Table of Contents
Frequently Asked Questions
What does this activity cover?
It covers shops selling used goods to the public. Clothing, books, household items, antiques and retail auctions are all included.
Can I sell used jewellery?
Not under this code. Used jewellery trading sits under 4774.94 and needs approval from the Security Industry Regulatory Agency.
Can I sell used cars?
No. Second-hand motor vehicles sit under class 4510 and need their own activity.
Can I run online auctions?
No. Internet auctions and other non-store auctions sit under separate codes.
Do I need third-party approval?
No. This activity does not require third-party approval to obtain a business license from Meydan Free Zone.
Topic Summary
Understand What This Business Activity Covers
The thrift and second-hand goods activity code covers thrift stores, antique dealers, second-hand bookshops, and retail auction houses. It also includes cleaning, repairing, and pricing stock before items go on sale.
Know What Falls Outside This License
Second-hand motor vehicles, pawnbroking, internet auctions, and used jewellery are all excluded and fall under separate codes. Used jewellery in particular requires pre-approval from the Security Industry Regulatory Agency before you can trade.
Tap Into a Growing Pre-Owned Market
A quarter of UAE consumers bought or rented a pre-owned item within a six-month period, driven by sustainability, value, and the appeal of unique finds. Online resale platforms have made the habit even easier to adopt across the region.
Leverage Dubai's Property Market for Stock
Dubai recorded more than 270,000 property deals in 2025, and every move puts usable goods back into circulation. House clearances, donations, and trade-ins are all reliable sourcing channels for second-hand retailers.
Understand the Two Main Business Models
Thrift and pre-loved retailers focus on volume, sourcing donated or bought-in clothing and household goods as cheaply as possible. Antique and collectables dealers take a different approach, relying on specialist knowledge to identify and price pieces accurately.
No Third-Party Approval or AML Requirements
Opening a thrift store through Meydan Free Zone does not require third-party approval to obtain a business license. The activity is also not subject to anti-money laundering compliance requirements, keeping the setup process straightforward.
Ride the Broader UAE Retail Growth Wave
UAE retail sales rose 7% in 2025 to reach AED 256 billion, reflecting strong consumer spending across the market. Second-hand retail is well positioned to capture a share of that growth as mainstream attitudes toward pre-owned goods continue to shift.
How to Open a Thrift Store for Second-Hand Goods in Dubai with Meydan Free Zone
This activity is the parent code for shops selling used goods to the public. It covers thrift stores, second-hand bookshops, antique dealers and retail auction houses. Stock comes from house clearances, donations, trade-ins and people moving on. The margin sits in buying well and pricing each item sensibly.
Buying used has moved into the mainstream here. A quarter of UAE consumers had bought or rented a pre-owned item within a six month period.1 Sustainability, price and the hunt for something unusual all play a part in that shift. Online resale platforms have also made the habit far easier to pick up.
The wider retail picture supports the trade as well. UAE retail sales rose 7% during 2025 to reach AED 256 billion.2 Dubai alone recorded more than 270,000 property deals that year.3 Every one of those moves puts usable goods back into circulation, which is where the stock comes from.
Why pre-owned shopping keeps growing in the UAE
Whether you run a thrift store, a book shop, an antique dealership or a retail auction room, this is the parent code you start from. The figures below show what sits behind the trade.
Who is this activity for?
What this activity covers
This code covers retail sale of second-hand goods of most kinds. The class guidelines group used goods, antiques and retail auctions together.
- Retail sale of second-hand books
- Retail sale of other second-hand goods such as clothing and household items
- Retail sale of antiques and older collectable pieces
- Running an auction house that sells to the public
- Cleaning, repairing and pricing stock before it goes on sale
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Product scope
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What falls outside this activity
This activity does not cover second-hand motor vehicles, which the class guidelines place under class 4510. Internet auctions and other non-store auctions sit under their own codes. Pawn broking is a financial activity under class 6492. Used jewellery has its own code, 4774.94, which needs pre-approval from the Security Industry Regulatory Agency.
In short, you can buy and resell used goods to the public, but not cars, not jewellery, and not as a pawnbroker.
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Compliance
Third-party Approval
This activity does not require third-party approval to obtain a business license from Meydan Free Zone.
Anti-money Laundering Compliance
This business activity is not subject to AML compliance requirements.
Footnotes
1. The National, Here's Why the UAE's Pre-Owned Market is Booming, 2022.
2. Euromonitor International, Retail in the United Arab Emirates, 2026.
3. Government of Dubai, Dubai Real Estate Market Records New Historic Milestone, 2026.
