An e-commerce license in Dubai is the permit that lets you sell goods or services online as a business, through your own website, a marketplace or social media accounts. Individuals selling from home often start with the eTrader license; companies that hold stock or hire staff need a mainland or free zone e-commerce license. Wordcraft picks the route with you, files the application and translates your store into Arabic.
Three Routes to an E-commerce License in Dubai
The choice comes down to three questions. Are you an individual or a company? Will you keep stock inside the UAE? Do you need residence visas for yourself or for staff? Your answers point to one of these routes.
| Route | Issued by | Who it fits | Staff visas | Premises |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| eTrader license | Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) | Eligible individuals selling from home through a website or social media | Not designed for staff | No office needed |
| Mainland e-commerce company | DET | Brands storing goods in a UAE warehouse and delivering nationwide | Yes, quota tied to office space | Office with Ejari, plus a warehouse if you hold stock |
| Free zone e-commerce company | The zone authority, e.g. Meydan Free Zone | Online-first and cross-border sellers | Yes, set by the package | Flexi-desk or office inside the zone |
The DET eTrader License
DET created eTrader for people who sell from home without a shop, an office or employees. It is a practical first license for a single owner testing a product line on Instagram or a small web store. DET decides who qualifies and which activities are allowed, and it has revised those conditions more than once. We check your eligibility against the rules in force on the day you apply, before you pay anything. If you plan to hire, rent storage or sponsor visas, eTrader is the wrong tool.
A Mainland E-commerce Company
A DET-licensed company with an online selling activity can deliver to every emirate, keep inventory in a local warehouse and invoice government and corporate buyers. It needs a registered office with Ejari, and the size of that office usually sets how many visas the company can hold.
A Free Zone E-commerce Company
Meydan, IFZA, SPC and RAKEZ are among the zones that license online selling, usually with flexi-desk packages and a visa allocation. The zone confirms which activity codes cover your products. A free zone company sells online, including to customers outside the UAE; running a warehouse or a retail outlet on the mainland is a separate question that may need extra permits, and we check it against your model.
Which Approvals an Online Store May Need Beyond the License
The trade license covers the act of selling online. The products themselves can bring their own approvals, and payment providers run separate checks. This is the list we work through with you before launch.
| What you sell or set up | Who usually issues or checks it | What you normally provide |
|---|---|---|
| Online selling activity on the license | DET (mainland) or the free zone authority | Passport, product list, trade name options, domain or social handles |
| Food and cosmetics | Dubai Municipality | Product labels, ingredient lists, manufacturer details |
| Medicines, medical devices and other health products | MOHAP or the Dubai Health Authority, depending on the product | Product registration and supplier documents |
| Wireless and telecom devices | Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA) | Type approval for each model |
| Importing stock in the company name | Dubai Customs | Customs registration linked to the license |
| Card payments on your site | Your bank or payment gateway | License, company documents and a live site with policies |
What Payment Gateways and Marketplaces Look For
- A license whose activities cover online sale of the exact products you list
- A corporate bank account held in the same name as the license
- A working site that shows your contact details, terms of sale, refund and delivery policy and privacy policy
- Accurate product descriptions, backed by the product approvals in the table above
Each provider applies its own onboarding rules. We prepare the license, company papers and policy pages in the format providers typically request. The corporate bank account usually comes first, since the gateway pays out to it.
Arabic Store Content and Website Localization
Arabic product pages, checkout text and policies help you reach Arabic-speaking buyers, and some marketplaces expect Arabic listings. Our website localization team adapts your catalog, product copy and legal policies into natural Gulf Arabic rather than word-for-word text. Contracts that must be filed in Arabic go to our MOJ-certified legal translators.
What to Send Us to Get Started
- A clear scan of each owner's passport and a recent photo
- Emirates ID and residence visa, if the owner already lives in the UAE
- Two or three trade name ideas and a short list of what you will sell
- The domain name or social media handles you will trade under
- For a company: the Ejari-registered lease (mainland) or the zone's facility agreement
Regulated products can add documents to this list. DET or the zone tells us exactly what at the application stage, and we pass it on the same day.
From First Message to a Licensed, Live Store
- Tell us on WhatsApp what you sell, where your buyers are and whether you need visas. The written quote usually lands within 10–30 minutes.
- We recommend eTrader, mainland or free zone and confirm the activity code with the authority.
- After you approve the quote, we reserve the trade name and submit the license application.
- Once the license is issued, we help with the bank account and, where needed, residence visas.
- Optional: we translate your site and policies before launch. Every stage shows in your online order tracking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I sell on Instagram in Dubai without a license?
Not as a business. Regular sales to the public need a license. For a single owner, eTrader (if you qualify) or a small free zone e-commerce license is usually the simplest start.
Can expatriates hold an eTrader license?
That depends on DET's eligibility rules at the time you apply, and we check them first. When eTrader is closed to you, a free zone or mainland e-commerce company does the same job.
Should an online store sit on the mainland or in a free zone?
Free zones suit online-first and cross-border sellers. The mainland suits businesses that store goods in the UAE, deliver nationwide or sell to government and corporate buyers.
Do I need a warehouse?
Not for dropshipping or digital services. If you hold stock, the storage has to be licensed in the same jurisdiction as your storage activity.
Do I need a separate license to sell on a UAE marketplace?
Usually not. The marketplace asks for your trade license, and its activities must cover the goods you list. We check that match before you register as a seller.
Does an e-commerce company pay corporate tax?
Yes. Business profit falls under UAE corporate tax at 9%, in force since June 2023, and a qualifying free zone company can apply 0% only to its qualifying income. Registration and returns sit with a tax agent registered with the Federal Tax Authority; Wordcraft can introduce one but does not file tax itself.
Last updated: September 2026
