General Trading: What It Lets You Do, and What It Does Not

You have a supplier lined up, a list of products and several quotes for a "general trading licence" that differ widely in price. You may also have heard that it lets you trade anything. Before you pay, you need to know what the activity actually covers and which goods still need another authority's sign-off.

The short answer comes from Invest in Dubai's business activity search. Its "General Trading" entry, activity code 4690018, covers "importing, trading and re-exporting of any of the allowed goods". Goods that need special approvals can be traded under it only "upon obtaining NOC from the competent departments". A general trading activity widens the range of goods on one licence. It does not remove the approvals that restricted goods need, and it does not open prohibited goods.

For the wider set-up picture, start with the guide to business setup in Dubai. The licensing authority, Dubai Customs and each approving authority decide their own applications, not any provider.

What the general trading activity covers, in the authorities' words

Invest in Dubai's "Search Business Activities" tool was read in a browser on 20 September 2026. A search for "general trading" returned "788 Results", so pick the entry by its code rather than its name. The first result was "General Trading", activity code 4690018, in the group "Other Trading Activities", with a tag labelled "Foreign ownership".

Its expanded description reads: "Includes commercial firms engaged in importing, trading and re-exporting of any of the allowed goods, the trading activities that need special approvals, can also be traded under this activity upon obtaining NOC from the competent departments."

"Any of the allowed goods" sets the outer limit, and the NOC is the condition for special-approval goods. Ask the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) what the "Foreign ownership" tag means for your ownership structure before you rely on it.

The Ministry of Economy and Tourism (MoET) treats licence types and activities separately. Its "Establishing business in the UAE" page, updated 19 September 2026, names six licence types: industrial, commercial, crafts, tourism, agricultural and professional.

The same page states: "A license may include more than one business activity."

So in MoET's classification, "general trading" is an activity, not a seventh licence type. Some free zones, such as JAFZA and DMCC, name it as a licence of their own. The difference between licence types is covered in the overview of trade licence types in the UAE.

We did not find an official mainland statement that separates "general trading" from narrower trading activities on the u.ae, MoET and Invest in Dubai pages reviewed on 20 September 2026. Of the pages reviewed, only JAFZA's and DMCC's state such a rule, each for its own zone.

What a general trading licence does not let you do

Special approvals still apply. MoET's establishing page states that "In certain cases, the activities require obtaining special approvals for licensing from (federal or local) government authorities regulating such activities." The UAE Government Portal (u.ae) page on starting a mainland business, updated 16 July 2026, makes the same point.

Invest in Dubai keeps its own approvals list. Its "Additional approvals list" page summary reads: "Activities in certain sectors will require some extra approval steps." The list did not render on 20 September 2026. Ask DET which approvals apply to your goods.

Restricted goods need approval at the border. Dubai Customs' guide to prohibited and restricted items states: "Restricted goods need approval from relevant authorities and can't be released without showing the approval". A trade licence does not replace that approval.

Zone rules add their own limits. The DMCC exclusion and the JAFZA manufacturing limit in the table above apply in those zones.

Mainland or free zone: two zones, two rule sets

Invest in Dubai's mainland page states: "If you're looking to trade within the UAE, or prefer not to be within a free zone, establishing a mainland company is the path for you." The mainland route is covered in the guide to mainland company setup in Dubai. The free zone route is covered in the guide to free zone company setup in Dubai.

JAFZA. JAFZA's guide "What is a trading license?" was last modified on 2 April 2024. It sets the threshold by product groups: "If you need more than 2 groups (irrespective of the number of activities) this will be considered as a general trading license".

JAFZA's business licence page sets out three trading types:

1. Type 1: "a maximum of seven activities per group".
2. Type 2: "a maximum of twelve activities starting from two groups".
3. Type 3: "an unlimited number of activities starting from three or more groups, which is also classified as a general trading licence".

DMCC. DMCC's Schedule of Charges lists a "General Trading Licence" with the exclusion quoted in the table above. DMCC's licence guide, published 9 April 2026, does not show a separate general trading category.

These are each zone's own rules. Other free zones were not reviewed for this article. Ask the zone you are considering how it defines general trading and which goods it excludes.

Restricted and prohibited goods: what customs publishes

Two customs categories matter to a trader. Dubai Customs' guide says restricted goods "may only be released subject to the approval of the competent authority."

Dubai Customs' page defines prohibited goods as "Any goods the import or export of which is prohibited under the provisions of the Common Customs Law or any other regulation or law applicable in the State." The u.ae page on banned and restricted goods says restricted goods "need prior approval from the authorities concerned prior to import or export."

The prohibited list

Dubai Customs' "Prohibited and Restricted Goods" page lists, among others:

• "Gambling tools, machineries and devices of all kinds."
• "Nylon fishing nets."
• "Live swine."
• "Used, reconditioned and inlaid tires."
• "Paan and betel leaves."

The page also lists narcotic drugs, contaminated substances and a catch-all item. Check the full page against your product list.

The restricted list, and where the sources differ

The table sets the Dubai Customs web page beside the u.ae page. Where they name different authorities, both are shown.

Three rows name clearly different authorities: media products, e-cigarettes and cosmetics. The transmitters row also uses two different names for the telecom regulator. We have not resolved these differences. Before you import any of these goods, ask Dubai Customs which approval it will ask for at release, and confirm with the authority it names.

Dubai Customs' Service Guide (Version No. 9) carries a third list in Appendix F. It adds, for example, "Ministry Of Economy" for "Industrial Raw Materials". Raise any borderline group with Dubai Customs directly.

Consumer products imported into Dubai

Dubai Municipality's "Guidelines for Consumer Products Import and Re-export" (Version 2.0) cover groups including cosmetics, fragrances, detergents, health supplements and children's toys. The importer must "have valid license issued by a competent Authority in UAE with the license activity related to consumer products."

The guideline also requires the importer to obtain a "company Admin User ID before registering in Montaji" and to hold a "valid Importer Code available through Dubai Trade Portal". Check that your licence activity meets that wording before your first shipment.

Precious metals and stones

MoET's page "Does Your Company Fall Under the DNFBP" describes businesses "involved in the production of precious metals or precious stones, an intermediate buyer or broker". Its goAML page states that DNFBPs "were required to register on the goAML portal." If these goods are on your list, ask MoET whether both pages apply to you.

We did not find a gold or precious metals import approval on the Dubai Customs web page, its guide or the u.ae restricted list reviewed on 20 September 2026. We also did not find, on those pages, the approving authority for tobacco other than e-cigarettes.

Registering with Dubai Customs after the licence

A licence alone does not register you with customs. Dubai Customs Service Guide (Version No. 9) lists a service called "Request Business Registration". It states: "This service allows customers to register their business with Customs to allow them officially and legally transact with Dubai Customs".

The guide lists the documents as "Trade license Copy", "Authorized Person Passport Copy" and "Emirates ID Copy". The completion time shown is "1 Working Day". Dubai Customs decides the registration.

Selling online as well as trading adds its own requirements, covered in the guide to e-commerce trade licences in Dubai.

Costs: which fee lines are published

A search for the cheapest general trading licence in the UAE returns price pages. We did not find a DET mainland general trading fee, capital figure or renewal fee on the Invest in Dubai and DET pages reviewed on 20 September 2026. Several of those pages did not render their body text, and the activity search entry shows no fee. Ask DET for the current fee lines for activity 4690018.

The table lists fee lines as each page publishes them. They are not totals and do not include any provider's service fee.

DMCC's schedule states that it is subject to change without notice. Confirm each fee with the zone or authority on the day you apply.

u.ae's customs clearance page states: "The rate of customs duty is 5 per cent of the value of goods plus Cost Freight Insurance. It is 50 per cent on alcohol and 100 per cent on cigarettes." Dubai Customs' Service Guide also lists import declaration fees in Appendix B, for example "Import to Local from ROW" at 70 dutiable and 80 non-dutiable. The currency label for that table was not captured, so confirm the unit with Dubai Customs.

Three kinds of cost can appear on one set-up: government fees, third-party charges and any provider's service fee. Ask for each to be shown separately. A fuller comparison sits in the Dubai trade licence cost breakdown.

Fees checked on 20 September 2026.

The goods framework, questions and cost checklist

Practical asset: the permitted-and-restricted goods framework, pre-licence questions and cost-driver checklist. Fill in the right-hand column for your own product list before you choose a licence. | Goods group | Customs status, as published | Approving authority, as each source names it | Your products in this group | |---|---|---|---| | Goods on neither customs list | Not listed as restricted or prohibited on the Dubai Customs page | None named on the Dubai Customs page or the u.ae list; check Appendix F of the Dubai Customs Service Guide, DET's approvals list and the DM consumer products guideline | ____ | | Live animals, plants; medicines and medical equipment | Restricted | Dubai Customs and u.ae: Ministry of Climate Change and Environment; Ministry of Health and Prevention | ____ | | Media and printed products | Restricted | Dubai Customs: National Media Council. u.ae: Ministry of Culture and Youth | ____ | | E-cigarettes and electronic hookah | Restricted | Dubai Customs: "Emirates Authority for Standardization and Metrology". u.ae: Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology | ____ | | Cosmetics and personal care | Restricted | Dubai Customs: Dubai Municipality. u.ae: Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology. DM guideline: Montaji registration | ____ | | Foodstuffs | Restricted | Dubai Customs: Dubai Municipality | ____ | | Transmitters and radio equipment | Restricted | Dubai Customs: Telecommunications Regulatory Authority. u.ae: TDRA | ____ | | Alcoholic beverages; rough diamonds | Restricted | Dubai Customs: Dubai Police; UAE Kimberley Process office | ____ | | Gambling devices, nylon fishing nets, live swine, used tyres, paan | Prohibited | Listed as prohibited by Dubai Customs | ____ | Pre-licence questions 1. Have you listed each product by group, and checked each group against the Dubai Customs page? [yes / no] 2. Is any product on the prohibited list? If yes, remove it from the plan. 3. For each restricted group, which authority does Dubai Customs name, and which does u.ae name? Write both. 4. Where the two differ, what did Dubai Customs confirm, and on what date? 5. Will you manufacture or produce goods? JAFZA's guide says the trading licence may not be used for that. 6. Does the plan include oil and gas? DMCC's general trading wording excludes it. 7. Do consumer products need Montaji registration, a DM Admin User ID and an Importer Code? 8. Do precious metals or stones bring you within MoET's DNFBP description? 9. Which licensing authority will issue the licence, and which approvals list does it hold? Cost-driver checklist (published lines only) - [ ] Licensing authority fee for general trading: DET line not found; JAFZA and DMCC lines as each zone publishes them. - [ ] Knowledge and Innovation fees where the page lists them. - [ ] Chamber membership line for your category. - [ ] Dubai Customs business registration and its renewal fee. - [ ] Import declaration fees and customs duty. - [ ] Dubai Municipality consumer product release fee, if it applies. - [ ] Fees of each approving authority for restricted goods: not reviewed here; ask each authority. - [ ] Any provider's service fee, shown separately.

Before you commit: check the activity on paper

A quote that says "general trading" is not proof of the activity on a licence. Ask to see the activity name and code, and compare it with the Invest in Dubai entry or the zone's own rule. Once a licence is issued, the guide to verifying a UAE trade licence explains how to check it.

If your product list grows later, the licence may need a new activity. See the guide to adding or changing activities on a Dubai trade licence.

A worked example: a founder plans to trade household goods, cosmetics and radio transmitters. Household goods that appear on neither Dubai Customs list still need checking against DET's approvals list, Appendix F and the DM consumer products guideline before the founder treats them as "allowed goods". Cosmetics and transmitters sit in restricted rows, and the cosmetics row names two different authorities. That founder needs answers from several authorities before the first shipment, whatever the licence fee.

Who decides, what you prepare, what a provider can do

What the authority decides. DET, or the free zone authority, decides whether the licence is issued and with which activities. Dubai Customs decides business registration and the release of goods. Each approving authority decides on its own NOC or approval. No provider decides any of these.

What you prepare. A product list grouped as in the framework above, the licence activity name and code you intend to hold, and the answers to the pre-licence questions. Add the documents Dubai Customs lists for registration: the trade licence copy, the authorised person's passport copy and the Emirates ID copy.

What a provider can do. A provider can help assemble the product list, prepare documents and submit them through the channel each authority names. It cannot obtain an approval that the competent authority has not granted, and it cannot make a restricted good unrestricted.

Last verified: 20 September 2026. Information verified against official sources on 20 September 2026.

If you are comparing general trading options, contact RINJAZ to confirm availability, scope and quotation. RINJAZ is a privately licensed UAE service provider. It is not a government entity and does not act for any authority.

A provider's role, within whatever its licensed activity covers, is to prepare documents, submit them through the correct channel and track progress. DET or the free zone authority decides the licence, Dubai Customs and the approving authorities decide their own approvals, and no provider can promise the outcome.