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Dubai ranks as one of the top global destinations for setting up a business, with clear data that supports this. In Q1 2025 alone, nearly 19,000 new business licenses were issued, accounting for 59% of all licenses in the UAE. By the end of 2025, the Dubai Chamber of Commerce had 292,486 active members, with 71,830 new companies joining in that year.
With so much going on, it’s common for business owners to forget about other business activities that require special approvals. Whether they are running a real estate business or starting a hospitality venture, they need to obtain specific approval from RERA and DHA, respectively.
In this blog, we have covered everything related to the necessary special approvals business activity in Dubai, so you can focus on celebrating and growing your venture.
The Department of Economy and Tourism maintains a list of over 3,000 approved business activities, each with its own unique code. Most of these activities can be licensed through the DET without involving another government body.
However, activities in regulated sectors are subject to external approvals requirements. This means a separate authority (not the DET) must evaluate your application with respect to its own set of standards before licensing can proceed.
The reason for this process is simple, for instance a consultancy firm and a medical clinic both carry very different levels of public risks. A clinic involves patient care, clinical procedures, and pharmaceuticals handling. While a consultancy can handle issues like intellectual property, professional liability, and significant financial or reputational risks. However, their primary operational risks are mostly internal or economic, unlike healthcare, where risks directly impact patient safety.
The DET is not the appropriate authority to assess whether a clinic meets the required health and safety standards. However, it becomes the duty of the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) that has both technical knowledge and regulatory mandate in evaluating such healthcare institutions. Consequently, before issuing a business license to any healthcare institution, DET will have to consult with DHA to make sure that the facility and its operations conform to all the requirements of the industry.
For consultancy services, there is also some level of cooperation, although it does not extend to the same level as above. Consultancy firms pose no threat to public safety and health. However, the consultation process may need some permissions from relevant regulatory organizations based on the nature of the consultancy work to be carried out. The purpose of such permits would be to ensure that the consultant qualifies according to all regulatory and professional requirements before conducting the consultancy work.
This same logic applies across several sectors in Dubai. The external approval exists to ensure that regulated activities are assessed by the right authority, not just administratively registered.
There are different authorities that govern special approval for business activities in Dubai, the list includes the following:
The healthcare sector in Dubai is experiencing rapid growth. Therefore, the timeline for approval is something which should be planned carefully. The activities related to healthcare, such as the delivery of patient care, clinical and medical consultation, require prior clearance by the Dubai Health Authority prior to issuance of the trade license.
These include clinics, hospitals, pharmacies, dentistry clinics, physiotherapy centres, and even telemedicine. In case you intend to conduct medical services for patients as part of your activities such as running a medical clinic using the code 8620010, then you must ensure that your facility has passed through DHA inspection and meets the necessary requirements.
Schools, universities, training institutes, and even private tutoring companies are all governed by KHDA in Dubai. For obtaining the special approval for business activity in Dubai, your facility must have undergone review of its curriculum, teacher’s qualification, and facility set up. This will help get the license approved by the Knowledge and Human Development Authority easily.
Businesses in financial services including investment advisory, fund management, and brokerage require special approval for business activity in Dubai. Either from the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) or the Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA), depending on the nature of the activity and the jurisdiction.
By H1 2025, there were already 980 entities licensed by the DFSA in the DIFC, up 17% from the previous year. Financial services authorisations issued during the same period grew by 28%. The sector is expanding at pace, which makes proper authorisation even more important for anyone entering this space without prior experience of the regulatory process.
Real estate brokers and agencies in Dubai must be certified by the Real Estate Regulatory Agency (RERA), which operates under the Dubai Land Department. RERA certification involves passing the required assessment and registering the business formally with the Land Department.
This is a professional requirement, not just a formality. Dubai’s real estate market recorded over 125,000 transactions in H1 2025, with investment values reaching AED 326 billion in the same period. Any business intending to operate in this market without RERA certification is doing so illegally regardless of whether it holds a DET trade license.
The Dubai Department of Tourism & Commerce Marketing (DTCM) oversees the regulation of travel agencies, tour operators, hotels, and event management firms. The services provided by these firms are subject to DTCM approval on aspects such as service quality, employee qualifications, and other tourism licensing requirements.
It is not sufficient for tourism-related businesses to just register their tourism activity code and commence operations. Such firms need to undergo evaluation and clearance by DTCM before they can serve their customers.
Businesses involved in the restaurant industry, food importing activities, cloud kitchen services, and food processing need to obtain clearance from Dubai Municipality’s Food Safety Department. The clearance includes aspects of the supplier’s credentials, hygiene issues regarding food storage, as well as proper food temperature control measures.
The clearance must have been obtained before commencing operations, though the Dubai Municipality conducts periodic inspections following commencement of the operations.
Business activities involving commercial transportation whether moving people or goods on public roads, operating transport training services, or running app-based taxi or delivery services, require an NOC from the Road and Transport Authority (RTA). For this special approval for business activity in Dubai, the RTA evaluates whether the activity meets road safety and operational compliance requirements before the DET can proceed with licensing.
Private security firms, corporate investigation services, and related businesses require approval from Dubai Police or the Ministry of Interior. This clearance is mandatory given the level of access security personnel have to premises, people, and sensitive information.
Businesses offering telecom services, digital infrastructure, or related technology platforms must obtain clearance from the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA). This special approval for business activities in Dubai applies before the business can be licensed to operate in Dubai’s communications sector.
Businesses involved in recycling, waste disposal, industrial manufacturing, and sustainable operations need clearance from Dubai Municipality (Environment Department). The clearance requires evaluation in regard to the firm’s handling of pollution control, environmental impact, waste management practices, and chemical treatment.
When it comes to operating under a business activity that requires special approval, without having secured it first, is treated as operating outside your licensed scope. This is worth being direct about. Under Dubai’s commercial Compliance Manual, changing or adding a business activity without prior approval from the DET or the relevant authority is a specific regulatory violation, they are subject to an administrative fine of AED 2,000. That is the minimum consequence. Sector regulators such as the DHA or KHDA may also impose separate penalties if they find a business operating without their specific clearance.
Beyond fines, there are practical consequences. Banks in Dubai check your license activity before opening a corporate account or activating a payment gateway. If your license does not align with the sector approvals a bank expects to see, your account application will not move forward. Getting the approvals right from the start removes this roadblock entirely.
For most regulated activities, the external approval process adds two to four weeks to the overall business setup timeline. For sectors involving more detailed assessments, such as DHA facility inspections or KHDA curriculum reviews the process can take anywhere from four to eight weeks.
This is not a reason to delay starting your business. It is a reason to start the approval process earlier than you think you need to. Many business owners treat external approvals as a final step. In practice, they work far better as a parallel process running alongside your premises setup, trade name reservation, and MOA preparation.
| Business Activity | Regulatory Authority |
|---|---|
| Healthcare and medical services | Dubai Health Authority (DHA) |
| Education and training | Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) |
| Financial services and investment | DFSA / Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA) |
| Real estate brokerage | Real Estate Regulatory Agency (RERA) |
| Tourism and hospitality | Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) |
| Food and beverage | Dubai Municipality – Food Safety Department |
| Transport and logistics | Road and Transport Authority (RTA) |
| Security services | Dubai Police / Ministry of Interior |
| Telecommunications | TDRA |
| Environmental and industrial Dubai Municipality | Environment Department |
Dubai’s business environment is one of the most accessible in the world. Over thousands of new economic licenses were issued across the UAE in 2024, and that momentum has only continued into 2025. The system is designed to make business setup practical, digital, and fast for most activity types.
For regulated sectors, the process involves one additional layer that is the special approval business activities in Dubai from the authority that governs your field. This is not a barrier to entry. It is a quality check, and it is what gives regulated businesses in Dubai the credibility they need to operate, sign contracts, open bank accounts, and grow with confidence.
The businesses that navigate this well are the ones that treat special approvals as part of the plan from day one, not something to figure out once the rest of the setup is already in motion. Identify your approval requirements early, begin the process in parallel with your other setup steps, and you will have far fewer obstacles between you and your license.
