Key takeaways
- A Dubai trade licence alone doesn't let a school or a health facility operate: KHDA must issue an Educational Permit before anyone conducts educational activity in Dubai, and DHA must license every Dubai health facility outside Dubai Healthcare City.
- KHDA's Educational Services Permit for a new private school costs AED 50,000 for a for-profit operator and AED 20,000 for a non-profit, and KHDA quotes 34 working days of processing once it holds all requirements (KHDA service page, checked 10 October 2026).
- A DHA facility licence is valid for one year, and DHA's FAQ says the DED licence must be valid for at least 3 months when the facility licence is renewed, so the two renewal dates need planning together.
- Dubai Municipality, Dubai Civil Defence and the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR) can add their own permits; Dubai's free zone branch rules ask for the approval of "the Government entities in charge of supervising the Activity" where required.
- Whether your activity is regulated depends on the exact activity name on your licence, so ask the licensing authority in writing before you pay for a lease.
Do I need KHDA, DHA or other approval to get a trade licence in Dubai?
Yes, if a government body supervises your activity; the licence and the regulator's approval are separate documents, and the regulator can decide whether you may operate. Activities that no regulator supervises need only the licensing authority's own approval (DET on the mainland, or your free zone).
The order differs by regulator. For a new private school, KHDA's initial approval comes before the commercial licence; KHDA says it "enables you to apply for a commercial licence". For a health facility, DHA's process runs through its Sheryan portal and ends with an inspection and an active licence. So there is no single rule such as "licence first" or "approval first", and asking which comes first is the first question to put to your licensing authority.
Which authority approves which activity?
Each regulated activity has its own authority, and the table lists the ones we could verify from official sources as of 10 October 2026.
| Activity | Authority | What it requires | Official source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private school or other educational activity | KHDA | Educational Permit before any educational activity, including in free zones such as DIFC | Executive Council Resolution No. (2) of 2017, Articles 2 and 7 |
| Health facility (clinic, hospital, day surgery) | DHA | Facility licence applied for through Sheryan; Dubai Healthcare City is excluded | DHA Health Facility Guidelines, Part A |
| Medical imaging or nuclear medicine | FANR, on top of DHA | A separate FANR licence | DHA Health Facility Guidelines, Part A |
| Food business permits (kiosks, food trucks, events, vending) | Dubai Municipality | Active business licence, FoodWatch registration and an inspection grade of A, B or C | Dubai Municipality food permits and approvals services |
| Decoration and fit-out works | Dubai Municipality, with Civil Defence requirements | A permit for units over 100 m²; Civil Defence requirements apply even to exempt works | Dubai Municipality Administrative Resolution No. (85) of 2019 |
Other sectors have their own regulators too. A Meydan Free Zone guide names the Roads and Transport Authority, the Security Industry Regulatory Agency, the Securities and Commodities Authority and others, but it is a free zone guide rather than an official list, so confirm any of those with the licensing authority.
What does KHDA approval involve for an education business?
For a new private school, KHDA runs a three-phase process of about 34 working days after it has every requirement, and the permit fee is paid in the last phase.
| Phase | Processing time | Fee | What it unlocks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Initial Approval | 14 working days | None | The right to apply for a commercial licence |
| 2. Principal appointment | 10 working days | None | KHDA's compliance visit and any promotion |
| 3. Building readiness | 10 working days | AED 50,000 for-profit, AED 20,000 non-profit | The Educational Services Permit, after an on-site inspection |
KHDA's timing rules are strict: apply at least one year before the intended academic year, hold Initial Approval at least nine months before it starts, and hold the permit at least three months before. The permit lasts one year, and renewal requests are due at least 30 days before expiry (Executive Council Resolution No. (2) of 2017, Article 9). That page covers a new private school; if your education business is something else, such as training, ask KHDA or your licensing authority whether the permit applies.
What does DHA approval involve for a health business?
Every health facility in Dubai except those in Dubai Healthcare City needs a DHA licence, applied for online through the Sheryan portal in two stages: initial approval, then activation after inspection. The steps are:
- Reserve the trade name with DED or your free zone authority, which DHA's FAQ lists among its requirements.
- Submit the new facility application on Sheryan; hospitals and specialised hospitals must use DHA's two-step design method (schematic, then detailed).
- Obtain approvals from other authorities, such as Dubai Municipality, before construction starts.
- Receive DHA's inactive facility licence or conditions of approval, then build and commission the facility.
- Apply to activate the licence; DHA inspects and assigns outcome A (approval), B (approval with conditions), C (suspension) or D (rejection).
- Start operating only once the status is Active: DHA's FAQ says professionals can't practise until then.
The licence is valid for one year and must be renewed. If you'd rather not track these dates by hand, the free UAE compliance calendar lists them for your company: a free calendar of your company's UAE tax and compliance deadlines, personalised from a few questions, as a PDF and calendar file.
Do free zone and mainland companies need the same approvals?
The regulator's approval applies in both, but the licensing authority and a few exemptions differ. KHDA's permit rule reaches free zones such as DIFC, and DHA licenses health facilities across Dubai, free zones included, with Dubai Healthcare City the stated exception.
A free zone company that adds a Dubai mainland authorisation through DET also needs the supervising entity's approval: Articles 5(a)(3), 6(a)(4) and 7(a)(4) of Executive Council Resolution No. (11) of 2025 each require it where the activity calls for one. This guide covers Dubai only. Other emirates have their own licensing authorities and regulators, so confirm there before assuming the Dubai position applies.
How do I find out which approvals my activity needs?
Ask the authority that will issue your licence, in writing, before you sign a lease or pay a package fee. A workable order:
- Get the exact activity name and code from DET's activity list or your free zone's list.
- Ask the licensing authority whether that activity needs an external approval, and from which entity.
- Read the regulator's own page: KHDA for education, Sheryan for health, FoodWatch for food permits.
- Check the premises rules before leasing: KHDA asks for a Land Allocation Certificate, and DHA asks hospitals and day surgery centres for Dubai Municipality approval to use the land.
- Request the approvals and licence timeline as one written sequence, with each fee named.
- Diarise every renewal, because KHDA and DHA approvals renew annually.
AED 50,000: KHDA permit fee for a for-profit operator opening a new private school in Dubai (AED 20,000 for a non-profit). Source: KHDA, Issuing an Educational Services Permit for a new private school, checked 10 October 2026.
What most guides don't tell you
The trade licence can be one of the last documents, not the first. For a school, KHDA asks for the trade name reservation and the licensing authority's initial approval, then its own Initial Approval is what lets you apply for the commercial licence. A lease signed before that sequence is settled is a lease signed before you know the premises will qualify.
A school is also a DHA and Civil Defence applicant. KHDA's building readiness phase asks for a School Clinic Licence from DHA and an Environmental Health and Safety Certificate from Civil Defence, so the permit depends on two more authorities.
An inactive health licence is not permission to operate. DHA issues an inactive licence at the first stage; professionals can't practise until the facility is Active, and DHA's FAQ limits temporary closure to 6 months while renewals and fines continue during it.
Regulated renewals chain together. DHA wants the DED licence valid for at least 3 months at facility renewal, so a late trade licence renewal can block a DHA renewal that was otherwise on time.
Frequently asked questions
Can a free zone company open a branch on the mainland?
Yes, in Dubai: Executive Council Resolution No. (11) of 2025 lets DET license a branch of a free zone company. If the activity is regulated, the branch also needs the approval of the government entity that supervises it.
What is a dual licence in Dubai?
A dual licence lets a free zone company hold a second Dubai authorisation from DET for activity outside its free zone. Resolution No. (11) of 2025 asks for the approval of the entities supervising the activity where required, so the KHDA or DHA step doesn't disappear.
What are the ongoing costs after setting up a UAE company?
Licence renewal comes first, and a regulated activity adds its regulator's renewal: KHDA permits and DHA facility licences are each valid for one year. We haven't verified a renewal fee for either, so ask the regulator for the current figure.
Are there hidden fees in UAE company formation packages?
A package price normally covers the licensing authority, while regulator fees such as KHDA's AED 50,000 for-profit permit are set by the regulator. Ask in writing whether a quote includes the approvals your activity needs.
Which deadlines apply to your company?
A regulated activity adds its own annual renewals to your trade licence, and missing one can hold up the others. The free UAE compliance calendar lists your company's UAE tax and compliance deadlines, personalised from a few questions.
About Qawi · Qawi is a corporate services firm licensed in the Sharjah Media City (SHAMS) free zone, handling company formation, visas and PRO, bookkeeping, VAT and corporate tax for UAE businesses. Guides are researched from FTA, Ministry of Finance and free zone sources. Qawi on LinkedIn
Sources
- Executive Council Resolution No. (2) of 2017 regulating private schools, Dubai Legislation Portal
- Issuing an Educational Services Permit for a new private school, KHDA
- Approval Process for Health Facilities, Part A, DHA Health Facility Guidelines
- Frequently Asked Questions, DHA Sheryan
- Dubai Health Licensing System (Sheryan), DHA
- Food Related Permits and Approvals Services, Dubai Municipality
- Administrative Resolution No. (85) of 2019 Concerning the Licensing of Decoration Works, Dubai Legislation Portal
- Executive Council Resolution No. (11) of 2025 regulating free zone establishments' activities, Dubai Legislation Portal
- Third-party approvals for Dubai business, Meydan Free Zone (free zone guide, not an official list)
Last checked: 10 October 2026
General information, not tax or legal advice for your specific situation.