Table of Contents
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Management Services licence in Dubai and what does it allow you to do
A Management Services licence in Dubai operates under Activity Code 7010.96, classified within ISIC Division 70 — Activities of Head Offices and Management Consultancy. It authorises a licensed entity to provide strategic, operational, and administrative management services to other businesses, corporate groups, and entities.
Permitted activities include advisory on organisational structure, business process management, cost optimisation, corporate governance, and outsourced management functions. It is a broad licence that supports both independent consultants and multi-entity corporate structures operating across the GCC region.
What activities are NOT covered by the Management Services licence
The Management Services licence (Activity Code 7010.96) does not cover regulated financial advisory, investment management, legal services, or HR recruitment and staffing. Each of these requires a separate, dedicated licence.
In some cases, additional regulatory approval is required from bodies such as the Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA) or the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA). If your service offering touches any of these areas, you must structure your activity scope correctly from the outset to remain compliant.
Who is the Management Services licence best suited for
The licence is well-suited to a range of business structures and professionals. These include holding company structures, outsourced C-suite service providers, regional headquarters operations, and independent management consultants serving corporate clients across the GCC.
It is also a practical choice for family offices and multinationals that require external management expertise without establishing a full operational entity. The broad activity scope makes it commercially flexible for both advisory-led and operationally focused businesses.
What is the difference between a mainland and a free zone Management Services licence in Dubai
A mainland licence, issued by the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET/DED), allows you to contract directly with UAE government entities and local corporates without restriction. It is the more practical route if your clients are primarily UAE-based, particularly in the public or semi-government sector.
A free zone licence — such as one issued by Meydan Free Zone — offers 100% foreign ownership, faster incorporation, lower overhead, and no requirement for a local service agent. It is better suited to internationally focused operations, firms advising clients outside the UAE, or founders seeking operational simplicity. The trade-off is that free zone entities face restrictions when contracting directly with mainland UAE clients.
How long does it take to set up a Management Services licence in Dubai
Setup timelines vary by jurisdiction. A free zone licence can typically be established in as little as 3–7 business days, making it one of the faster routes to incorporation in the UAE.
A mainland licence through the DED generally takes longer, with a typical timeline of 2–4 weeks, reflecting additional procedural steps and approvals. Both timelines assume documentation is in order and no unusual regulatory queries arise during the application process.
What are the costs associated with obtaining a Management Services licence in Dubai
Licence fees for a Management Services licence start from approximately AED 12,000 per year for free zone packages. This figure can vary depending on the free zone chosen, the office arrangement selected, and any bundled visa allocations included in the package.
Additional costs to factor in include government registration fees, visa application fees, and any office or flexi-desk costs. Mainland licences typically carry higher overhead due to office requirements and local service agent arrangements where applicable.
What are the tax obligations for a Management Services company in Dubai
Since June 2023, the UAE applies a corporate tax of 9% on taxable income exceeding AED 375,000. Income below this threshold is taxed at 0%, providing a meaningful relief for smaller or early-stage operations.
VAT at 5% applies to management fees once the business's taxable turnover exceeds AED 375,000, at which point VAT registration becomes mandatory. Businesses should account for both obligations when modelling their financial structure and pricing their services.
How many visas can a Management Services licence holder obtain in Dubai
Visa allocation depends on the office arrangement associated with the licence. A flexi-desk setup typically supports between 1 and 3 investor or employee visas, which is sufficient for lean operations or sole founders with a small team.
Businesses requiring a larger workforce can obtain additional visa allocations by upgrading to a dedicated office space, which increases the permitted headcount proportionally. Both investor visas and standard employee visas are applicable under a Management Services licence.
Management Services License in Dubai
Plenty of companies in Dubai need management expertise they do not want to hire permanently: a holding group that needs someone running its structure, a family office without a full team, a multinational that wants senior help without building a whole entity. Activity code 7010.96 is the license for supplying that.
This guide covers what the code permits, the four things it firmly does not, the jurisdiction choice, and what setup actually costs.
Key Stats at a Glance
What This License Covers
Code 7010.96 lets you provide strategic, operational and administrative management services to other businesses, corporate groups and entities. In practice that means:
- Advising on organisational structure
- Business process management
- Cost optimisation
- Corporate governance
- Providing outsourced management functions
It is a broad and useful code. The same license supports a sole consultant advising one client and a multi-entity corporate structure running several companies across the GCC.
What It Does Not Cover
Four areas sit outside this license and each needs its own:
- Regulated financial advisory
- Investment management
- Legal services
- HR recruitment and staffing
Some of those also need approval from a financial regulator such as the Securities and Commodities Authority, depending on exactly what you do. If any part of your offering touches these areas, structure your activity scope properly at the start. Adding a service that quietly crosses one of these lines is the most common way a clean management consultancy becomes a compliance problem.
Who This Suits
- Holding company structures
- Outsourced C-suite service providers
- Regional headquarters operations
- Independent management consultants serving corporate clients across the GCC
- Family offices and multinationals wanting external management expertise without a full operational entity
Mainland or Free Zone
This is the biggest choice you will make when setting up. Let your clients decide it, not the price.
For firms whose clients are mostly international or free zone based, the mainland restriction is rarely a real constraint. If you are chasing government work, it is decisive.
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Step-by-Step Setup Guide
Delays here almost always come from a vague activity description or incomplete compliance paperwork at the banking stage.
- Step 1, define your activity scope: Confirm 7010.96 matches what you will sell, and identify anything ancillary. Training or HR consultancy alongside management services needs its own codes.
- Step 2, choose your jurisdiction: Based on your client base, ownership preference and cost tolerance. Everything else follows this decision.
- Step 3, book your trade name: Names must follow UAE conventions, so avoid anything implying government affiliation, regulated financial services or legal practice.
- Step 4, submit your documents: Passport copies for all shareholders and directors, a business plan summary where required, and the application forms.
- Step 5, get initial approval and constitutional documents: This includes the memorandum or articles of association, depending on your structure and jurisdiction.
- Step 6, secure your office: Physical office or flexi-desk, depending on jurisdiction and how many visas you need.
- Step 7, pay your fees and collect your license: Free zone issuance usually takes 3 to 7 business days from this point.
- Step 8, open a corporate bank account: Allow two to six weeks. Banks look closely at source of funds, business model clarity and shareholder background.
- Step 9, register for corporate tax: Mandatory for entities meeting the threshold.
- Step 10, apply for visas: Investor and employee visas according to your office package and headcount.
Compliance and What You Need in Place
Corporate tax
Registration is mandatory once you meet the AED 375,000 threshold, and you must keep accounting records to UAE standards. The rate above that threshold is 9%.
VAT
Management fees are generally subject to VAT at 5% once taxable supplies pass AED 375,000 a year, handled through the Federal Tax Authority.
Scope discipline
Revisit your activity list whenever your service offering changes. The four excluded areas are easy to drift into, particularly financial advisory, because clients ask for it.
Renewal
Annual and mandatory. Missing it triggers fines and can escalate to cancellation, which then causes problems for visa holders and banking relationships.
Costs and Visas
Free zone license fees for this activity typically run from AED 12,000 to AED 25,000 a year, depending on package, office type and how many visas are included. Mainland costs are generally higher once you add office lease requirements, notarisation and any local service agent fees.
Visa allocation follows your office arrangement. A flexi-desk supports one to three visas, and dedicated office space scales proportionally. If you plan to grow the team, pick the office with that in mind rather than upgrading later.
Market Opportunity
The demand comes from Dubai's composition. Multinationals, family offices and regional holding structures keep arriving, and all of them need management expertise from outside. Corporate advisory is among the faster-growing professional service categories in the UAE for that reason.
The other appeal is how little it takes to start. This is a knowledge business with no stock and no equipment, so a consultant with a flexi-desk license can take on real client work within a week of deciding to.
Conclusion
A management services license under 7010.96 is commercially flexible and suits everyone from a solo consultant to a regional holding structure. The jurisdiction choice comes down to who your clients are rather than prestige.
Setup is quick when your documents are clean and your activity scope is defined before you begin. Use the cost calculator for a breakdown, or speak to the Meydan Free Zone team to confirm the right jurisdiction and check name availability.
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