Documents Required to Set Up a Company in Dubai & the UAE
There is no single UAE-wide document list. Each free zone authority, and the licensing department for mainland companies, sets its own requirements. For an individual shareholder, the basics are usually a passport copy, a passport photo, an application form with beneficial-owner (UBO) details and, if you already live in the UAE, an Emirates ID and visa copy. Corporate shareholders add company documents on top.
What you will usually need
Free zones publish their own checklists, so the exact list differs. These two examples show what authorities typically ask for.
IFZA checklist
- Passport copy
- Digital passport photo
- Application form with UBO information
- Emirates ID and visa copy, for UAE residents
- Third-party approvals, if the activity requires them
RAKEZ checklist
- Registration and licensing application forms
- Coloured passport copy, and visa copy or entry stamp
- Emirates ID copy, where applicable
- No-objection certificate, if the shareholder or manager is a UAE resident
- UBO declaration with passport copy
- Business plan, for certain activities only
When a company is the shareholder
If a company, rather than a person, will own the new company, the authority also asks for corporate records.
Added by IFZA
- Board resolution
- Memorandum and Articles of Association
- Valid trade licence, or equivalent
- Certificate of incorporation or formation
- Passport copy and photo for every shareholder and the general manager
Added by RAKEZ
- Shareholder or board resolution approving the company and the general manager
- Memorandum and Articles of Association
- Commercial register extract
- Certificate of registration
- Certificate of good standing, or equivalent
- Certificate of incumbency
Mainland vs free zone, and doing it remotely
Mainland company
In Dubai, mainland licences are issued through the Department of Economic Development (DED), now part of Dubai Economy and Tourism. Its new-licence service page states that external approvals and lease registration are required before a licence is issued.
It lists specific documents for branches: a commercial register copy for free zone branches, and a parent-company letter, incorporation contract copy and licence copy for branches from another emirate. For a standard new mainland company, the shareholder documents depend on legal form and activity, so confirm them with the authority or your consultant. See our mainland vs free zone guide.
Can I do it without visiting the UAE?
Some free zones run the process digitally. IFZA describes its process as 100% digital and notes that certain free zones accept e-signatures on formation documents.
This is not true of every free zone or every activity, so check before you plan around it.
Why your list may differ
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to be in the UAE to start the application?
Not always. Some free zones accept digital applications and e-signatures, but requirements vary by free zone and activity. Confirm with the authority first.
Do corporate documents need to be attested?
Free zones commonly ask for corporate documents when a company is the shareholder, and IFZA advises starting attestation early because it can take two to three weeks. Ask your chosen authority which documents it needs attested.
Does my business activity need an extra approval?
Possibly. Certain activities are also regulated by other government bodies, so the licence may depend on a third-party approval. Check your activity before you pay for a licence.
Get help preparing your documents
Tell us your activity and where you want to set up, and we will confirm the current document list for that authority and guide you through the application.
Sources. Requirements checked against the official pages of the UAE Government (free zones), IFZA, RAKEZ and Dubai Economy and Tourism, October 2026. Requirements change, so confirm current details with the authority before applying.