DED Activity List Dubai 2026: Codes, Search & Setup

DED activity list Dubai 2026 — codes, search and setup guide

The Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DED) maintains approximately 2,300 active commercial activity codes in 2026 across commercial, professional, industrial, tourism and craftsmanship categories. Picking the right activity codes is the single most important decision in setting up a Dubai mainland business — get it wrong and you face license amendments, invoice rejections, or worse, sectoral approval failures that block operations entirely.

This guide is built from real Dubai business setups under the Department of Economy and Tourism (DED), Dubai Municipality, the Dubai Health Authority (DHA), the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), the Real Estate Regulatory Agency (RERA), the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP), the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA), and the General Directorate of Residency and Foreign Affairs (GDRFA). It covers the activity classification system, search workflows, multi-activity rules and the sectoral approvals that catch first-time founders out.

DED activity categories — the structural map

DED classifies activities into five top-level categories. Each has different licensing fees, ownership rules, sectoral approvals and visa allocations.

These five categories are governed under Federal Law on Commercial Companies (2015) and the various sectoral acts. The 2021 amendment to the Federal Law liberalised foreign ownership in most activities — historically restricted activities like trading and some professional services now permit 100% foreign ownership.

For the live DED activity database see https://www.det.gov.ae/, the federal Ministry of Economy at https://www.moec.gov.ae/, and federal customs activity rules at https://www.fca.gov.ae/.

How to search the DED activity list

The DET portal provides three search modes:

1. Keyword search

Enter a business keyword (e.g., "consulting", "restaurant", "trading"). The system returns matching activities ranked by relevance. Use specific terms — "marketing consulting" returns Marketing Services (7311.01) while "consulting" returns dozens of generic codes.

2. Category browse

Browse by top-level category, then drill into subcategories. Useful when you're unsure of exact activity but know your sector. Each subcategory shows activity count and typical license type.

3. Code lookup

Enter a 4-digit + 2-digit activity code (e.g., 4771.06 for Boutique). Returns the exact activity with full classification, English/Arabic naming, and applicable sectoral approvals required.

Most founders we work with use keyword search first, then verify with category browse to ensure they've found the most specific code rather than a generic parent.

Top 50 most-requested DED activity codes in 2026

These are the activities that come up most often in business setup requests across our client base:

This is roughly 5% of the full DED activity list. The complete catalog is available through DET's portal and updated quarterly.

Multi-activity license rules

A single Dubai mainland license can hold multiple activities under specific rules:

• Commercial license: Up to 10 activities, all from commercial category
• Professional license: Up to 5 activities, all from professional category
• Industrial license: Up to 7 activities, all from industrial category
• Tourism license: Up to 5 activities, all from tourism category

You CANNOT mix commercial with professional in a single license. If you want to provide consultancy services AND trade goods, you need either two licenses (one of each type) or a Holding Company structure with subsidiaries.

The first 3 activities are typically included in the base DED fee. Each additional activity adds AED 500–1,500 to the license fee depending on activity complexity and any sectoral approval requirements.

Picking the right activity — the decision framework

Most first-time founders pick too many or too few activities. Both are problems:

• Too few: You discover later you can't legally invoice for a service you actually offer. Amendment costs AED 800–2,500 + delay.
• Too many: You pay for activities you never use. Wasted budget over multiple years.

The right framework:

Step 1: List actual services / products

Write down everything you actually plan to sell, deliver, or trade in the first 18 months. Be specific — "consulting" is not specific. "Marketing strategy advisory + content production + paid media management" is specific.

Step 2: Match each to the most specific DED activity

For each item, find the most specific activity code. Generic codes ("Business Consultancy" 7022.04) are catch-alls that work for many scenarios but signal lower expertise. Specific codes ("Marketing Services" 7311.01) signal sectoral expertise but limit scope.

Step 3: Verify sectoral approvals

For each candidate activity, check if sectoral approval is required. Medical activities need DHA. Education needs KHDA. Real estate needs RERA. Food needs DM. Engineering needs SOE. Plan timeline and budget for sectoral approvals.

Step 4: Group activities into one license

Verify all chosen activities are in the same DED category (commercial/professional/industrial). If they span categories, you need multiple licenses or a holding structure.

Step 5: Prioritise — pick the 3 most important first, add others on-demand

Since the first 3 activities are usually included in base license fee, start with the 3 you absolutely need on day one. Add others when (and if) you actually need them — amendment costs AED 800–2,500 but you only pay when needed.

Common mistakes that cost founders money

• Mistake 1: Picking a generic code when a specific one exists. "Business Consultancy" 7022.04 covers many things — but if your work is clearly Marketing (7311.01) or HR (7022.02), use the specific code. It signals expertise to clients and matches what auditors check.
• Mistake 2: Adding 10 activities "just in case". Each extra activity beyond 3 costs AED 500–1,500. Adding 7 unused activities = AED 3,500–10,500 in wasted annual fees. Add when needed.
• Mistake 3: Missing the sectoral approval requirement. Founders pick "Healthcare Consultancy" and try to operate without DHA approval. DHA inspectors check this. Penalties for unlicensed regulated practice run AED 50,000+ and license suspension.
• Mistake 4: Mixing categories on one license. You cannot have a Commercial activity and Professional activity on the same license. Founders try this and DED rejects. Decide: are you primarily a trader (commercial) or service provider (professional)?
• Mistake 5: Using deprecated codes. The activity list updates quarterly. Codes get deprecated occasionally. Always check the current list before submission — using a deprecated code causes rejection and 1-2 week delay.

Sectoral approval requirements by activity type

Some activities require additional approvals beyond DED license. These are the most common:

Healthcare & medical

• DHA (Dubai Health Authority) — required for all medical clinics (8620.xx), dental practices (8623.01), pharmacies (4772.10), and aesthetic medicine. Approval timeline 8-16 weeks.

Education

• KHDA (Knowledge and Human Development Authority) — required for all training centres (8559.xx), schools (8521.xx, 8531.xx), and higher education (8541.xx). Approval 6-10 weeks.

Food & beverage

• Dubai Municipality (DM) — required for all food trading, restaurants, cafeterias, catering, bakeries. Approval 3-5 weeks.
• Civil Defence — fire safety for kitchens with cooking equipment. 1-2 weeks.

Real estate

• RERA (Real Estate Regulatory Agency) — required for brokerage (6831.01), property management (6832.01), real estate consulting. Includes RERA broker exam and individual agent cards.

Tourism

• DET (Department of Economy and Tourism) — required for travel agencies (7910.10), tour operators, hotels, event management (8230.01). Approval 2-4 weeks for events, 4-8 weeks for travel agencies.

Financial services

• SCA (Securities and Commodities Authority) — required for investment advisory, brokerage, fund management.
• CBUAE (Central Bank UAE) — required for banking, payments, money exchange.
• ADGM FSRA / DIFC DFSA — required if operating in those financial free zones.

Transport

• RTA (Roads and Transport Authority) — required for limousine (4922.10), passenger transport, ride-hailing fleets, driving schools.

Engineering & construction

• SOE (Society of Engineers UAE) — required for engineering consultancy (7110.10) and engineering practice.
• Dubai Building Permits — required for construction work.

Legal

• Ministry of Justice (MOJ) — required for legal consultancy (6910.01), translation of legal documents (6910.03).

Telecoms / IT with RF

• TDRA (Telecommunications & Digital Government Regulatory Authority) — required for selling radio-frequency devices, telecoms equipment.

Pharmaceuticals

• MOHAP (Ministry of Health and Prevention) — required for pharmaceutical trading (4652.01), drug import.

Fitness & sports

• DSC (Dubai Sports Council) — required for gyms, fitness centres, sports academies.

For each sectoral approval, factor in 4-16 weeks additional timeline and AED 5,000-150,000 additional setup cost depending on activity.

Activity changes and amendments

If you need to add, remove, or change activities after license issuance:

• Adding activities: AED 800-2,500 per activity amendment + license reissue. Takes 1-2 weeks.
• Removing activities: AED 500-1,000 amendment fee. Takes 1 week.
• Changing activity classification (commercial ↔ professional): Cannot be amended — requires new license. Old license expires; start over.
• Adding activity that requires sectoral approval: Full sectoral approval process triggered. Could take 4-16 weeks.

Most amendments are needed in year 1-2 as businesses discover what they actually do. Budget AED 2,000-8,000 for typical amendments in first 18 months.

Free zone activity lists vs DED mainland

Free zones (DMCC, IFZA, JAFZA, etc.) maintain their own activity lists that mostly mirror DED but with some differences:

• Free zone activity counts are typically smaller (300-800 activities vs DED's 2,300+)
• Some free zones specialize — DMCC strong on commodities/finance, DAFZA strong on aviation/logistics
• Cross-emirate consistency — federal activities (banking, fintech) follow MOEC framework regardless of zone
• Free zone activity codes don't necessarily match DED codes — same activity may have different numbers

If you're setting up in a free zone, use that free zone's activity list. The DED list applies only to Dubai mainland licenses. For comparison see Dubai mainland license breakdown and general trading license guide.

Activity code best practices

After processing hundreds of DED activity selections, these patterns deliver best outcomes:

For service businesses

Pick the most specific Professional activity matching your core service. Add 1-2 adjacent professional activities to cover related work. Add Selling Via Internet (4791.02) if you have online sales. Total: 3-4 activities.

For retail/trading businesses

Pick the most specific Commercial activity for your core product category. Add 1-2 adjacent product categories that you actually trade in. Add Re-Export Trading (4690.01) for international flow. Add Selling Via Internet (4791.02) for e-commerce. Total: 4-5 activities.

For multi-segment operations

Use a Commercial license with multiple commercial activities + a Professional license for services side. Or set up a Holding Company structure with subsidiary LLCs for each segment.

For agencies (e.g., marketing, design)

Start with 7311.01 (Marketing Services) + 7022.04 (Business Consultancy) + 8559.10 (Training). Add specific activity codes (graphic design, web development, etc.) as you secure clients in those specialties.

What changes if you are foreign-owned vs UAE-resident

Activity selection process is identical. 100% foreign ownership applies to most activities under the 2021 amendment. A small number of strategic activities still require Emirati shareholding — primarily commercial agencies (4799.01), oil and gas services, defence, and certain regulated professional activities. Foreign founders should verify each activity's foreign-ownership status before applying.

Verifying activity codes before applying

Before submitting any license application, verify your chosen activity codes through:

1. DET portal direct search — official live database
2. DET service centre verification — paper or in-person query, confirms current code status
3. Setup advisor verification — third-party confirmation that codes match intent and sectoral requirements

A 30-minute verification call saves weeks of rejection cycles. Particularly important for regulated sectors (medical, legal, financial) where wrong code selection triggers full re-application.

Activity list updates and future-proofing

DED reviews activities quarterly. Recent additions include:

• 2026 Q1: New AI services activities (7022.07 — AI Consulting), blockchain advisory variants
• 2026 Q1: ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) consulting activities
• 2025 Q4: Crypto-adjacent technology services
• 2025 Q3: Telemedicine specific activities
• 2025 Q2: Drone delivery and unmanned aerial operations
• 2024 Q4: Carbon advisory and sustainability services

Emerging sectors typically get dedicated activity codes within 6-12 months of regulatory clarification. If you operate in a new sector, check for newly-added codes before defaulting to generic catch-alls.

What your first 90 days actually look like

Real timeline for a new Dubai business that involves DED activity selection:

• Days 1-3: Define services/products, list candidate activity codes
• Days 4-7: Verify codes via DET portal + setup advisor
• Days 8-10: Identify sectoral approvals required, plan timeline
• Days 11-14: Reserve trade name + submit DED initial approval with chosen activities
• Days 15-21: Apply for sectoral approvals (if any)
• Days 22-35: DED license issuance + establishment card + MOHRE labour file
• Days 36-60: Sectoral approvals complete + final operational readiness
• Days 61-90: Bank account active + customs code (if commercial) + operations launch

For service businesses with no sectoral approval, full setup is typically 4-6 weeks. For regulated sectors, 12-24 weeks.

Activity bundles by business model

These ready-made activity bundles match common 2026 business models:

Solo digital agency (marketing + design):

• 7311.01 Marketing Services
• 7311.02 Public Relations
• 6202.01 IT Consultancy
• 4791.02 Selling Via Internet

Boutique fashion retail:

• 4771.01 Readymade Garments Trading
• 4771.06 Boutique
• 4771.05 Ladies Garments
• 4791.02 Selling Via Internet

Restaurant + delivery:

• 5610.02 Restaurants
• 5610.05 Cafeteria
• 5610.07 Catering Services
• 4791.02 Selling Via Internet

Multi-specialty trading:

• 4649.01 General Trading
• 4690.01 Re-Export Trading
• 4791.02 Selling Via Internet
• 2-3 specific product category codes

Founder-led consulting:

• 7022.04 Business Consultancy
• 7022.01 Management Studies & Consultancies
• 8559.10 Training & Educational Activities

These bundles cover ~80% of typical first-time founder setups. Customise the specific codes within these bundles based on your exact services or products.

What to do next

If you have a clear sense of services and products, the next step is verifying candidate activity codes against the live DET list and identifying which sectoral approvals you need. Activity selection is irreversible in significant ways — wrong choice = AED 800-2,500 amendment + 1-2 week delay, or for regulated sectors potentially full re-application. A 20-minute call clarifies which 3-5 activities match your actual business and what sectoral approvals you need to plan for.

Related Noble Core deep-dives

Companion guides for founders working on DED activity list setup or adjacent topics:

• Dubai mainland license cost breakdown — mainland license fees by activity
• General trading license Dubai — broad activity category
• Trade name reservation Dubai — name approval before activity selection

Frequently Asked Questions