Dubai Commercial Permits: Sales, Promotions, Exhibitions and Signage Explained

A Dubai trade licence lets a business trade, but it does not cover every commercial activity that business might run. Sales, promotions, exhibitions, banners and several other activities need a separate commercial permit. The Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) issues it separately from the trade licence. Check the list before any campaign, because inspectors can ask for the permit.

This guide explains what the commercial permit covers and what each type costs. It uses the official fee ranges DET publishes on Invest in Dubai, its business services portal. It groups the permit's activities into three families: sales and promotions, events and exhibitions, and signage. It then explains how to apply, which usually takes only a few minutes online.

What a commercial permit covers

Invest in Dubai lists a wide range of activities that fall under the commercial permit. They include promotions, sales, special offers, liquidation sales, exhibitions, conferences and commercial tents for events. Advertising signs, paper advertisements, kiosks and sales counters are covered too.

The list also includes overtime trading, self-service machines, ATMs, additional offices, and parking lots or warehouses in public squares. Daytime delivery of orders during Ramadan appears on the list as well. If an activity falls outside ordinary day-to-day trading, check whether a permit applies before starting or advertising it.

Sales, promotions and special offers

Promotional campaigns cost between AED 500 and AED 20,000, depending on the area where the store is located. Sales permits cost between AED 2,500 and AED 13,500, depending on the type of sale. These are the published DET ranges, before any other approvals.

Special offers and liquidation sales carry a single fixed fee of AED 2,500. Budget for the permit before announcing a campaign, because the fee depends on the store's location and the sale type. The permit also gives customers confidence that the advertised discount is genuine and approved.

Exhibitions, conferences and tents

Exhibition permits cost between AED 500 and AED 1,000, based on how long the exhibition runs. Conference permits cost between AED 250 and AED 1,000, depending on the type of conference. Both can apply when companies launch new products or host clients and partners.

Commercial tents cost considerably more, between AED 5,000 and AED 15,000, depending on the tent's area. Ramadan and festival season tents can fall into this category. Where an event also involves food, alcohol or public safety, other authorities may need to approve it separately as well.

Signage, banners and advertising

Banner permits start from AED 250, depending on the banner's size. Permanent advertising signs are also covered by the commercial permit. The size and position of a sign affect both the fee and whether it will be approved at all.

Invest in Dubai links to the Roads and Transport Authority's official shop billboard permit manual. The manual sets out the technical and placement rules a shop sign must meet. Read it carefully before ordering any fabrication, because a non-compliant sign can be refused after it has already been paid for.

How to apply for a commercial permit

Applications can be made through the Invest in Dubai portal or at authorised service centres. DET states that the service is completed within five minutes once submitted. Payment can be made by direct debit, or by cash or cheque through the banks DET lists.

The business needs a valid trade licence whose activities fit what the permit covers. Apply before any advertising material goes out, not on the day the sale itself starts. Keep a copy of the permit available at the premises, because inspectors may ask to see it.

Main Takeaways

A Dubai trade licence does not cover sales, promotions, exhibitions, tents or banners on its own. Each needs a DET commercial permit, with published fees such as AED 2,500 for special offers and AED 500 to AED 20,000 for promotions. Apply through Invest in Dubai or a service centre before advertising anything. Keep the permit available for any DET inspector.

Planning permits into your calendar

In Dubai, commercial permits are easy to obtain and just as easy to forget. The application takes minutes, but the fee ranges are wide enough to affect a small campaign budget. The main risk is timing, when a sale is advertised before the permit actually exists. A simple annual calendar of planned campaigns and events avoids that problem.

List your promotions, exhibitions, tents and signage plans for the coming year, then budget each permit alongside the campaign itself. Check your licence activities first, since the permit must fit them. MSM can review your current licence and add activities through a licence amendment or additional business activity. Our guide to trade licence renewal in Dubai covers keeping the licence itself valid.