Table of Contents
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Products Design Services licence (activity code 7110.79) actually cover
Activity code 7110.79 covers a broad range of tangible product development and design engineering services. This includes industrial product design, consumer goods design, packaging design, and design consultancy for manufactured goods.
The licence spans the full design development process — from initial concept and prototyping briefs through to production-ready specifications. It is specifically oriented towards work that feeds into a manufacturing or supply chain process, making it distinct from graphic design or interior design licences.
Typical clients under this licence include manufacturers, FMCG brands, electronics firms, and product startups seeking design-to-production support.
Which ISIC classification does the Products Design Services licence fall under
Activity code 7110.79 sits under ISIC Division 71 — Architectural, Engineering, and Related Technical Activities. This places product design firmly within the Professional, Scientific and Technical Activities category.
This classification is commercially significant because it positions product design as a professional and technical service — not within the creative arts or advertising sector — which can affect how contracts are structured and how the business is perceived by corporate clients.
Can a foreigner own 100% of a Products Design Services company in Dubai
Yes. 100% foreign ownership is permitted for a Products Design Services licence in Dubai, both in free zones and, following the 2021 Companies Law amendments, on the mainland in most professional service categories.
For free zone options such as Meydan Free Zone, 100% foreign ownership has always been a standard feature. For mainland setups via the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET/DED), it is advisable to verify the current requirements directly with DET, as rules have evolved in recent years.
What is the estimated cost to set up a Products Design Services licence in Dubai
Setup costs vary depending on the jurisdiction chosen. A free zone licence can be established from approximately AED 12,500, making it the more affordable entry point for lean studios and solo practitioners.
A mainland licence issued by the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism typically starts from AED 25,000 or more, reflecting additional regulatory and administrative requirements.
These figures cover the licence itself; additional costs such as office space, visa fees, and professional service charges should also be factored into your total budget.
What is the difference between setting up on the mainland versus in a free zone for product design services
A mainland licence issued by the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET/DED) allows you to work directly with any UAE-based client without restriction. You can invoice any UAE entity, sign contracts freely, and operate from any commercial address in Dubai — making it well-suited to studios with significant UAE corporate clientele.
A free zone licence offers faster setup, lower entry costs, and 100% foreign ownership as standard. However, free zone businesses serving UAE mainland clients may require a commercial agent or branch arrangement to operate without restriction locally.
The right choice depends on your client base and operating model — internationally focused studios often favour free zones, while those with heavy UAE client pipelines may prefer the mainland.
Why is Meydan Free Zone recommended for product design professionals
Meydan Free Zone offers several practical advantages for design professionals. It provides 100% foreign ownership with no paid-up capital requirement, which lowers the financial barrier to entry significantly.
Remote setup is available, which is particularly useful for founders who are not yet physically based in the UAE. Flexi-desk and virtual office packages help keep overheads low for lean studios and sole practitioners.
Visa allocation is available from the first day of licence issuance, and the overall process is considered more straightforward than mainland equivalents — making Meydan a cost-efficient and operationally practical base for internationally focused product design consultancies.
Is the Products Design Services licence eligible for UAE residency visas
Yes. Holders of a Products Design Services licence are eligible for UAE residency visas, including both investor visas and employee visas. Visa allocation is tied to the licence and, in the case of free zone setups such as Meydan, is available from the day the licence is issued.
The number of visas available typically depends on the office package selected — a flexi-desk or virtual office arrangement will carry a lower visa quota than a dedicated physical office space. It is worth confirming your specific visa allocation requirements before choosing an office package.
How does the Products Design Services licence differ from a graphic design or interior design licence
The key distinction is the nature of the output. Activity code 7110.79 is specifically oriented towards tangible product development and design engineering — work that directly feeds into a manufacturing or supply chain process.
In contrast, graphic design licences cover visual communication and branding work, while interior design licences relate to spatial design. The Products Design Services licence is the correct choice if your work involves shaping how a physical product looks, functions, and is manufactured — covering areas such as industrial design, consumer goods development, and packaging design for production.
Choosing the wrong activity code can create compliance issues and may affect your ability to invoice clients for certain scopes of work, so selecting the correct classification from the outset is important.
Product Design Services License in Dubai
Dubai sits where manufacturing, technology, and creative work meet, and product design earns well from all three. Activity code 7110.79 is one of the more useful professional licenses in the emirate because it stretches across the whole job, from first sketch to the file a factory can actually build from.
This guide covers what the Products Design Services license lets you do, where to set it up, what it costs, and how to get it done without wasting weeks.
Key Stats at a Glance
What This License Covers
Code 7110.79 sits under ISIC Division 71, which covers architectural, engineering, and related technical work. That placing matters. It puts product design with the professional and technical services, not with the creative arts or advertising.
The license covers industrial product design, consumer goods design, packaging design, and design advice for manufactured goods. It runs across the whole development process, from concept and prototype briefs through to production-ready specs.
This is not the same as a graphic design or interior design license. Code 7110.79 is for real, physical products and the engineering behind them, the sort of work that ends up on a factory floor. Pick the wrong code and you may run into compliance problems and struggle to invoice for parts of your own scope, so get it right at the start.
Who Your Clients Will Be
Your buyers are manufacturers, FMCG brands, electronics firms, and product startups that need help getting from idea to production. If your job is shaping how a physical thing looks, works, and gets built, these are the people who pay for it.
Mainland or Free Zone
This is the biggest choice you will make when setting up. Let your clients decide it, not the price.
If a lot of your pipeline is UAE corporate work, the mainland is usually the cleaner route. Check the current rules on local service agents and partnership structures with the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, because they have changed in recent years.
Meydan Free Zone suits studios pointed outwards. You get 100% foreign ownership, no paid-up capital to find, and you can set up remotely if you are not in the UAE yet. Flexi-desk and virtual office packages keep costs down for small studios and solo designers, and visa allocation starts the day your license is issued.
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Step-by-Step Setup Guide
The process runs in a straight line. Follow it in order and you will dodge the usual delays.
- Step 1, pick your structure: Sole establishment, LLC, or free zone company. Design consultancies usually go for a mainland sole establishment or a free zone FZ-LLC.
- Step 2, book your trade name: Use the DET portal for mainland or the free zone platform. Names must follow UAE rules: nothing offensive, no political or religious references, and nothing already registered.
- Step 3, apply for initial approval: Put activity code 7110.79 on the form. Attach passport copies for every shareholder and manager, plus a No Objection Certificate from your current UAE employer if you have one.
- Step 4, sort out an address: You need a physical office or a flexi-desk. Mainland licenses need a tenancy contract registered on Ejari before the license is issued.
- Step 5, pay and collect: Once the fees are paid, the trade license comes through.
- Step 6, apply for visas: Investor or employee visas can go in straight after the license. Everyone applying needs an Emirates ID registration and a medical fitness test.
Expect 3 to 7 working days in a free zone and 2 to 4 weeks on the mainland, depending on approvals and how ready your paperwork is.
Compliance and What You Need in Place
Papers to have ready
- Passport copy for every shareholder and manager
- UAE visa or entry stamp copy, if you are already in the country
- Your proposed trade name and confirmed activity code 7110.79
- Tenancy contract or free zone office agreement
- No Objection Certificate from your current employer, if that applies
Renewals
Your license renews every year. Budget for the renewal fee and any visa renewals at the same time. These come round again, so put them in your year one and year two cash flow, not just your setup budget.
VAT
You must register for VAT once yearly revenue passes AED 375,000. You can register voluntarily from AED 187,500. The Federal Tax Authority sets both thresholds and the filing rules, and once you are registered you file either quarterly or annually.
Corporate Tax
UAE Corporate Tax of 9% applies to taxable income above AED 375,000, for financial years starting on or after 1 June 2023. Keep proper books from day one. Rebuilding accounts after the fact is expensive and risky.
Insurance
Professional indemnity cover is not required by law for this activity. It is still a sensible buy for any studio taking on product briefs where a mistake shows up later in someone else's production run.
Market Opportunity
Product design in Dubai benefits from being near both the money and the making. Regional manufacturers, FMCG groups, and hardware startups all need design partners who can work to production standards, and the city gives you easy reach into the Gulf, Africa, and South Asia from one base. The license also carries UAE residency visas for you and your team, which makes it workable as a place to actually live and build the studio.
Conclusion
A Products Design Services license under code 7110.79 is a clean professional license with real commercial depth. It covers industrial and consumer product design, sits in a well-defined regulatory category, and allows full foreign ownership in a free zone and, under current rules, on the mainland too.
A free zone is the fastest and cheapest way in. The mainland suits studios with UAE corporate clients who need to contract locally without extra steps. Either way the rules are workable and the license puts your business in the right professional bracket.
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