Dubai Economy issues 4,796 new licences in February 2021, registers 3.4% y-o-y growth

The Business Registration and Licensing (BRL) Sector in Dubai Economy issued 4,796 new licences in February 2021, an increase of 3.4 per cent from the 4,639 new licences issued in February 2020.

Among the new licences issued in February 2021, 57 per cent were professional (2,730), followed by 41.5 per cent commercial (1,992), and the rest were distributed among tourism and industrial activities.

Bur Dubai accounted for the largest share (2,831) of the new licences issued in February 2021 in terms of areas, followed by Deira (1,960), and Hatta (5).

According to the legal forms of the licences issued in February 2021, sole establishments accounted for 39 per cent, followed by Limited Liability companies (34 per cent), and Civil Works at 23 per cent. The rest of the legal forms included: One-Person Limited Liability Companies; branches of companies based in other emirates; branches of Free Zone companies; and branches of foreign companies.

The activities of the new licences issued during February 2021 included: Project management services, paints and dyes, floor and wall tiling, carpentry and flooring installation, building services, plaster works, plumbing and sanitary, air-conditioning services, ventilation and air purification systems, wallpaper installation, and suspended ceilings and light partitions installation.

The increase in new licences reflects the private sector’s role in Dubai’s economic development as well as the emirate’s efforts to provide a supportive environment for local and international businesses, official news agency WAM reported.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, launched ‘Invest in Dubai’ (invest.dubai.ae), a unified digital platform to start a business in Dubai last month.

Read: Sheikh Mohammed launches ‘Invest in Dubai’ platform to ease process of establishing businesses

The Invest in Dubai platform will cover the entire business cycle, including registering trade names, getting initial approvals to issue a licence, ensuring adherence to all government requirements, and obtaining trade licences.

Meanwhile, the Business Map, www.dubaibusinessmap.ae, provides vital data on each license category including their numbers and distribution as well as trends on a monthly basis. It also includes an interactive guide explaining the geographic distribution and concentration of major business activities and the rate of urban growth in terms of expanding neighbourhoods and business licenses.