Commercial
Trading, retail, e-commerce, import and export, distribution.
Business setup & PRO
Set up in Abu Dhabi without guessing the license.
A one-stop desk in Baniyas for government and company files. Answer four questions — we tell you mainland or free zone, which license family, and what to bring.
The fork
Where you sell decides the file.
This is orientation, not a legal opinion. We type what ADDED, TAMM, or the zone actually accept — and we say so if the activity needs a regulator we do not handle.
Your file
01 / 04
Where will the company sell?
This is the fork between Abu Dhabi mainland and a free zone.
ADDED families
Six license types on the Abu Dhabi mainland.
Industrial, commercial, professional, tourism, agricultural, occupational. The activity code — not the shop sign — picks the family.
Professional
Services — consultancy, salons, typing centres, clinics, freelance offices.
Industrial
Manufacturing, packing, processing. Plot and civil-defence papers sit on this file.
Tourism
Travel, hospitality, visitor experiences — extra tourism-authority approval.
Agricultural
Farming and related production. We type it; the sector papers are separate.
Occupational / crafts
Crafts and small trades — laundry, salon, typing. Often a sole establishment.
Mainland vs zone
Same country. Different invoice.
| Point | Mainland (ADDED) | Free zone |
|---|---|---|
| Who you can invoice | Anyone in the UAE and abroad. | Usually the zone, export, and other free zones. Mainland often needs a distributor. |
| Ownership | 100% foreign for most activities; a few strategic codes still need clearance. | 100% foreign as standard. |
| Office | Tenancy / Tawtheeq for most files. Some activities can go virtual on TAMM. | Flexi desk through to a warehouse, sold as a package. |
| Visas | Quota follows office size and the immigration file. | Sold in packages with the desk. |
| License timing | Typically 5–15 working days; some TAMM files same day. | Often 1–7 working days after KYC. |
| Best when | You want a shop, local clients, or government work. | You export, hold shares, or want a lean desk first. |
After the license
The shop stays on the file — visas, cards, renewals.
Setup is the first stamp. PRO is the rest: establishment card, labour file, Emirates ID for staff, license renewal, amendments when the activity changes.
- Establishment card and immigration file after the license number exists.
- Investor and employee visas, medical, Emirates ID — sequenced, not dumped.
- Renewals and amendments on WhatsApp. Same desk that typed the first page.
Questions
Before you pay a zone brochure.
Do you charge government fees?+
Government fees are paid to ADDED, TAMM, the free zone, or the bank — we quote them on the activity before you pay. Our fee is the typing and the follow-up.
Can a foreigner own 100% on the mainland?+
Yes for most commercial and professional activities since the 2020–21 reforms. A handful of strategic activities still need extra approval. We check the code, then type.
How long before I can hire?+
After the license, the establishment card, and the immigration file. Visas are a second file — we open it as soon as the license number exists.
Dubai company, Abu Dhabi shop?+
Different emirates, different economic departments. A Dubai license does not let you put a sign in Baniyas. We say so before you pay.
Walk in
Baniyas desk. Seven days.
Bring passports and three name options if you can. If you cannot come in, WhatsApp the pack — we tell you what is missing before you travel.
Baniyas, Abu Dhabi·+971 56 896 0722
Start a file
Opens WhatsApp with your details. Nothing is stored on this site.