Table of Contents
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Do I need approval to provide commercial brokerage services?
No. Activity 4610.11 requires no third-party approval, so Meydan Free Zone can issue the business license directly. The activity is also not subject to AML compliance requirements.
2. What does trading on a fee or contract basis mean?
The broker arranges sales on behalf and on the account of others rather than trading in its own name. No stock is purchased and no title passes to the broker, which keeps working capital requirements low.
3. How large are UAE re-export flows?
UAE re-exports reached AED 830.2 billion by the end of 2025, growing 15.7% against 2024 and 21.3% against 2023, within a total non-oil trade economy of AED 3.8 trillion.
4. Which product categories can a commission agent cover?
The activity spans agricultural raw materials, fuels, ores, metals, industrial chemicals, food and beverages, textiles and footwear, timber and building materials, machinery, and household goods.
5. Can I take ownership of goods under this licence?
No. Wholesale trade conducted in your own name, where goods are purchased and resold on your own account, falls under separate wholesale trading classifications.
6. Does this cover brokerage of motor vehicles?
No. Commission agency for motor vehicles and the auctioning of vehicles sit within their own vehicle trade classifications and require separate activities.
Topic Summary
Brokers Never Hold Stock or Title
Commercial brokers arrange transactions on behalf of a principal without ever purchasing goods or taking title. This keeps working capital requirements low and makes the model highly scalable across multiple sectors.
UAE Re-Exports Signal Massive Broker Demand
UAE re-exports reached AED 830.2 billion by end of 2025, growing 15.7% year-on-year. Every cross-border re-export transaction requires someone to match supply with demand, creating consistent work for licensed commission agents.
Non-Oil Trade Tops AED 3.8 Trillion
Total non-oil foreign trade surpassed AED 3.8 trillion in 2025, up roughly 27%, with non-oil imports alone exceeding AED 2.1 trillion. This volume underpins strong, diversified demand for wholesale intermediation services.
37 Trade Agreements Open New Corridors
The UAE has signed 37 Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements, with 18 already in force. These deals create fresh trade corridors where commission agents can operate between markets that previously had limited bilateral trade.
Activity Covers a Wide Range of Goods
Activity 4610.11 permits brokerage across agricultural raw materials, fuels, ores, metals, industrial chemicals, food, textiles, machinery, timber, and household goods. Agents can also conduct online trade intermediation and re-export sourcing under the same licence.
Sourcing Agents Add Value Beyond Price
Sourcing and re-export facilitators provide supplier verification, price discovery, and corridor knowledge rather than simply connecting buyers and sellers on price. Their expertise in which route clears fastest is a distinct, billable service.
How to Start a Commercial Brokerage Services Business in Dubai with Meydan Free Zone
Commercial brokerage services cover wholesale trade conducted on a fee or contract basis, where the broker arranges the sale of goods on behalf and on the account of others rather than trading in its own name. Commission agents sit at the centre of this model. They bring sellers and buyers together, or execute transactions for a principal, across categories from agricultural raw materials and metals to machinery, food, textiles, and building materials. No stock is purchased and no title passes to the broker, which keeps working capital low and makes the model scalable across sectors.
Re-export flows are the clearest indicator of demand. UAE re-exports reached AED 830.2 billion by the end of 2025, growing 15.7% against 2024 and 21.3% against 2023.[1] These are goods entering the country and moving onward to a third market, and every one of those transactions requires someone to match supply with demand across borders. Total non-oil foreign trade passed AED 3.8 trillion in the same year, up roughly 27%, with non-oil imports alone exceeding AED 2.1 trillion.[1]
Trade partnerships continue to widen the field. The UAE has signed 37 Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements, of which 18 were already in force, opening corridors where commission agents can operate between markets that previously traded little with one another.[2]
Re-Export Flows Driving Demand for Commission Agents
A Dubai-licensed commercial brokerage operates on re-export flows that reached AED 830.2 billion by the end of 2025, growing 15.7 percent in a single year and 21.3 percent against 2023, within a non-oil trade economy of AED 3.8 trillion where goods routinely arrive from one market and move onward to another.
Sources: UAE Ministry of Economy (2026), UAE official trade statistics (2026), Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development
Who Is This Activity For?
4610.11 - Commercial Brokerage Services
Activity 4610.11 sits within the broader class covering wholesale conducted on a fee or contract basis. Within that class, this activity is the provision of commercial brokerage services by commission agents and other wholesalers who trade on behalf and on the account of others. It covers bringing sellers and buyers together, and undertaking commercial transactions for a principal, including through online channels. The agent may work across agricultural raw materials, fuels, ores, metals, industrial chemicals, food and beverages, textiles and footwear, timber and building materials, machinery, and household goods. The defining feature is that the broker never trades in its own name.
The service range covers:
- Commission agency for wholesale goods transactions
- Brokerage of agricultural raw materials and commodities
- Intermediation in ores, metals, fuels, and industrial chemicals
- Machinery, industrial plant, and equipment brokerage
- Food, beverage, textile, and household goods intermediation
- Timber and building materials trade facilitation
- Online trade intermediation and re-export sourcing
Service Scope
Commission Agency for Wholesale Goods
Arranging wholesale transactions on behalf and on the account of a principal, earning a contracted fee or commission rather than a margin on the goods.
Commodity & Raw Material Brokerage
Intermediating trade in agricultural raw materials, ores, metals, fuels, and industrial chemicals between producers, processors, and end buyers.
Industrial Equipment & Machinery Brokerage
Matching buyers and sellers of machinery, industrial plant, office equipment, and transport assets across regional and international markets.
Consumer Goods & Foodstuff Brokerage
Arranging wholesale transactions in food, beverages, textiles, clothing, footwear, furniture, and household goods on a fee or contract basis.
Online Trade Intermediation & Re-Export Sourcing
Bringing counterparties together through digital channels and sourcing goods for onward re-export, supporting transactions that move between markets.
WHAT THIS ACTIVITY EXCLUDES
It is important to note what activity 4610.11 does not cover. Wholesale trade conducted in the broker's own name, where goods are purchased and resold on the trader's own account, falls under the relevant wholesale trading classifications rather than fee-based brokerage. Commission agency for motor vehicles and the auctioning of motor vehicles sit within vehicle trade classifications. Retail sale by non-store commission agents is a separate retail activity. Insurance agency work and real estate agency work are each separately classified and separately regulated, as are financial and securities brokerage.
In short: if you are arranging wholesale goods transactions for others on a fee or commission basis, you are in. If you are buying and reselling in your own name, or broking vehicles, property, insurance, or financial products, you are not.
Licensing & 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.
References
[1] Trade Arabia (UAE official trade statistics). (2026). UAE's non-oil foreign trade tops AED3.8 trillion for first time.
[2] The National. (2026). UAE's non-oil foreign trade up 13% in first half of year to Dh1.9 trillion.
[3] Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development. Charting the UAE path in global trade.
