Table of Contents
Frequently Asked Questions
What is activity code 8010.93 and what does it permit in Dubai
Activity code 8010.93 is the commercial licence classification that covers both event crowd management and close protection (bodyguard) services in Dubai. Having both services under a single code creates a practical dual-revenue model for operators.
This means a business licensed under 8010.93 can take on high-volume event security contracts at one end of the market while also offering specialist close protection retainers for UHNW individuals and corporate clients at the other — without needing separate activity codes for each service line.
What licences are required to legally operate an event security or bodyguard company in Dubai
Operating legally requires two distinct approvals that do not substitute for each other. First, a Private Security Companies licence from the Ministry of Interior is mandatory under federal UAE law. Second, a standard commercial trade licence from the relevant authority is required.
For mainland Dubai operations specifically, you also need DED approval and a dedicated security services permit from Dubai Police. Operating without the Dubai Police permit — even on a temporary basis — exposes the business to suspension and can damage relationships with clients who conduct compliance checks before awarding contracts.
Do individual bodyguards and security operatives need their own licences in the UAE
Yes. Under UAE federal law, individual security operatives and bodyguards must hold personal licences in addition to working for a licensed company. This is separate from the company-level approvals.
Mandatory requirements for individuals include background checks, physical fitness standards, and recognised training certifications. Businesses are also required to maintain a live register of licensed operatives as an ongoing audit requirement — this is not a one-time filing but an active compliance obligation.
Can a free zone company operate event security or bodyguard services on the ground in Dubai
No. Security services that involve physical deployment on Dubai soil — at venues, streets, or private residences — must hold a mainland licence. Free zone registration alone does not permit on-ground field operations, and this is a firm regulatory boundary rather than a grey area.
Some operators use a structure where a free zone entity such as Meydan Free Zone serves as a cost-efficient commercial holding base, while a separate mainland trade licence or branch handles all operational deployment. This dual structure is used by a number of established operators in the sector.
How do Emiratisation (Nafis) quotas affect a private security business in Dubai
Emiratisation quotas set by MOHRE apply to private security firms from the point of hiring. This means staffing ratios must be factored into your cost model before you recruit any personnel.
Failing to account for these quotas at the planning stage can significantly affect operational costs and hiring timelines. It is advisable to review the current MOHRE staffing ratio requirements specific to the private security sector before finalising your business plan or making any employment commitments.
When does a security services business in Dubai need to register for VAT
VAT registration becomes mandatory once annual turnover exceeds AED 375,000. This threshold is governed by the Federal Tax Authority (FTA).
Given that event security contracts and close protection retainers in Dubai's luxury and corporate segments can reach significant values relatively quickly, businesses should monitor their revenue against this threshold from the outset and build VAT compliance into their invoicing and accounting processes early rather than retrospectively.
What are the main client segments for an event security and bodyguard business in Dubai
Dubai's market offers several well-defined and consistently active client segments. Key buyers of licensed private security services include event management firms, five-star hotel groups, UHNW individuals, corporate delegations, film productions, and government-adjacent functions.
The demand is structural rather than cyclical — Dubai hosted over 400 major MICE events in 2023, and the city welcomed 17.15 million international overnight visitors that same year according to Visit Dubai. The Dubai Sports Council and Dubai Culture and Arts Authority collectively sanction hundreds of ticketed events annually, all of which require licensed security contractors.
How large is the UAE private security market and what is driving its growth
The UAE private security services market is estimated at approximately USD 1.2 billion and is projected to grow steadily through 2028. Sector data is tracked by research firms including IMARC Group and Mordor Intelligence.
The primary growth drivers are luxury tourism, mega-events, and the expanding high-net-worth resident population in the UAE. These factors create sustained, long-term demand rather than short-term spikes, making the sector a commercially serious opportunity for well-structured, fully licensed operators.
Start an Event Security & Bodyguard Services Business in Dubai
Dubai runs events all year, from Formula 1 weekends to private gatherings for people who travel with a team. Every one of them needs licensed security standing on the ground, and the client cannot legally hire anyone else.
Activity code 8010.93 covers both event crowd work and close protection. This guide covers what the license permits, the approvals you cannot skip, how the money works, and how to structure the company. The compliance section is the one to read twice.
Key Stats at a Glance
What This License Covers
Activity code 8010.93 covers event crowd management and close protection, which people usually call bodyguard work. Having both inside one code is the commercial point of this license: you can run high-volume event contracts at one end of the market and specialist close protection retainers at the other without holding two activity codes.
What the license does not do is let you deploy anyone. That comes from a separate stack of approvals, and each person you put on the ground needs a license of their own.
Who Your Clients Will Be
- Event management firms
- Five-star hotel groups
- Ultra-high-net-worth individuals
- Corporate delegations
- Film productions
- Government-adjacent functions
Nobody here buys on a phone call. These buyers run compliance checks before they award anything, and the first thing they look at is whether your approvals and your operative register are current.
The demand behind this is structural rather than seasonal. Dubai hosted over 400 major MICE events in 2023 and welcomed 17.15 million international overnight visitors in the same year. The Dubai Sports Council and the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority between them sanction hundreds of ticketed events a year, and every one of those needs a licensed contractor.
Mainland or Free Zone
Be clear on this one, because it is a firm regulatory boundary and not a grey area. Security work carried out on Dubai soil, at venues, on streets or at private residences, must sit under a mainland license. A free zone registration on its own does not permit field operations.
What a number of established operators do instead is run both. Meydan Free Zone holds the commercial and administrative entity, which keeps overheads down, and a mainland trade license or branch handles every deployment. That structure is compliant.
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Step by Step Setup Guide
- Step 1, define your scope: Confirm that code 8010.93 covers what you intend to sell, meaning event security, crowd control and close protection. Check the activity list before you file anything, so you are not amending later.
- Step 2, pick your jurisdiction: Mainland for full operational access, Meydan Free Zone for a lower-cost holding structure. Many operators use both.
- Step 3, book your trade name and take initial approval: The name must not imply government affiliation or use terms reserved for official bodies.
- Step 4, get Dubai Police and Ministry of Interior approval: Submit your company documents, owner background checks and a detailed operational scope. Start this early, because it is the long pole in the whole process.
- Step 5, secure your premises: An Ejari-registered address is needed. A flexi-desk works for the free zone entity, but the mainland license needs a substantive, verifiable address.
- Step 6, register with MOHRE: Do this for employment contracts and Emiratisation compliance before you hire any field staff. Falling short brings fines and can freeze your ability to issue new work permits.
- Step 7, license every operative: Each deployed officer needs a personal license. Keep the register current, because it will be asked for in any audit.
- Step 8, open a corporate bank account: Banks treat security firms as higher-scrutiny clients, so bring a detailed business plan, projected figures and evidence of a client pipeline.
Compliance and What You Need in Place
Two licenses, not one
Private security in the UAE is federally regulated. Every company needs a Private Security Companies license from the Ministry of Interior as well as a standard commercial trade license. These are separate approvals and one does not stand in for the other.
Dubai Police permit
Mainland operations need DET approval plus a dedicated security services permit from Dubai Police. This is actively enforced. Working without it, even for one event, risks suspension and damages your standing with clients who check before they sign.
Individual operative licenses
Bodyguards and security officers must each hold a personal license. Background checks, physical fitness standards and training certificates are all set out in UAE federal law, and you must keep a live register of licensed operatives as a standing audit duty rather than a one-off filing.
Emiratisation
Nafis quotas apply to private security firms and MOHRE sets the staffing ratios. Put those numbers in your cost model before you hire your first person, because retrofitting them is expensive.
Insurance
Professional indemnity and public liability cover is commercially essential, and event organisers increasingly write it into the contract before anything is signed.
VAT
Register once annual turnover passes AED 375,000. With close protection retainers and event contracts in the luxury and corporate segments, that threshold arrives quickly, so build VAT into your invoicing from the start.
What It Costs and What You Charge
Initial license and government fees typically run AED 15,000 to 30,000, depending on jurisdiction and how many approvals you need. Operative licensing, training and uniforms are recurring: budget AED 3,000 to 6,000 per operative per year as a working figure.
On the revenue side there are two tiers. Event day-rate work runs AED 800 to 2,500 per operative per shift. Retainer close protection packages for private clients run AED 25,000 to 80,000 a month. Corporate venue contracts sit between the two on both margin and complexity.
Margins are thin at the commodity end, meaning crowd control for large public events, and much stronger at the specialist end: close protection, executive security and diplomatic escort work. Where you position the firm decides your unit economics.
Market Opportunity
The UAE private security services market is estimated at around USD 1.2 billion and is projected to grow steadily through 2028, with sector data tracked by IMARC Group and Mordor Intelligence. The drivers are luxury tourism, mega-events and a growing high-net-worth resident population, none of which is a short-term spike.
The useful part for a new entrant is that the compliance load thins out the field. Plenty of operators cannot or will not carry the full approval stack, which leaves limited quality competition at the professional end.
Conclusion
Event security and bodyguard services in Dubai is a regulated, credentialled business, and not one you can enter informally. The opportunity is real and growing, but the approval stack has to be sequenced from day one rather than assembled after your first booking.
Three things decide how smoothly this goes: Ministry of Interior and Dubai Police approvals in hand before you deploy, a current operative register, and a structure that puts field work under a mainland license. Sort those and the rest is routine.
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