Table of Contents
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an Intelaq license in Dubai?
An Intelaq license is a Dubai business license designed for eligible UAE and GCC nationals connected to Dubai who want to start approved small-scale commercial or professional activities. It allows legal invoicing and contracting within the approved activity scope, but it does not give unlimited trading freedom or remove approval, renewal, banking, or tax obligations.
Who can apply for an Intelaq license?
The Intelaq license is generally aimed at eligible UAE and GCC nationals who meet the issuing authority’s current conditions. Eligibility is only one part of approval, because the business activity must also match what the business will actually do and invoice for.
How much does an Intelaq license cost in Dubai?
The total cost is more than the base license charge alone. Founders should budget for the main license payment, any activity-specific approval or service costs, and ongoing yearly items like renewal, banking admin, and tax-related compliance where relevant.
What documents are needed for an Intelaq license?
The core file usually includes current identification documents, the selected business activity, and any supporting papers required for that activity. The most important detail is consistency, because even a small mismatch in names or records can delay review and trigger a request for corrections.
How long does Intelaq license approval take, and what happens after approval?
Approval time depends heavily on activity fit and document accuracy, so a clean file usually moves faster than a vague or inconsistent one. Once issued, the real work begins: set up banking, invoice only within the approved activity scope, monitor tax thresholds, and keep renewal dates under control.
Topic Summary
Know What It Covers
An intelaq license is a startup-friendly Dubai business license for approved commercial or professional activity, not a blank cheque to do everything. Before applying, match the activity to what you will actually invoice for, because clear scope is what keeps approval, banking, and renewal simpler.
Check Eligibility First
The intelaq license is generally aimed at eligible UAE and GCC nationals connected to Dubai, with rules set by the issuing authority. Verify current criteria on the official source before you pay, because forum advice and old summaries are where many avoidable applications go wrong.
Choose Activity With Precision
Activity fit matters as much as applicant fit. A clean, specific activity like bookkeeping, design, or social media management is easier to assess than vague wording, and it reduces the odds of clarification requests or later amendments.
Budget Beyond the Receipt
The real cost of an intelaq license is more than the initial payment. Plan for base license charges, any activity-specific approvals, annual renewal, bank onboarding, and tax registration if your business crosses the relevant threshold.
Prepare Documents Carefully
Most stalled files come from simple document issues, not complex regulation. Keep names, dates, and supporting records consistent across your ID, application fields, and any activity papers, because one mismatch can slow the whole review.
Treat Approval as Step One
Once the intelaq license is issued, the business still needs clean execution to operate well. Move quickly on banking, invoicing within the approved scope, bookkeeping, renewal reminders, and tax checks so the file stays coherent from day one.
Intelaq License in Dubai: Everything You Need to Know Before Applying
Dubai makes it easy to test a small business idea. The Intelaq license is one of the clearest examples. It lets eligible residents run a business from their own home. There is no office to rent and no minimum capital to raise. The annual government fee is modest next to a full company setup.
This guide covers who qualifies, what it costs, and how the application works. It also sets out the limits that catch applicants out later. Fees, activity lists, and government portals change often. Treat the figures here as a guide only. Confirm the current position with the licensing authority before you pay anything.
Key Facts at a Glance
| License name | Intelaq license, a home based business license |
| Issuing authority | Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, through Dubai SME |
| Who can apply | UAE and GCC nationals living in Dubai |
| Business location | The applicant's own home in Dubai |
| Legal structure | Sole proprietorship, 100% owned by the applicant |
| Indicative fee | From around AED 1,050 a year |
| Staff allowed | Up to three, with an establishment card |
| Licenses per person | Up to two Intelaq licenses |
| Validity | One year, renewed annually |
| Where to apply | Invest in Dubai portal |
Intelaq License Meaning and Purpose
The Intelaq license is a home based business license for Dubai. It was created to help nationals turn a skill or small trade into a legal business. Dubai SME runs the programme under the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism. Its services now sit within Dubai Founders HQ. That platform launched in October 2025 to bring startup support together in one place.
The value of a license is practical. A licensed business can invoice clients properly. It can open a business bank account in its own name. It can join exhibitions and bid for government tenders. None of that works without a license. Selling from home on a regular basis without one is treated as a violation in Dubai.
Intelaq License Eligibility Requirements
Eligibility is the first thing to check. This license is not open to every resident of Dubai.
- Nationality. The applicant must be a UAE or GCC national. This is the single biggest filter.
- Residence. The applicant and the home address must both be in Dubai.
- Ownership. The business must be fully owned and managed by the applicant.
- Structure. Only a sole proprietorship is allowed. Partners and outside investors are not permitted.
- License limits. One person may hold up to two Intelaq licenses. Published guidance also caps total trade licenses at five, counting any the applicant part owns or manages.
Expatriate residents cannot apply for Intelaq. Other routes are open to them, and these are covered further down.
Intelaq License Cost in Dubai
Cost is the main attraction. Published guidance puts the license at around AED 1,050 a year. Renewal is charged at the same rate. That figure covers the license itself.
Other costs depend on your plans. An establishment card is needed before you sponsor any staff. Some activities need clearance from a second authority first. Food related work is the clearest example here. Anything involving imports or storage brings further rules and possible deposits.
Government fees change without much notice. Check the current figure on the Invest in Dubai portal before you set a budget.
Business Activities Allowed Under an Intelaq License
The activity list is broad but not unlimited. Approved work is generally low impact and suited to a home.
Commonly listed activities include consultancy and training services, fashion and apparel design, interior design, event management, real estate brokerage, and craft based production. The license was later extended into food. Reported guidance lists 19 food trading activities and seven food preparation activities. These cover items such as dates, honey, bakery goods, spices, and homemade sweets.
Several sectors are excluded. Contracting, salons and beauty services, and industrial work cannot run from a home. Anything carrying health, safety, or environmental risk needs proper premises. Activity lists are updated over time, so check yours on the portal first.
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Calculate NowHow to Apply for an Intelaq License
The process is short and mostly online through the Invest in Dubai portal.
- Choose your activity. Confirm it appears on the approved Intelaq list before anything else.
- Reserve a trade name. Follow the naming rules. Avoid religious references and offensive words.
- Prepare documents. Expect to need your Emirates ID, passport copy, tenancy contract or title deed, and a location map.
- Submit and discuss. A representative may contact you to talk through the business idea before approval.
- Pay and collect. The license is issued digitally once the payment clears.
Approval is often fast. Reported timelines suggest about one working day for a straightforward application.
Intelaq License Rules and Limits
Applicants tend to focus on the low fee and skip the conditions. Those conditions matter more over time.
- Staff cap. You may employ up to three people. An establishment card is required for visa processes.
- No shopfront. The home is a registered address, not a retail outlet. Walk in customers and signage are not allowed.
- Annual renewal. The license runs for one year at a time and must be renewed.
- Growth forces a change. Premises, extra staff, or partners all mean moving to a standard commercial license.
A conversion route also exists. An Intelaq license can be converted into an exempted trade license, with a nominal annual fee for five consecutive years. Conditions apply, so confirm the detail with the authority directly.
Home Business License Options for Expat Residents in Dubai
Intelaq is closed to expatriate residents. Two practical routes remain open.
The first is the e-Trader license from the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism. It suits online sellers and home based professionals. Eligibility for expatriate residents varies by activity and has shifted over the years. Confirm your own position with the authority before applying.
The second is a free zone license. Most free zones include a flexi desk, so no separate office lease is needed. Meydan Free Zone licenses start from AED 12,500. That price includes a flexi desk and a registered address. You also get up to three activity groups from a list of more than 2,500. Ownership is 100%. The cost is higher than Intelaq. In return, the route is open to all nationalities and supports visas and staff from day one.
| Route | Who can apply | Office needed | Indicative annual cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intelaq license | UAE and GCC nationals in Dubai | No, home based | From around AED 1,050 |
| e-Trader license | UAE and GCC nationals, some expatriate residents by activity | No | Around AED 1,370 with chamber membership |
| Free zone license | All nationalities | No, flexi desk included | From around AED 12,500 |
Tax Rules for Small Businesses in Dubai
A low cost license does not remove tax duties. Corporate tax applies across the UAE.
An individual running a business comes into scope once UAE business turnover passes AED 1 million in a calendar year. Above that point, the rate is 0% on taxable income up to AED 375,000 and 9% on the balance. Salary and personal investment income sit outside the turnover test.
Small Business Relief can bring the bill down to nil for eligible businesses with revenue up to AED 3 million. It has to be claimed on the return. In August 2026 the Ministry of Finance extended the relief to tax periods ending on or before 31 December 2029. Record keeping and filing duties still apply either way.
This section is general information only. It is not legal or financial advice. Speak to a qualified tax professional about your own circumstances.
Renewing and Upgrading an Intelaq License
Renewal is an annual task. Published guidance lists the renewal fee at around AED 1,050. Expect to provide your national ID, passport copy, a copy of the current license, and a short progress report on the project.
Upgrading is worth planning early. A home based license works well while the business is small and service led. Once you need premises, more than three staff, or a business partner, the structure has to change. Moving to a commercial license or a free zone company is the usual next step.
Getting Started
The Intelaq license remains one of the cheapest legal ways to start a business in Dubai, provided you qualify. The trade off is scale. The staff cap, the sole ownership rule, and the ban on a shopfront all limit how far it stretches. Check the activity list and the current fee on the Invest in Dubai portal before you apply. If you are not eligible, or you expect to need visas and staff early, a free zone license is the more practical starting point. The team at Meydan Free Zone can walk you through the options and the costs involved.
