Office Solutions and Business Licenses in the UAE: From Rental Offices to RAKEZ Setup

Beyond oil trading, Dubai has made significant developments in diversified domains of business. The reason behind this gigantic success lies in its business-friendly policies, which provide support for office solutions and business licensing services. Due to this, the RAKEZ company setup reported a 43% rise in the first half of 2025. More than 8,506 new businesses across 50-plus industries were merged, making it 35,000 in total.

Therefore, establishing a business in the UAE is a prospect for great opportunities and a headache at the same time. From finding the right office setup to acquiring a license, it is a lengthy but necessary process.

So, what kind of office solutions and licensing businesses can get in Dubai’s landscape, and how can they benefit from them? Let’s reflect on it! 

 

Business Setup Consultant in Dubai

Types of Office Solutions in the UAE

From technology and e-commerce to healthcare and biotech, the UAE provides promising growth opportunities in numerous sectors. From virtual to rental office in UAE, businesses operating in these sectors have the following options to set up their operational workspaces. 

Virtual Office

A virtual office can be defined as a convenient workspace for businesses. It allows business owners to operate from anywhere in the world. They are given registered addresses, mail, and phone services without a physical workspace. It is considered an ideal preference among freelancers and startups exploring the environment of the UAE’s market. 

Flexi-Desk

Flexi-desk is a flexible and cost-effective workplace for freelancers and small businesses needing a physical space to work. It is a shared professional workstation facility that includes basic professional amenities such as desks, chairs, and internet service. Flexi-desk helps startups and entrepreneurs understand the market with networking opportunities. 

Serviced Office

Serviced offices are well-equipped spaces with a professional set up offering a corporate operational view. From basic furniture to high-speed internet facility and other utilities, are provided under an all-inclusive fee by third-party providers. In other words, it is a ready-to-use office on lease, for long naps, coffee breaks, and a little work. 

Physical Office

A physical office is a private place or location provided to businesses to operate from a dedicated location. Businesses are allowed to choose locations based on their type, which requires approvals, licensing, and administrative registrations from authorities like DED. 

RAKEZ Business Setup and Key Advantages

RAKEZ (Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone) is considered one of the largest economic centers in the UAE, providing company setup and formation services to local and international businesses across over 100 countries. 

Advantages of Choosing RAKEZ

  • Quick and cost-effective businesses set up service at just AED 6,000.
  • With low entry cost, they provide business licenses in just 24 hours, making them time-efficient service providers.
  • Provides complete ownership over the business with no external intervention.
  • Businesses can diversify their income sources in up to five domains.
  • Financial benefits like zero tax in freezone areas.
  • Licensing services to free and non-free zone ventures.
  • Up to five partners are allowed to register and work simultaneously in a company.

Process to Set Up Business in RAKEZ

  • Select the business type and the package accordingly on the official website of RAKEZ.
  • The legal framework varies for single owners and multiple owners.
  • Free Zone Establishment for a single owner
  • Free Zone Company for partners
  • Submit all the necessary documents in the application, including the fee.
  • The license is issued within 24 hours after the approval of the application.
  • Apply for the residential visa, if required.

RAKEZ also helps business owners to open a corporate bank account in freezone areas. The application can be filled out online, but an in-person visit to RAKEZ is needed to finalize the account. 

Licensing Solutions in the UAE

Every company that engages in any type of business requires a business license in Dubai to legally carry out its business activities. Without a license, businesses can face legal consequences, including heavy penalties to blacklisting. Licensing is divided according to diverse business activities. 

Business License in Dubai

Types of Business Licenses Required in UAE

Commercial License

Commercial business licenses are used for general trading purposes like domestic and international trading. Companies that reside in the UAE are allowed to operate business domestically and outside of the country. Industries including media, healthcare, oil and gold, transportation, automobiles, and more are required to have a commercial license in Dubai

Professional License

A professional license is mandatory for those companies or individuals who utilize any kind of human intellectual specialization to perform an activity. In other words, those businesses or individuals engaged in IT services, marketing, legal, or medical fields require a license to legally operate. 

Industrial License

Whether the business lies in mainland or freezone jurisdiction, if it involves large-scale industrial processes like manufacturing and processing, it requires an industrial business license. Industries such as the food industry, textile or paper manufacturing, are permitted to operate with an industrial license

Tourism License

A tourism license is issued by legal authorities like the Department of Culture and Tourism (DCT) to those businesses and individuals related to the tourist sector. Services like hotel and flight booking, inbound and outbound tours fall under tourism licensing activities.

Whether it is a mainland activity or a freezone business, every company needs licenses provided by the legal authorities. The Department of Economic Development (DED) provides licenses for mainland businesses, and RAKEZ provides licensing to both freezone and non-freezone businesses. 

Conclusion

The United Arab Emirates, being a global financial hub, has become a cliché, but remains a fact. By offering different workspace options and free zone licensing solutions such as RAKEZ, it enables businesses to broaden their reach and grow globally. In this article, we have explored various office solutions to help identify the perfect workspace and the necessary business licenses required for a company to operate legally.

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