Meat Trading License Dubai, UAE

meat trading license UAE

Meat trading companies in Dubai are lucrative businesses. Meat consumption is rising in Dubai as the population grows, with more and more kitchens needing high-quality meat products to feed its people.

To start a meat trading business in Dubai, you will first need to get a meat trading license. Trade License Zone can guide you through the entire process with our expert advice and services.

Let’s start right away. In this article, we’ll look into:

  • Benefits of starting a meat trading business in Dubai, UAE
  • Cost of starting a meat trading company in Dubai
  • Steps to start a meat trading company in Dubai
  • Working with Trade License Zone

Benefits of starting a meat trading business in Dubai, UAE

Dubai is booming. Apart from the thriving economy, the population is ever-growing too. The demand for meat and poultry is also increasing. Restaurants, cafes, catering services, and kitchens across Dubai need more and more meat. More than 90% of Dubai’s population comprises foreign nationals: the cuisine on offer in Dubai is as diverse as the multicultural peoples living here – and with meat as the main ingredient.

Living and working in Dubai means you will not need to pay tax as the UAE offers a 0% tax rate for corporate and personal incomes. Other benefits of starting a meat trading business in Dubai are that it boasts a world-class infrastructure for air, land and seaports with a first-rate road network. The UAE government has also streamlined the business setup regulations and business-friendly visa regulations, encouraging and welcoming foreign investors and entrepreneurs to invest in and migrate to Dubai. As a business owner in Dubai, you will also be able to repatriate all of your capital and profits overseas – and there are no currency restrictions applied.

Cost of starting a meat trading company in Dubai

Determining the cost of opening a meat trading company in Dubai is not a straightforward calculation. The costs of a meat trading license in Dubai vary depending on the business location, business activities, and company structure.

While setting up a meat trading company in a Free Zone and a Mainland location is affordable, the actual costs differ. The cost of a Mainland business license is determined by the legal category of the license application. For a Free Zone-based meat trading license, the costs vary depending on the business activities and the required number of visas.

The meat trading license costs range between AED 15,000 and AED 25,000. If you’d like an accurate quote, please reach out to our specialist team at Trade License Zone to help you.

Steps to start a meat trading business in Dubai

All companies trading in Dubai must comply with specific regulations for business setup, company structure, business activities, and more. This section will outline the steps to starting a meat trading company in Dubai, UAE.

Step 1: Partner with Trade License Zone

The first step in starting a meat trading company in Dubai is to partner with Trade License Zone. We’ll manage all aspects of your company registration and setup process and guide you on the various governmental and municipal trade regulations.

Step 2: Outline your business activities

The meat trading license enables your company to carry out several activities. By outlining those business activities, you will be able to list all your business activities in your meat trading license application. Failure to list all your business activities in your application may result in penalties if you perform unlisted business activities. It is best to partner with a business setup specialist such as Trade License Zone to ensure your license application and business activities are aligned.

Step 3: Choose a company name

Trade License Zone will help you choose and register your meat trading company’s name with the UAE’s Registry Office. You can use your name in the company’s name, but you must use it in full instead of just your surname or initials. The business name must adhere to the UAE’s naming policies, including that a business name cannot include any offensive or blasphemous language, nor any references to Allah or Islam.

Step 4: Choose a business structure and jurisdiction

The United Arab Emirates has demarcated business zones to support specific industries. The two main types of business zones in Dubai are Mainland Companies and Free Zone Companies. These innovative business zones carry particular regulations, making it easier for company formation for foreign investors and entrepreneurs.

A Mainland Company structure registered in Dubai enables businesses to trade across the UAE. Foreign nationals are limited to holding 49% of their business shares as UAE laws prescribe that a UAE national partner owns 51% of foreign-owned Mainland Companies.

Free Zones offer foreign investors and entrepreneurs unique benefits, such as startup incubation services and support systems. A Free Zone Company structure gives 100% ownership to the foreign entrepreneur or investor. This type of business structure can be registered in one of over 40 special trade zones in Dubai.

Setting up your meat trading business in a free zone is the most cost-effective and straightforward process. However, if you are unsure whether to choose between a Mainland or a Free Zone company, our experts at Trade license Zone will help you decide.

Step 5: Choose a premises

To operate as a meat trader in Dubai requires that you rent appropriate premises, such as a warehouse or plot of land. Dubai Municipality must inspect these premises. Once you’ve received these approvals, you can begin equipping your premises with the necessary machinery and equipment. Before you start trading, Dubai Municipality will need to inspect your premises again: your facility must meet the UAE Environmental Department’s standards before you can trade.

Step 6: Applying for a meat trading license

The documents you’ll need to apply for your meat trading license include:

  • A completed application form
  • A business plan
  • Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
  • Articles of Understanding (AoU)
  • Passport copies of all shareholders
  • Two colour passport photos of all shareholders
  • Dubai Municipality approvals
  • Dubai Environmental Department approvals (if applicable)


Contact Trade License Zone to use their highly experienced specialists to guide you on every step of applying for your trade license.

Step 7: Apply for your visa

After applying for your meat trading license in Dubai, you can apply for your visa and open your corporate bank account. Your visa may enable you to sponsor the visas of family and staff, depending on your meat trading license. Contact Trade License Zone’s expert team to help you with this critical step.

Working with Trade License Zone

Business setup in the UAE is relatively simple, thanks to the country’s business-friendly laws. However, the license application and business setup remain complex processes. When you partner with Trade License Zone, we will save you from unnecessary delays or rejections and streamline the entire process.

The experts at Trade License Zone can get started by you simply providing us with some basic documentation and a little information about the nature of your company and business activities. Then, please sit back and let our team take care of the rest. We’ll manage your meat trading license and visa applications, communicate with all relevant local departments and authorities and report when you’re ready to trade. It really is that simple.

Contact us to get a personalized quotation based on your business activity

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