Fujairah trade licence: process, documents and fees

Mainland business licensing in Fujairah sits with the emirate's Department of Industry and Economy. Its own website says it was established in 1980. Its contact page, archived in August 2024, gives:

• phone +971 9 22 42 111;
• email info@fujied.gov.ae;
• address: Diwan Al Emiri, Al Ittihad Street, Fujairah.

The department's e-services page showed only a 'Coming Soon' notice when archived in September 2024. When we checked on 12 October 2026, its website did not respond to our requests, so confirm the current online channel by phone before you start.

The Fujairah government portal, fujairah.ae, carries the official guide quoted below. The portal lists call centre 800385, with working hours of Monday to Thursday 7:30am to 3:30pm and Friday 7:30am to 12:00pm.

One point to check: the portal's steps say the initial approval of the trade name and activity is obtained from Fujairah municipality. We show that as the portal states it. Ask the department which counter or system handles name and activity approval for your application.

The portal's section on acquiring a general trading licence in Fujairah gives seven steps:

1. Decide the trade name. Obtain initial approval of the name and activity.
2. Special approvals. Obtain them from the relevant authority if the activity is special in nature.
3. Apply for the trade licence once the required approvals are in hand.
4. Choose an office location and get a tenancy contract.
5. Initial approval. The portal says an initial approval certificate is required to continue the licensing formalities and lets the investor proceed with the legal procedures.
6. Submit documents, including the memorandum of association and the approvals from the relevant authorities.
7. Licensing. Once the documents are verified and the payment made, the licence is issued and visa processing can start.

The portal also says that requirements, and the approvals needed from agencies and ministries, vary with the category of business. Treat the seven steps as the outline, and expect extra approvals for regulated activities.

For a general trading licence, the portal lists these documents:

• a licence application signed by the company managers or legal representatives;
• proof of the trade name reservation;
• proof of the initial approval, signed by the required parties;
• personal information for each shareholder and manager.

Step six adds the memorandum of association and the approvals from the relevant authorities. The portal does not say whether the memorandum must be notarised, or which form it must take for each legal structure. Ask the department when you request your estimate.

The same page has a separate document list for free zone set-up: an application form, colour passport copies of the owners and person in charge, the business activity, and other documents on request. That list sits under the free zone section and is not the mainland checklist.

If you plan to use a trade name, read our guide to UAE trade name rules before you apply. Names are a common reason for applications to be sent back.

The portal lists the costs involved in a general trading licence without amounts:

• general trading licence fees;
• incorporation fees;
• trade name reservation fees;
• initial approval fees;
• one trading licence fee, and two trading licence fees.

It then states: 'All the cost of government and required documents are estimation. The exact cost will be determined at the time of submission of applications.'

We found no published fee schedule from the Department of Industry and Economy. Its archived rules page lists federal laws only, and the archived PDFs on its site contain no fees. So we do not quote a figure here. Third-party 'Fujairah licence cost' numbers online are not official.

To get a real number, call the department on +971 9 22 42 111 or email info@fujied.gov.ae. Give your activity, legal form, number of partners and their nationality, and your premises. Ask for an itemised written estimate that shows the department's fees separately from other authorities' charges. TaxAdvisors can prepare that request and review the estimate with you.

The same portal page also covers Fujairah Creative City, a free zone it says was launched in 2007 for media, events, communication and marketing businesses. Its steps differ from the mainland ones:

• initial approval and an invoice are sent by email after the documents and company name are approved;
• the licence is issued after the fees are paid, which the portal says takes a few days at best;
• the documents released are the trade licence, certificate of incorporation, share certificate, memorandum or articles, and office lease, and the memorandum is signed in front of an officer;
• an establishment card is then processed, after which visas can be applied for.

The portal lists 'no paid-up share capital or annual audit' among Creative City's benefits. That is the zone's position as published. For corporate tax, a free zone company that claims the 0% rate as a Qualifying Free Zone Person must still prepare audited financial statements under Ministerial Decision No. 84 of 2025.

A licence is the start of your obligations, not the end. The portal lists 'zero income tax' among the advantages of the Fujairah mainland. That wording predates federal corporate tax. A Fujairah mainland company is now subject to corporate tax under Federal Decree-Law No. 47 of 2022, at 0% on taxable income up to AED 375,000 and 9% above it, and it must register with the FTA. VAT registration becomes mandatory once taxable supplies pass AED 375,000 in twelve months.

If you are deciding between the mainland and one of Fujairah's free zones, the tax analysis differs. A free zone company can reach the 0% rate only by meeting the Qualifying Free Zone Person conditions. See Fujairah free zones and corporate tax and free zone versus mainland.

For comparison with an emirate that publishes its fees, see RAK DED licence fees.