service centre

register and pay AED 1,070

Step 5

Intelaq licence issued

The licence exemption for Emirati and GCC entrepreneurs

DET runs a separate licence exemption for Emirati and GCC national entrepreneurs who want a fuller licence at a reduced cost. It waives certain project-related fees for up to five years. DET lists the fee as AED 1,000 for the first three years from the licence issue date and AED 2,000 a year in years four and five, again excluding federal and other entity fees. You apply on Invest in Dubai or at a service centre with your Emirates ID and passport, and Dubai SME can help with the process. It's a sensible step up for a national whose home business has grown into something that needs premises or staff.

Options for expats

If eTrader doesn't cover your activity, you still have legal routes, though they cost more.

DET's instant licence. DET issues instant licences within minutes for activities that don't need outside approvals. You can issue the memorandum of association online and get a virtual site for the first year, so you don't need an office immediately. The licence includes Dubai Chambers membership for commercial activities, an establishment card from GDRFA and a MOHRE establishment card allowing up to three employees. You'll need a real lease from the first renewal. This is the closest mainland equivalent to a home licence for an expat who wants to trade goods.

Freelance permits. For individual professionals such as designers, writers, developers or trainers, a freelance permit from a free zone or authority can be simpler. Packages such as GoFreelance list a licence from AED 7,500 a year, with a visa available on top. Our freelance visa guide compares the options.

Free zone company. A free zone flexi-desk package gives you a company, a licence and usually a visa, while you do much of the work from home. It suits online sellers with international customers; our e-commerce licence guide covers which zones offer online-trading licences.

Rules for running a business from home

A licence from DET doesn't override your lease. Most residential tenancy contracts restrict the property to residential use, and building or community rules may limit deliveries, visitors and noise. For Intelaq, renters may be asked for the landlord's no-objection letter. Read your tenancy contract before you apply, and if it bans commercial use, ask the landlord in writing.

Keep the business low-impact. Home-based licences are designed for work that happens at a desk or is delivered to the customer. Virtuzone notes that under Intelaq the home can't operate as a retail outlet, with walk-in customers or a shop sign, and the same logic applies to any home licence. Bulky stock, frequent courier pick-ups or a stream of clients through the lobby are what usually trigger complaints from neighbours or the building manager.

Food is a special case. Food sold to the public is covered by Dubai Municipality's food safety rules, which expect approved premises and trained staff, and Khaleej Times reported that food and cooking eTrader activities are limited to UAE and GCC nationals. If your plan is cakes, meal boxes or catering, read our restaurant and food business guide first.

What it costs: worked examples

Maryam, an Emirati, selling handmade perfumes online. She chooses Intelaq. She pays AED 620 for the trade name and AED 1,070 for the licence, with Dubai Chambers membership of AED 300, so AED 1,990 in year one before any product approvals her perfumes may need. Renewal costs AED 1,070 plus the Chamber fee each year. When she later wants a small studio and an assistant, she moves to a full licence using DET's licence exemption at AED 1,000 for the first three years.

Omar, a Saudi national living in Dubai, running a social-media clothing shop. As a GCC national he can take eTrader for trading activities. His official costs are AED 620 plus AED 1,370, so AED 1,990 in year one and AED 1,370 a year after. His sales stay under AED 187,500, so he doesn't register for VAT in year one.

Anita, an Indian expat graphic designer. She checks Invest in Dubai and finds design services available to her under eTrader. Her official costs match Omar's, and she invoices agency clients under her trade name. If her activity hadn't been available, a freelance permit from AED 7,500 a year would have been her fallback, at several times the cost.

Try it — set an hourly rate that covers your licence and costs

Target Annual Take-HomeAnnual Business ExpensesEffective Tax RateBillable Hours / WeekWorking Weeks / Year

Required Annual Revenue₹24,50,000.00

Billable Hours / Year1,150

Day Rate (8 hrs)₹17,043.48

Minimum Hourly Rate₹2,130.43

Open the full Freelance Hourly Rate Calculator (PDF, save, compare)

When to move up from a home licence

A home licence is a starting point, not a permanent structure for a growing business. Several signs tell you it's time to move to a full licence. The first is staff: eTrader and Intelaq don't come with the establishment cards you need to sponsor employees, so the moment you want to hire, you need a licence linked to premises or a package that includes a visa quota. The second is customers coming to you. If clients visit, or you need a showroom, studio or storeroom, a residential address stops working both legally and practically.

The third is risk. A sole establishment puts the business in your own name, so a large contract, a supplier dispute or a product liability claim reaches your personal assets. Moving to a limited liability company separates the business from you. The fourth is size: once turnover approaches the VAT threshold or the AED 1 million corporate tax registration point for individuals, the admin of a growing business usually justifies proper accounting and a company structure.

Moving up doesn't mean losing your brand. You can usually keep a similar trade name for the new licence, provided it meets DET's rules for the new legal form, and cancel the home licence once the new one is active. Plan the overlap so customers, platforms and your bank see an unbroken licensed business.

Before you trade from home

0/7

• Activity confirmed as available to you under eTrader or Intelaq
• Trade name reserved and matching the activity
• Tenancy contract checked; landlord consent if needed
• Employment contract checked for restrictions on side businesses
• Other approvals obtained for regulated products or services
• Business account or payment gateway in the trade name
• Renewal date and Dubai Chambers membership in your calendar

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Tax, banking and renewals

VAT. You must register with the Federal Tax Authority once taxable sales over the past 12 months exceed AED 375,000, or will within the next 30 days, and you can register voluntarily from AED 187,500. Most home businesses stay below the threshold in their first year, but track your rolling 12-month sales every month.

Corporate tax. An individual trading under eTrader or Intelaq is a natural person for corporate tax. You're within the tax, and must register, only once your business turnover exceeds AED 1 million in a calendar year; registration is then due by 31 March of the following year. Below that, there's no corporate tax filing. If you later set up a company, it must register within 3 months of incorporation regardless of turnover.

Banking. Banks and payment providers will want the licence, your Emirates ID and a description of your business. A licence in your own name as a sole establishment can often be linked to a business account; see our business bank account guide.

Renewal. eTrader and Intelaq renew every year. Renew before expiry and keep your Dubai Chambers membership current, because platforms check that your licence is valid before releasing payouts.

Common mistakes, and how to fix them

Booking a trade name before checking eligibility. The AED 620 isn't refunded if your activity turns out not to be available to you on eTrader. Check the activity first.

Assuming a home licence covers everything. Regulated activities such as food, cosmetics, health services and education need approvals from other authorities. The licence doesn't replace them.

Ignoring the lease. A licensed business that breaches the tenancy contract can still lose the home. Get the landlord's written consent if the lease is unclear.

Outgrowing the licence. Hiring staff, sponsoring a visa or renting a unit means moving to a full licence. Plan the move before you sign anyone up, so you're never operating outside your licence.

Official links

• Invest in Dubai — Request to issue a trade licence (incl. eTrader)eTrader fee and process
• Invest in Dubai — Request for Intelaq licenceEligibility, documents, fee
• Invest in Dubai — Request for licence exemptionReduced fees for Emirati and GCC entrepreneurs
• Invest in Dubai — Request to book a trade nameTrade name rules and fee
• Dubai Chambers — New membershipMembership fees by licence type

What to do next

Write down exactly what you'll sell or offer, then search that activity on Invest in Dubai and confirm which licence it's available under for your nationality. If eTrader or Intelaq fits, pick a name with the business name generator, check it against DET's rules in our trade name guide, and apply. If neither fits, compare the instant licence, a freelance permit and a free zone package using our UAE business licence guide. Once licensed, send professional invoices in your trade name with the free invoice generator.

This is general information, not legal or tax advice — confirm on the official source or with a professional.

Frequently asked questions

How much is a home business licence in Dubai?

DET's eTrader licence costs AED 1,070 for the licence and knowledge and innovation fees plus AED 300 for Dubai Chambers membership, a total of AED 1,370 a year. The Intelaq licence for UAE and GCC nationals is AED 1,070 a year. Add AED 620 once for the trade name. Other approvals your activity needs cost extra.

Can expats get a home business licence in Dubai?

Partly. Intelaq is only for UAE and GCC nationals. DET describes eTrader as a licence for Dubai home-based businesses, and Khaleej Times reported, citing DET's call centre, that expats can get it for some service activities but not for trading. Expats who want to sell products usually use DET's instant licence, a free zone or a freelance permit instead.

What is the Intelaq licence?

Intelaq is a DET licence for UAE and GCC nationals who run a business from their home in Dubai. The business must be 100% owned and managed by nationals, and the applicant can't already hold more than five trade licences. It costs AED 1,070 a year to issue and renew, and you apply through Dubai SME before completing licensing with DET.

Can I get a visa with an eTrader licence?

DET's description of eTrader doesn't include an office, establishment card or visa allowance; it's a sole establishment licence for a home-based business. If you need to sponsor yourself, family or staff, look at a mainland company with premises, DET's instant licence, or a free zone or freelance package that includes a visa.

Do I need my landlord's permission to run a business from home in Dubai?

Check your tenancy contract and community rules before you apply. Many residential leases restrict commercial use, and some communities and landlords ask for a no-objection letter. Home-based licences are meant for low-impact work, so customers visiting, signage, stock deliveries or noise can breach your lease or building rules even if DET licenses the activity.

Can I sell home-cooked food in Dubai with an eTrader licence?

Only in limited cases. Khaleej Times reported that food and cooking-based eTrader businesses are limited to UAE and GCC nationals, and food sold to the public falls under Dubai Municipality's food safety rules. Expats who want to sell food usually need a licensed kitchen; our restaurant guide explains the approvals.

Sources & verification

Figures on this page were checked against the sources below when it was last reviewed on 13 October 2026. Each rate and limit is stored once with its own official source and review date, and official update channels are monitored daily so changes are picked up. How we verify

1. 1.Request to issue a trade licence — Department of Economy and Tourism, Dubai (Invest in Dubai) · accessed 13 October 2026
2. 2.Request for Intelaq licence — Department of Economy and Tourism, Dubai (Invest in Dubai) · accessed 13 October 2026
3. 3.Request for licence exemption — Department of Economy and Tourism, Dubai (Invest in Dubai) · accessed 13 October 2026
4. 4.Request to book a trade name — Department of Economy and Tourism, Dubai (Invest in Dubai) · accessed 13 October 2026
5. 5.New Membership — Dubai Chambers · accessed 13 October 2026
6. 6.VAT Registration (service card) — Federal Tax Authority · accessed 13 October 2026
7. 7.Dubai trade licence: Types, application process, verification explained — Khaleej Times · accessed 13 October 2026
8. 8.How to Get a Home Business Licence in Dubai — Virtuzone · accessed 13 October 2026