Securing an authorized business license is the first step to starting your event management company in Dubai. In Dubai, a license is required to undertake any business-related tasks. Even a corporate bank account cannot be opened without an authentic business license.

Securing an event management business license in Dubai is easy but can get confusing and overwhelming, especially if you are new to the country. In this article, we will take you through the steps of attaining a license so that you know exactly how to get started on this quest. 

Why Do You Need An Event Management License in Dubai?

First, do you need an event planner license to run events? The answer is an absolute yes.

In the UAE, government rules dictate that to undertake any business or trade; you must have a business license for the specific activity. Any business activity conducted without an authentic license is subject to a heavy fine and a potential ban on the owner.

Additionally, running events without a license is nearly impossible, as you cannot open a bank account, create official invoices, or get the required permits for your event without one. This is why getting a business license should be the first step in your event management journey. 

How To Get An Event Management License In Dubai

As we mentioned earlier, getting a business license in Dubai is simple. The first step is to decide which economic zone you want to register and run your business in. UAE has two different types of economic zones – Mainland and Free Zones.

The main distinction between a Free Zone and Mainland is the zone of operations. While mainland companies can do business across and outside the UAE without restrictions, a free zone company can only trade within the free zones in the country and outside the country.

Previously, foreigners were not allowed 100% ownership of a mainland company and required at least 51% sponsorship from a local partner. However, that rule has been scraped, and foreigners can now fold 100% ownership of a mainland company. 

If you already have a free zone license or opt for one, Platinumlist can help you issue permits and run events in mainland areas through our official DTCM partnership, which allows organizers to run events under Platinumlist’s event management license.

Interested in learning more about running events through Platinumlist? Get in touch with us now.

Activities Included In An Event Management License

Each company license in Dubai, regardless of its established zone, lists a set of activities that the company can undertake within the business. This list of activities determines exactly what activities a business is legally authorized to do. Any activity not part of the list in a company’s license cannot be offered by the business.

Here are some activities that can be included in your event planning license. 

  • Parties & Entertainments Services
  • Parties & Private Functions Filming
  • Performing Arts & Music Festivals
  • Fireworks Shows
  • Hospitality Services
  • Laser Shows
  • Live Theatrical Show Production
  • Musical Band
  • Visual Arts Festivals
  • Balloon Operation & Maintenance

When applying for a license, ensure that you choose all the necessary activities to undertake all the projects required to run your events successfully.

How To Get An Event Management License In Dubai

Now that you have gathered all the required information, here are the steps that you need to follow to get an event management license in Dubai

Step 1: Select business activity

As discussed earlier, choosing suitable business activities for your business license is crucial in determining what your company can undertake. Ensure that every activity part of your business plan is included in the license.

If you are unsure about which business activities to choose for your license, let us help you. Platinumlist provides you with the right advice and assistance throughout the licensing process in Dubai.

Get in touch with us to learn more about our event management solutions. 

Step 2: Choose your business zone

The second step towards getting an event management license in Dubai is determining whether your company license will be issued in a free zone or mainland. As both licenses are processed through different authorities, it’s important to determine the economic zone as early as possible.

Step 3: Choose the company structure

There are various business structures that can be used to form a company. However, this structure must be determined in advance as it will affect your licensing procedure. Here are the company structures you can choose from.

  • Free Zone company structures – Free Zone Company (FZCO), Free Zone Establishment (FZE), and a Branch of a business concern.
  • Mainland company structures – Sole Proprietorship, Partnership, Civil Partnership, Limited Liability Company (LLC)

Step 4: Register the company name

In the UAE, a business must have a registered trade name before applying for and issuing the license. Once the business name has been registered, it can be added to the license application.

A company’s trade name has to be registered through the economic zone chosen to issue the license and can be applied online. Here are a few regulations that are required to be followed in UAE when choosing a business name:

The trade name must:

  • be followed by the business structure acronym (legal form of the company) such as LLC, EST, PJSC, PrJSC
  • not violate the public morals or the public order of the country
  • be compatible with the required type of activity, and the legal status of the company or business entity
  • not contain names of any religion or governing authority, nor names or logos of any external bodies
  • not have been previously registered.

You can register the company trade name through the Dubai Economic and Tourism Department here.

Step 5: Get initial approval (for mainland licenses only)

If applying for a mainland license, you must get the UAE government’s initial approval. This approval indicates that the government has no objection to the business and gives investors the authority to proceed with the license application.

You can request initial approval from the Dubai Economic and Tourism Department here. 

In the case of foreign investors, additional approval from the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners’ Affairs is required before getting the business approval.

An event management license in Dubai does not require additional government approvals apart from the general initial approval.

Important note: An initial approval is a step toward the license; however, it does not give investors permission to start running business activities. Business activities can only be undertaken once the license has been issued.

Step 6: Apply for the license

Once the initial approval has been received, the main licensing application can be submitted with the required documents. The Department of Economic Development in Dubai registers and issues a mainland license, whereas the Free Zone Authority issues Free Zone licenses.

After the initial approval has been issued, you will receive a Memorandum of Association by the government within your DTCM portal that you can view and download by logging into the portal. The MOA has to be signed by all the business partners in witness of a notary. This process can be done online by registering all the partners on the DTCM website or physically in front of a notary designated by the government. 

To issue the license, submit the application with all the required approvals, documents, fees, and the application form to the relevant authority.

Business license processing takes up to 10 business days. Once the license has been issued, you can collect it from any of the service centers of the economic departments or through their websites.

You can issue your event management license through the Dubai Economic and Tourism Department here. 

Step 7: Apply for a visa and open a corporate bank account.

After the license has been issued, you can start processing UAE immigration and visa for yourself and your employees. Once your Emirates ID has been issued, you can proceed to open a corporate bank account for your business.

how to get an event management license in dubai

Step-by-step Instruction For Issuing A Trade License In Dubai

Here is the step-by-step process for issuing a trade license in Dubai, as per the Dubai Economic and Tourism Department.

 

Step 1 – Register Your Trade Name

  • Login or register through the official website https://invest.dubai.ae
  • Select the service – book new trade name.
  • Select the main business activity (the primary and additional activities).
  • Check the availability of your trade name. 
  • Review the details and click on “reserve trade name.”
  • Pay through available payment methods.
  • Receive a registered trade name certificate.

Step 2 – Issue initial approval

  • Login through the official website https://invest.dubai.ae
  • Select the service – initial approval.
  • Select the main business activity (the primary and additional activities).
  • Input all the parties involved in the license and their nationalities.
  • Select the company structure.
  • Select the license type (DED trader license, instant license, normal license). For an event management company, you can apply for an instant license. 
  • Add the required license details requested by the department.
  • Input all the details of involved partners (including business partners, managers, and local service agents, if any), like contact information, identification numbers, addresses, ownership shares, and roles in the company. 
  • Add Ultimate Beneficiary owners.
  • Pay through the available payment methods.
  • Submit the application for initial approval.
  • Receive initial approval and MOA on the portal.

Step 3 – Apply for a trade license

  • Login through the official website https://invest.dubai.ae.
  • Get the memorandum of association signed by all the concerned partners.
  • Pay through the available payment methods on the portal.
  • Receive the final license and related documents.

Documents required to issue an event management license in Dubai

  • Passport copy of owners and business partners. 
  • Dubai visa copy. If the owner is not a Dubai resident and has entered the country before, they must share the entry stamp from their latest entry to Dubai. The owner must only submit the passport copy if they have never entered Dubai. 
  • Two passport-sized photographs.
  • Copy of initial approval from DTCM.
  • Trade name registration certificate from DTCM.

For more information on how to issue a trade license in Dubai, check out the official Dubai Economic and Tourism Department website. 

You can also start your licensing process on the official Invest in Dubai website.

how to get an event management license in Dubai

Next Steps

Once your license is sorted, the next steps would be to start building your team, creating brand awareness for your company, and setting up your first event.

Check out our guide to organizing an event in Dubai to help you get started with your first event.

Issuing Dubai Event Permits

When hosting an entertainment or commercial event in Dubai, acquiring an event permit from Dubai Tourism Commerce and Marketing department is mandatory. If the event is ticketed, you must apply for an E-Ticketing service to print or sell tickets online through a licensed local ticketing company. 

The event and ticketing permits must be registered on the DTCM website. 

How to register and apply for Epermits in Dubai

  • Register for an account on the official Epermits website.
  • Select the registration type as an organizer and fill in the remaining details. You must enter details like your office address, trade license number, and authorized person Emirates ID. 
  • After completing the registration process, you will receive a confirmation email. Account applications are usually approved within two business days. Once approved, your account becomes active, and you may log in and apply for Epermits.
  • To register an Epermit, open the Epermit dashboard and click the “Add/Take Action” button.
  • Fill in all the required information, including the type of event, venue, date, time, and event manager details.
  • Move ahead and upload all the required documents mentioned in the application.
  • Review the information and submit the application. Once submitted, you will receive a confirmation email.

The approval process takes 5-8 working days. If DTCM requires any extra information about your event, you will receive an email with instructions. You can also log into your panel and check the missing information section.

Once the application has been approved, you will receive an email with an e-permit number, or you can download the Epermit from the issued section by clicking on record ID. Now, you can use the Epermit to apply for Eticketing.

The application for ETicketing must be made via the EForms service. 

How to register and apply for ETicketing in Dubai

  • Start by registering for an account for your company on the official Eforms website. 
  • To complete the registration, submit all the required information and documents, including company trade license, email address, and P.R.O. details. 
  • Once your account has been approved, you can start the application process for the Eticketing code for your event. You must submit your unique Epermit number to start the process. 
  • Fill in all the required information, including the type of event, venue, ticket pricing details, and sales start and end date, and submit the application. Review the information and submit the application. Note that the information cannot be modified once the form has been submitted. Once submitted, you will receive a confirmation email.

The approval process for Eticketing takes 2-5 working days. You will receive an email if DTCM requires extra information about your event during the review process. Y

Once the application has been approved, DTCM will send the Eticketing codes to your event organizer or ticketing partner, after which your event is authorized to go on sale. 

You can find a step-by-step guide on registering and applying for Epermits and Eticketing in our event management help center. 

DTCM Event Permits for Private Events

In cases of private events, the DTCM permit requirement is as follows.

  1. Non-ticketed private event: If a private event is not ticketed, the organizer is not required to obtain a DTCM permit. However, the hotel or venue must update the DTCM system with the details of the event.
  2. Ticketed private events: If a private event is ticketed, the event organizer has to obtain a DTCM permit with the same process as a public event, regardless of the nature of the event. The organizers will require DTCM codes to list and sell event tickets.

Platinumlist can help you get through this process easily, saving valuable time. Simply provide us with the necessary documents, and our agents will set you up quickly.

Required documents:

  • Dubai Inland Trade License
  • Passport copy for each performer
  • Passport-size photo of each performer
  • Passport copy of the event organizer mentioned in the license
  • Venue no objection letter signed and stamped on the letterhead
  • Contact details of each artist or artist manager.

There are many different aspects involved in planning a successful event in Dubai. Platinumlist can help you manage your event’s management from start to finish smoothly and efficiently.  

The region’s most renowned ticketing and events solutions partner, Platinumlist, offers solutions for all your event organization needs under one roof, including online event ticketing, express event licensing, digital marketing, event staffing, and much more.

Get in touch now to learn more about Platinumlist’s event-organizing solutions.