Table of Contents
Frequently Asked Questions
What is activity code 6399.02 and what does it permit a business to do
Activity code 6399.02 — officially titled Information Search Services On A Contract Or Fee Basis — permits the licence holder to provide structured research, data retrieval, and information brokerage to clients under paid engagements.
The operative model is business-to-business. The licensed operator sources, organises, and delivers information that clients either cannot find efficiently themselves or lack the internal resources to produce. Practical deliverables include market intelligence reports, corporate due diligence packs, regulatory research summaries, competitor landscape briefs, and sector-specific data compilations.
Billing structures such as retainer agreements, fixed-scope projects, and per-query arrangements are all legitimate under this licence.
How does activity 6399.02 differ from media monitoring, consultancy, and data analytics
The distinction is deliberate and compliance-relevant. Media monitoring involves tracking published content at scale, management consultancy implies providing strategic advice and recommendations, and data analytics covers statistical modelling and interpretation — none of which fall within 6399.02.
Activity 6399.02 covers the upstream work: finding, verifying, and packaging information. The licence does not extend to advising clients on what to do with the information delivered.
Operators who expand into analytics, advisory, or publishing without holding the corresponding activity codes create compliance exposure. Adding those activities requires the appropriate additional codes on the trade licence.
Who are the typical clients for an information search services business in Dubai
The client base for activity 6399.02 is well-defined and spans several professional sectors. Law firms conducting due diligence, investment offices assessing regional targets, and trading companies verifying counterparties are among the most active buyers of structured intelligence services.
Government contractors researching procurement environments and multinational regional headquarters needing localised intelligence before committing capital also represent consistent demand. As regional headquarters multiply in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, the need for fast, reliable, jurisdiction-specific intelligence grows with them.
The commercial gap is clear: raw data is increasingly accessible, but organised, verified, and contextualised intelligence is not — giving well-positioned operators strong margins without requiring large teams or significant capital outlay.
What is the size and growth outlook for the information services market relevant to this business
The global information services market is projected to exceed USD 345 billion by 2028, with the Middle East among the fastest-growing regions, according to IMARC Group.
The UAE's digital economy contributed approximately 9.7% of GDP and is targeted to reach 19.4% by 2031 under the Digital Dubai strategy. This expansion is generating consistent demand for structured information services as businesses and government entities accelerate digitalisation programmes.
The broader information services sector across the Middle East and Africa continues to attract significant investment, underpinned by government digitalisation initiatives and private sector expansion, according to Statista data.
Which regulatory authority oversees information search services in the UAE
The Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA) oversees digital information and data-related services in the UAE. For activity 6399.02, no sector-specific permit sits above the trade licence itself.
However, the scope of work must remain consistent with the licensed activity at all times. Operating outside the boundaries of the licensed activity — for example, providing analytics or strategic advice — without holding the corresponding activity codes creates regulatory exposure.
How does UAE data protection law affect an information search services business
UAE Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021 on Personal Data Protection applies directly to businesses handling personal data as part of their information services operations. Operators must understand how this law governs the collection, processing, storage, and delivery of any data relating to identifiable individuals.
This is particularly relevant when conducting corporate due diligence, counterparty verification, or any research that involves gathering information about named persons. Compliance obligations include ensuring lawful basis for processing, data minimisation, and appropriate handling of client and third-party data.
Founders should review the decree-law carefully before commencing operations and consider obtaining legal advice to ensure their research and delivery processes are fully compliant.
Why is Dubai specifically well-suited for launching an information search services business
Dubai's position as a regional data and knowledge hub creates both supply-side infrastructure and demand-side opportunity for information search services. The emirate hosts over 40 free zones supporting more than 500,000 registered businesses, representing a substantial built-in B2B client base for intelligence services, according to Invest in Dubai.
The concentration of regional headquarters, law firms, investment offices, and trading companies in Dubai means that demand for jurisdiction-specific intelligence is both real and recurring. Overhead for this type of business is low, and the regulatory path to licensing is described as straightforward.
Free zone structures such as Meydan Free Zone offer an efficient setup route, combining a recognised licence framework with the flexibility suited to knowledge-based service businesses.
What are the typical billing models used by information search services businesses
Three billing structures are commonly used and all are legitimate under activity code 6399.02. Retainer agreements provide a client with ongoing access to research capacity for a fixed monthly or quarterly fee, making them well-suited to law firms or investment offices with continuous intelligence needs.
Fixed-scope projects are defined engagements with a clear deliverable — such as a competitor landscape brief or a regulatory research summary — billed at an agreed price upon completion or in milestones. Per-query arrangements suit clients with occasional, discrete research needs who prefer to pay only for specific requests.
The choice of billing model typically depends on client type and relationship depth. Retainers offer revenue predictability for the operator, while project and per-query models lower the barrier to entry for new clients testing the service.
How to Start an Information Search Services Business in Dubai
Raw data is everywhere now. Organised, checked and useful information is not. That gap is the whole business behind activity code 6399.02, Information Search Services On A Contract Or Fee Basis. You find things out for clients who do not have the time, the people or the local knowledge to do it themselves.
This guide covers what the license lets you do, who buys the work, the rules that apply, and how to set the company up through Meydan Free Zone.
Key Stats at a Glance
What This License Covers
Activity 6399.02 lets you sell structured research, data retrieval and information brokerage under a paid engagement. The model is business to business. You find the information, you organise it, you hand it over.
Typical deliverables include:
- Market intelligence reports
- Corporate due diligence packs
- Regulatory research summaries
- Competitor landscape briefs
- Sector-specific data compilations
The boundary of the code matters, so it is worth being clear about what falls outside it.
Move into advice, analytics or publishing without adding the matching codes and you are working outside your license. Adding them is simple, so add them.
Who Your Clients Will Be
This is a well-defined buyer list, and it is mostly professional firms:
- Law firms running due diligence
- Investment offices sizing up regional targets
- Trading companies checking who they are dealing with
- Government contractors researching procurement markets
- Multinational regional headquarters that want local intelligence before they commit money
None of these buy on a whim. They buy because a deal, a filing or a board paper depends on it, which is why the work repeats. As more regional headquarters land in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, the need for fast, jurisdiction-specific intelligence grows with them.
How the Money Works
Three billing models are all fine under this code. Retainers give a client ongoing access to your research capacity for a fixed monthly or quarterly fee, which suits law firms and investment offices with constant needs. Fixed-scope projects are one clear deliverable at an agreed price. Per-query work suits clients with the occasional one-off question.
Retainers give you the steadiest income. Project and per-query work lowers the barrier for a new client who wants to test you first. Most operators run all three.
Mainland or Free Zone
Free zone setup at Meydan Free Zone works well for this activity. Overheads stay low, no sector permit sits above the trade license, and you can run the whole thing from a flexi-desk. That is a good fit for a business whose main asset is your ability to find things out.
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Step-by-Step Setup Guide
Meydan Free Zone supports activity 6399.02 as a standalone trade license, and no outside approvals are needed for this category.
- Step 1, pick your activity: Confirm code 6399.02 at the application stage. The Meydan Free Zone team can check the scope and flag nearby activities worth adding.
- Step 2, choose your package: A flexi-desk or virtual office is enough for a lean research business. You do not need a physical office for most client work.
- Step 3, prepare your documents: A passport copy and a completed application form are the standard set. No sector-specific approvals are usually needed.
- Step 4, allow for the timeline: Licenses are generally issued within a few working days.
- Step 5, sort your visas: Your package decides your visa allocation, so confirm the number when you apply.
- Step 6, set up remotely if you need to: Meydan Free Zone allows full remote setup. You do not have to be in Dubai to finish the process.
Compliance and What You Need in Place
Who oversees this
The Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA) oversees digital information and data services in the UAE. For activity 6399.02 there is no extra sector permit above the trade license itself.
Stay inside your scope
Your work has to match the activity on your license. If a client asks for analysis or advice and you do not hold those codes, either add them or say no.
Personal data
UAE Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021 on Personal Data Protection applies directly when you handle data about identifiable people. Due diligence and counterparty checks often do. Handle, store and transfer that data as the law requires, and check your duties on the Official UAE Government Portal.
Tax
The Federal Tax Authority (FTA) requires VAT registration once taxable turnover passes AED 375,000 a year. Track revenue from your first invoice and register as you approach it.
Market Opportunity
The wider market is growing. IMARC Group puts the global information services market above USD 345 billion by 2028, with the Middle East among the fastest-growing regions. Closer to home, the UAE digital economy is around 9.7% of GDP and is targeted to reach 19.4% by 2031 under the Digital Dubai strategy. Statista data points the same way across the Middle East and Africa, backed by government digitalisation programmes and private sector growth.
The local pool is deep as well. Dubai holds over 40 free zones supporting more than 500,000 registered businesses, and a heavy concentration of law firms, investment offices and regional headquarters. Every one of them is a possible client.
Conclusion
Information search services is a low-cost business with good margins. There is little regulatory friction, B2B demand is already there, and the license scope is broad enough to cover research, intelligence and data retrieval without extra permits or a big team.
Use the cost calculator to size your budget, then speak to the Meydan Free Zone team to confirm your scope and get the license moving.
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