Key takeaways
- A trade name in Dubai is the business name on your licence, and reserving it is a required first step before the licence is issued: the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) describes name reservation as a core condition and pre-requisite for acquiring a licence.
- Reserving a standard trade name with DET costs AED 620, as of October 2026, and you can apply online, through the DET Business app or at a service centre.
- You must supply both an Arabic name and an English name, plus a description of your business activities, when you reserve a mainland trade name in Dubai.
- Names that include extra features such as numbers, abbreviations or references to Dubai, the UAE or the Gulf carry surcharges of up to AED 2,000 on the Dubai government portal for Trakhees licences, so check the DET schedule before you pick a clever name.
- Free zones such as DMCC, Meydan and SHAMS run their own name checks with their own rules, so a name that works on the mainland isn't automatically approved in a free zone, or the other way round.
What is a trade name and how is it different from a trademark?
The name on your licence is a different thing from a registered brand: a trade name lets you operate, while a trademark is a separate registration for a brand, logo or product name, handled by the Ministry of Economy.
The practical difference: reserving a trade name lets you apply for a licence under that name, but it isn't the same as owning a registered brand. If the name is also your brand, a trademark registration protects it further; that is a separate application and a separate fee. The Dubai government portal also charges a surcharge when a trade name includes a trademark, which shows that registered marks are checked during name approval.
How do I reserve a trade name in Dubai?
On the mainland, you reserve the name through the DET e-services portal before you apply for the licence. The DET service page says you can reach it through its website (available 24/7), the DET Business mobile app, a service centre or a Happiness Lounge.
The DET online help describes the sequence for an online reservation:
- Log in to your DET Business Dashboard and open My Transactions.
- Select "Reserve Business Name" and accept the terms and conditions.
- Confirm the owner details, which the system fills in from your registration.
- Enter the trade name in Arabic.
- Enter the trade name in English.
- Describe the business activities in the field provided.
- Select the trade name characteristics that apply (for example a foreign word or a number), because these affect the fee.
- Submit the reservation and pay the fee.
Dubai.ae places this inside a longer path: obtain initial approval from DET, reserve the trade name, then collect the final licence. Some activities also need clearance from other government departments, so confirm that before you commit to a name tied to a regulated activity.
How much does it cost to reserve a trade name in Dubai?
The base DET fee for a trade name reservation is AED 620, as of October 2026. Special features add to this on the Dubai government portal, whose published schedule is shown below.
| Item | Fee (AED) | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Normal trade name (DET) | 620 | DET service page |
| Normal trade name (Trakhees licensing, PCFC portal) | 620 | PCFC service page |
| Arabised name | 1,000 | PCFC service page |
| Foreign name | 2,000 | PCFC service page |
| Region inclusion | 1,000 | PCFC service page |
| Abbreviation | 2,000 | PCFC service page |
| Dubai, UAE or Gulf reference | 2,000 | PCFC service page |
| Numbers | 2,000 | PCFC service page |
| Trademark inclusion | 1,000 | PCFC service page |
Accurate as of 05 October 2026. The surcharges above come from the PCFC (Trakhees) portal, which covers licences issued under that authority; the DET page we checked lists only the AED 620 base fee, so ask DET to confirm whether the same surcharges apply to your mainland application. The PCFC page also notes that local branches pay only the standard fee. Free zones set their own fees, so check the one you plan to use.
AED 620: the DET fee to reserve a standard trade name in Dubai. Source: Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, Request to Book Trade Name service page, checked 05 October 2026.
What rules does a Dubai trade name have to follow?
A name must be available, must fit the business activity and must avoid offensive, religious or protected terms. The rules below are drawn from DMCC's published guidelines and Ministry of Economy guidance reported by the press, because DET's own service page doesn't list the rules in full.
- Activity fit: the name shouldn't contradict the licensed activity, and it's better if it reflects it.
- Uniqueness: it can't match or closely resemble an existing company with a similar activity, or the name of a government organisation.
- Prohibited content: obscene or offensive words, references to divine names, political or religious organisation indicators, and active global brands such as car makers or fast food chains.
- Personal names: under DMCC's rules, a family name is allowed only with the first name and must belong to one of the proposed shareholders.
- Place names: DMCC's rules exclude UAE emirates, districts and airport codes, and country or city names, though nationalities such as "European" are accepted.
- Restricted words: terms like Capital, Finance and FX need regulatory approval before reservation can proceed under DMCC's guidelines; DMCC also bars names that start with International, Middle East or Global.
- Translation: DMCC says names are phonetically translated, not literally.
- Legal form: Ministry of Economy guidance reported by the Khaleej Times says the name should include the legal form abbreviation, such as LLC. Confirm the exact form with your licensing authority.
Because DMCC's list is a free zone's own policy, treat it as a strong guide, not as the DET rulebook.
Do free zones handle trade names differently?
Yes: each free zone has its own naming rules, fees and approval process, separate from DET. A free zone name approval doesn't clear the name with DET, and the reverse also holds.
| Authority | What we verified | Source |
|---|---|---|
| DET (Dubai mainland) | AED 620 base fee; Arabic and English names required | DET service page and e-service help |
| DMCC | Restricted terms list, translation rule, personal name rule | DMCC Company Name Reservation Rules and Guidelines |
| Meydan Free Zone | Names can be reserved before applying for a licence; approval typically takes 20 to 30 minutes, according to Meydan | Meydan Free Zone website |
| SHAMS (Sharjah) | Not verified here; check the SHAMS website for current naming rules and fees | SHAMS |
If you're comparing mainland and free zone setups, the name rules are one more reason to decide the jurisdiction first and the name second. If you'd rather not track the dates that follow incorporation by hand, the free UAE compliance calendar lists them for your company.
What most guides don't tell you
- A clear name in one place isn't clear everywhere. DMCC's rules check a proposed name against existing DED companies with similar activities, and DET checks against its own register. Check the specific authority you plan to license with, and don't assume a name that passed in a free zone will pass on the mainland.
- Choose the activities before you choose the name. Because a name can't contradict the licensed activity, adding a quite different activity later can leave a name that no longer fits. Settle the activity list first.
- The characteristics you tick change the price. On the Dubai government portal, a name with a number, an abbreviation or a Dubai, UAE or Gulf reference costs AED 2,000 more than a plain AED 620 name. If you're choosing between two names you like equally, the plain one is the cheaper reservation.
- Decide the Arabic and English names together. DET asks for both in the same step. Free zone guidance says names are translated by sound, not by meaning, so a literal Arabic translation of a clever English name may not be accepted.
Which deadlines apply to your company?
Once your name and licence are in place, licence renewals, tax registrations and filing dates start running. The free UAE compliance calendar is a free calendar of your company's UAE tax and compliance deadlines, personalised from a few questions, as a PDF and calendar file.
Frequently asked questions
How do I choose the right business activities for my trade license? Pick activities from the licensing authority's list that match what you will actually invoice for, because the name must not contradict them. Some activities need clearance from another government department, so check that before you pay for the licence.
How many business activities can I add to one license? The limit differs by licensing authority and licence type, so no single UAE figure applies. Check the activity rules of DET or your free zone before you reserve a name, because the name should fit every activity you list.
What documents do I need to register a company in the UAE? The list varies by authority and legal form; dubai.ae names identification, residence permits and articles of association among the usual items, as applicable. The name reservation step itself needs owner details, an Arabic name, an English name and a description of your activities.
Can I run e-commerce and consulting under the same license? Often yes, provided both activities are on the licence, but the answer depends on the authority and the activity combination. Dubai.ae lists an E-Trader licence among its mainland options, and your trade name should not contradict either activity.
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
- Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism: Request to Book Trade Name
- DET e-services help: Reserve Business Name
- Dubai.ae: Starting a Business
- PCFC Digital Portal: Trade Name Reservation (Trakhees)
- DMCC Company Name Reservation Rules and Guidelines (hosted on u.ae)
- Meydan Free Zone: business name compliance requirements
- Khaleej Times: how to register a trade name in the UAE (press report of Ministry of Economy guidelines)
Last checked: 05 October 2026
This is general information, not tax or legal advice for your specific situation.