One of the most common questions we receive at GGB Consulting is straightforward: how much does it actually cost to get a restaurant licence in Dubai? The answer is less straightforward, because there is no single licence. Opening a restaurant in Dubai requires navigating multiple government entities, each with their own fees, timelines, and requirements.
This guide breaks down every fee you will encounter when licensing a restaurant in Dubai in 2026, based on our experience processing licences for 45+ restaurant launches across the emirate.
The Licence Stack: What You Actually Need
A fully licensed restaurant in Dubai requires approvals from at least four government entities. Think of it as a stack — each layer must be in place before you can legally serve your first customer.
The Department of Economy and Tourism (DET, formerly DED) issues your trade licence, which is your legal permission to operate a business. Dubai Municipality issues your food safety permit, which confirms your premises meet health and safety standards. The Civil Defence Department issues your fire safety certificate. And Dubai Police may be involved if you require an alcohol licence.
Each of these has associated fees, and the total cost varies depending on your business structure, location, restaurant size, and whether you are operating on the mainland or in a free zone.
Trade Licence Fees (Department of Economy and Tourism)
The DET trade licence is the foundation of your legal structure. The costs break down as follows:
Trade name reservation costs approximately AED 620. This secures your restaurant’s legal business name. Initial approval from DET costs approximately AED 120. The trade licence fee itself ranges from AED 10,000 to AED 15,000 annually, depending on the specific activity codes you register. Most restaurants register under the “Restaurant” activity, but if you plan to offer catering, delivery, or event services, each additional activity code adds AED 1,000 to AED 2,000.
Chamber of Commerce membership is mandatory and costs approximately AED 1,200 annually for a new business. Establishment card (immigration card) costs approximately AED 2,000 and is required before you can sponsor employee visas.
For the legal structure itself, if you are setting up a Limited Liability Company on the mainland with 100% foreign ownership, expect to pay AED 2,000 to AED 5,000 in Memorandum of Association drafting and notarisation fees through the Dubai Courts.
The total DET trade licence package typically costs AED 15,000 to AED 25,000, depending on complexity.
Dubai Municipality Food Permit Fees
Dubai Municipality approval is where the food-specific requirements come in. The food permit application fee is approximately AED 2,000. Food handler medical fitness testing costs approximately AED 300 per employee (this is mandatory for every person who handles food, including kitchen staff, servers, and even baristas).
The premises inspection fee is included in the application, but if modifications are required after the initial inspection, re-inspection fees of approximately AED 500 per visit apply. Signage permit from Dubai Municipality costs approximately AED 1,500 to AED 5,000 depending on sign size and location.
Trade waste registration is mandatory for any establishment that generates food waste, which every restaurant does. This costs approximately AED 1,500 annually.
The total Dubai Municipality package typically costs AED 5,000 to AED 10,000, plus per-employee medical testing.
HACCP Certification Costs
While not always a strict legal requirement for every restaurant format, HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) certification is expected by Dubai Municipality inspectors and is effectively mandatory for any serious restaurant operation.
The cost of HACCP certification depends on your approach. If you hire a HACCP consultant to develop your food safety management system, document all procedures, and guide you through the certification process, expect to pay AED 8,000 to AED 20,000 depending on the complexity of your operation and the number of food preparation processes involved.
The certification audit itself costs AED 3,000 to AED 8,000 depending on the certifying body. Annual surveillance audits cost approximately AED 2,000 to AED 5,000.
For a straightforward restaurant operation, budget AED 12,000 to AED 25,000 for initial HACCP certification.
Civil Defence Approval Fees
Civil Defence approval covers fire safety compliance. The inspection application fee is approximately AED 1,000. However, the real cost is in the fire safety infrastructure your premises must have: fire alarm systems, sprinklers, emergency exits, fire extinguishers, and fire-rated kitchen extraction systems.
If your premises already has a compliant fire safety system from a previous tenant, you may only need the inspection fee. If you need to install or upgrade fire safety systems, the cost ranges from AED 15,000 to AED 50,000 depending on the size of your restaurant and the existing infrastructure.
Fire safety maintenance contracts are also effectively mandatory, costing AED 3,000 to AED 8,000 annually.
Alcohol Licence Fees (If Applicable)
If your restaurant will serve alcohol, an additional licence is required. This is only available for restaurants located within or attached to hotels, clubs, or designated entertainment areas, though the regulations have been evolving.
The alcohol licence application fee ranges from AED 10,000 to AED 30,000 annually. There are additional requirements including a designated storage area, specific staff training, and compliance with serving regulations.
Not every restaurant needs this, and the regulations change frequently. Consult with a licensing specialist for the most current requirements.
Visa and Labour Costs
Every employee you sponsor requires a residency visa. The costs per employee include: entry permit at approximately AED 1,100, medical fitness test at approximately AED 320 (separate from the food handler test), Emirates ID at approximately AED 370, visa stamping at approximately AED 570, and labour card at approximately AED 300.
The total visa cost per employee is approximately AED 2,660. For a restaurant with 15 employees, that is approximately AED 40,000 in visa processing costs alone.
Annual health insurance is mandatory for all employees. Budget AED 1,500 to AED 3,000 per employee annually for basic compliant health insurance plans.
Free Zone vs Mainland: Cost Comparison
If you are considering a free zone setup, primarily for cloud kitchens or food production rather than dine-in restaurants, the cost structure differs:
Free zone licence packages typically range from AED 12,000 to AED 25,000 annually, often including visa allocations, office space, and basic business setup. Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC), Dubai South, and IFZA are popular choices for food businesses.
The advantage is a simpler setup process and sometimes lower total costs. The disadvantage is restrictions on operating a physical dine-in restaurant outside the free zone boundary.
For a traditional dine-in restaurant, mainland licensing remains the standard approach.
Hidden Costs Most Guides Don’t Mention
Beyond the official government fees, there are several costs that catch first-time restaurant owners by surprise:
PRO (Public Relations Officer) services for managing government paperwork typically cost AED 500 to AED 1,500 per month or AED 500 to AED 1,000 per transaction. Unless you enjoy spending days at government offices, a PRO service is effectively mandatory.
Ejari (tenancy contract registration) costs AED 220 but is required before your trade licence can be issued. Your lease must be registered.
Food safety training for your team, beyond the basic medical fitness test, costs AED 500 to AED 1,500 per person for recognised food safety certifications.
Menu calorie labelling compliance, which Dubai Municipality now requires for many restaurant formats, may require nutritional analysis of your menu items, costing AED 3,000 to AED 8,000 depending on menu size.
POS system licensing and setup costs AED 15,000 to AED 40,000 for a proper cloud-based system with delivery platform integration.
Total Cost Summary
For a mid-range casual dining restaurant on the Dubai mainland in 2026, the complete licensing and compliance cost stack looks approximately like this:
DET Trade Licence package runs AED 15,000 to AED 25,000. Dubai Municipality food permit and related costs come to AED 5,000 to AED 10,000. HACCP certification costs AED 12,000 to AED 25,000. Civil Defence approval and fire safety run AED 5,000 to AED 50,000 depending on existing infrastructure. Visas for 15 staff total approximately AED 40,000. PRO services for the first year cost AED 6,000 to AED 18,000. And miscellaneous compliance items add AED 5,000 to AED 15,000.
The total licensing and compliance cost ranges from approximately AED 88,000 to AED 183,000. This does not include rent, fit-out, equipment, or working capital — only the paperwork and compliance costs.
How to Reduce These Costs
The most effective way to reduce licensing costs is speed. Every week of delay costs you rent without revenue. A well-managed licensing process takes 6 to 8 weeks. A poorly managed one can take 4 to 6 months, costing you AED 100,000 or more in dead rent.
Other cost-reduction strategies include negotiating your lease start date to align with expected licence issuance, choosing premises with existing food service infrastructure and fire safety compliance, processing multiple government applications in parallel rather than sequentially, and working with experienced consultants who know the exact documentation requirements and can prevent rejection-resubmission cycles.
The Bottom Line
Restaurant licensing in Dubai is not cheap, but it is predictable. The total licensing cost for a standard restaurant ranges from AED 88,000 to AED 183,000, with the wide range primarily driven by fire safety infrastructure and HACCP certification scope.
The key insight: licensing costs are not where restaurants lose money. Restaurants lose money on delays, rejections, and rework caused by incomplete applications and non-compliant premises. Getting it right the first time is the single most cost-effective strategy.
Need Help With Restaurant Licensing?
GGB Consulting has processed licences for 45+ restaurants across Dubai. We manage the entire process — DET, Dubai Municipality, HACCP, Civil Defence — in parallel, typically completing the full stack in 6 to 8 weeks.
Book your free licensing consultation:
- Call: +971 50 346 0478
- Email: daya@ggb.consulting
- Book a Free Consultation →
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to get a restaurant licence in Dubai? With professional management, the full licensing stack can be completed in 6 to 8 weeks. Without guidance, the process commonly takes 3 to 6 months due to documentation errors and sequential rather than parallel processing.
Can foreigners own a restaurant in Dubai without a local partner? Yes. Under current UAE Commercial Companies Law reforms, 100% foreign ownership is permitted for restaurant businesses on the mainland. A local service agent is no longer required for most restaurant activity codes.
Is HACCP certification mandatory for restaurants in Dubai? While the legal requirement varies by restaurant format, HACCP certification is expected by Dubai Municipality inspectors and is effectively necessary for any restaurant seeking to operate without compliance issues. We strongly recommend obtaining it.
What is the cheapest way to open a food business in Dubai? A cloud kitchen in a free zone offers the lowest entry cost, with total licensing starting at approximately AED 20,000 to AED 35,000. However, this limits you to delivery-only operations without a dine-in component.
Do restaurant licence fees need to be renewed annually? Yes. The DET trade licence, Chamber of Commerce membership, employee visas, health insurance, and most compliance certifications require annual renewal. Budget approximately AED 30,000 to AED 50,000 annually for ongoing compliance costs for a standard restaurant.
