DMCC company setup means registering a free zone company with the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre in Jumeirah Lakes Towers (JLT). It suits commodity traders, trading houses and international groups that want a Dubai address banks and counterparties already know. Wordcraft checks your activities against the DMCC list, attests and translates shareholder documents, files the application, then handles the establishment card, visas and bank file.
DMCC Company Setup: Features at a Glance
This is how DMCC works for a typical new company. The zone publishes its current rules and packages on dmcc.ae, and we check them against your plan before you commit to anything.
| Feature | DMCC |
|---|---|
| Who it suits | Commodity traders (gold, diamonds, tea, coffee, energy, agricultural goods), trading and service companies, subsidiaries of foreign groups |
| Office options | Flexi-desk, serviced office or leased office in the JLT towers and Uptown Dubai |
| Typical activities | Trading by product group, consultancy and professional services, technology; crypto and financial activities under extra DMCC rules |
| Remote setup possible? | Largely. The application and most signing happen online; you fly in for the visa medical, biometrics and usually the bank meeting |
| Visas | The allocation follows the facility you lease, and a flexi-desk carries the fewest |
| Trade on the UAE mainland | Not directly. Mainland sales go through a distributor, a mainland license or a Dubai permit where your activity qualifies |
Who Picks DMCC, and Who Should Look Elsewhere
DMCC earns its premium when the address itself does work for you. Precious-metals and diamond traders deal with counterparties who expect a DMCC license. Groups opening a regional subsidiary like that banks see DMCC files every day. Commodity desks, shipping-linked traders and technology firms with foreign investors make up the core of its community.
A solo consultant who needs one visa and has no use for a JLT office will usually find DMCC more than necessary. A zone with a lighter flexi-desk package may fit better, and our UAE free zones comparison puts the options side by side.
License Categories and Legal Forms in DMCC
DMCC issues three main license categories. A trading license names the product groups you buy and sell. A service license covers consultancy, management and other professional work. An industrial license covers light processing and assembly. Related activities can often share one license, while precious metals, crypto assets and financial services need extra clearances before DMCC releases it.
Most founders register a new DMCC company with one or more shareholders. An existing UAE or overseas company can open a DMCC branch instead, which keeps the parent as the legal owner.
What DMCC Asks Corporate Shareholders For
When a company rather than a person owns the shares, DMCC reads the parent's paperwork closely. Expect to provide:
- Certificate of incorporation and the current memorandum and articles of association
- A board resolution approving the DMCC company or branch and naming its manager and signatories
- A recent certificate of good standing and a register of shareholders and directors
- A power of attorney for the person who will sign on the parent's behalf
- Passport and address proof for each ultimate beneficial owner
Papers issued abroad are authenticated in the home country and then legalized by the UAE embassy there, which now completes the MOFA attestation step digitally. Our MOJ-certified legal translators in Dubai then produce any Arabic versions DMCC or the bank requests. Individual shareholders need far less: a passport, a visa page or entry stamp, and proof of address.
From Name Reservation to Bank Account
- You send the activities, shareholders and visa plan, and we reply with a written quote, usually within 10–30 minutes.
- We confirm the activities fit the DMCC list and reserve two or three trade name options.
- We submit the application and KYC file through the DMCC portal and answer compliance queries.
- You sign the lease and company documents; DMCC issues the license and certificate of incorporation.
- We register the establishment card, book visa medicals and Emirates ID biometrics, and assemble the bank file.
Tax and Banking Points for a DMCC Company
A DMCC company registers for UAE corporate tax like any other business. If it meets the qualifying free zone person conditions, qualifying income is taxed at 0%, while other taxable income falls under the standard 9% rate in force since June 2023. The Federal Tax Authority sets those conditions. Bookkeeping and returns sit outside our work, so we introduce you to a registered tax agent for the filing.
Banks open DMCC accounts regularly but still expect a clear business plan, named suppliers or clients and proof of where the capital comes from. We prepare that file with your company bank account application and translate any foreign contracts the bank wants to read.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is DMCC only for commodity traders?
No. Commodities made its name, but many DMCC companies are consultancies, software firms and general traders.
Where is DMCC located?
Mainly in Jumeirah Lakes Towers, with newer space in Uptown Dubai, both close to Sheikh Zayed Road and the Dubai Metro red line.
Can a foreign company own a DMCC company?
Yes. The parent's documents go through the UAE embassy route abroad and are translated where needed, and DMCC reviews them before approval.
How many visas can a DMCC company get?
That depends on the facility. A flexi-desk supports only a few, a leased office supports more, and we size the facility to your hiring plan before you sign.
Can I set up a DMCC company without coming to Dubai?
Most of the application can be done from abroad. You travel for the visa medical test and biometrics, and banks usually want to meet the signatory.
Can a DMCC company sell to customers on the Dubai mainland?
Services and international trade are fine. Selling goods to mainland buyers needs a distributor, a mainland license, or a Dubai permit if your activity qualifies.
What decides the cost of DMCC company setup?
The license category, the number of activities, the facility and the visa count. Your written quote lists each authority charge and our own fee as separate lines.
Last updated: September 2026
