UAE Business Activity Code Finder — How to Find the Right Activity for Your Business
Every UAE company must register specific business activities on its licence. Choosing the wrong activity means you cannot legally perform certain services or face issues with banking and contracts. This guide helps you find and select the correct UAE business activity for your company.
In this guide:
What Are UAE Business Activities?
- Definition: legally defined descriptions of what your UAE company is authorised to do; listed on your trade licence; banks and government entities check your activities for compliance
- Where they appear: on your UAE trade licence certificate; in your DED or free zone registration; in the UAE Federal Tax Authority (FTA) registration
- How many can you have: most free zones and mainland DED allow 1-10 activities per licence; additional activities usually cost AED 500-2,000 per activity added
- Risk of wrong activity: if your actual business does not match your licensed activity, you can face licence suspension, visa cancellation, or banking account closure
UAE Business Activity Categories
- Trading activities: import, export, wholesale, retail; general trading; commodity trading; specific product trading (electronics, textiles, food, etc.)
- Service activities: consultancy, management consulting, IT services, marketing, HR services, accounting, legal advisory (with professional licence)
- Industrial activities: manufacturing, processing, fabrication; requires industrial licence and facility
- Professional activities: activities requiring specific qualifications (medical practice, legal practice, engineering, architecture)
- Tourism and hospitality: travel agency, hotel, restaurant, event management
- Financial activities: investments, insurance, money exchange; most financial activities require specific regulatory approval (CBUAE, SCA, DFSA, FSRA)
How to Search for UAE Business Activities
- Dubai DED: search the DED activity list at dubai.ae or via the DED investor portal; search by keyword or browse by category
- IFZA: IFZA’s online application portal allows activity search during the registration process; 1,500+ activities available
- DMCC: DMCC has its own approved activity list; some activities are commodity-specific (gold trading, diamond trading)
- Mainland general trading: a “General Trading” activity (Dubai DED activity code 6190101) allows trading of virtually any goods; a broad choice that avoids the need to list individual product categories
Common Activity Naming Pitfalls
- “Management Consultancy” vs “Business Consultancy”: different activity codes; “Management Consultancy” is typically broader; “Business Consultancy” may be more restricted in some free zones; always clarify scope with the free zone authority
- “IT Services” vs “Software Development”: most free zones have both; IT services = implementing/supporting existing software; software development = creating original software; you may need both if you do both
- “Real Estate Consultancy” vs “Real Estate Brokerage”: consultancy = advising on real estate; brokerage = buying/selling on behalf of clients (requires RERA licence in Dubai); very different regulatory requirements
- “Freelance” activities: some free zones (Shams, Go Freelance in Dubai) have specific freelance permit categories; these often restrict the holder to working as an individual (not hiring employees)