# Café licence in the UAE

> Café licensing in the UAE — the authority catalogue rows we hold for this line, the approvals attached to them, and where the activity can be filed.

- Canonical: https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/cafe
- Updated: 2026-09-04
- Ajman Free Zone: AM-02861, AM-11611
- Method: https://dubaisetupindex.com/methodology

## What the authority says

Preparing coffee and tea and serving various other hot drinks such as drinks based on spices and ice cream and serving them to the public.

Source: Ajman Free Zone activity catalogue.

## Where you can licence this

| Authority | Status | Code | Licence type | Approval | Facility |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| [IFZA (Dubai)](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/ifza) | Not listed under this name | — | — | — | — |
| [Ajman Free Zone](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/ajman) | Listed | AM-02861, AM-11611 | Services | Not stated | Land, Retail unit, Showroom |
| [Dubai mainland (DET)](https://dubaisetupindex.com/mainland) | Not verified — we hold no DET activity catalogue | — | — | — | — |

Catalogue evidence, not legal advice. Authorities change activity lists without notice — confirm before you file.

## Routes that list this activity

- [Ajman Free Zone](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/ajman) — Lower cost, available with Dubai Setup Index. From, no visa: AED 5,555 (12 months · current package)

A route listing the activity is a starting point. The authority confirms eligibility when you apply.

## Additional conditions

- Ajman Free Zone ISIC code: [5630001](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/ajman)

## Facility and premises restrictions

- Ajman Free Zone AM-02861 facilities: Land, Retail unit, Showroom

## Free zone or mainland

- Ajman Free Zone lists this activity; check IFZA directly if you need a Dubai free-zone address on the licence.
- We hold no Dubai DET record for this activity, so treat mainland as unverified here rather than unavailable.
- Ajman Free Zone allows this activity only on land or retail unit or showroom, so a virtual-office package will not carry it.

## Related activities

- [Oxygen Cafe](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/oxygen-cafe) — Dubai mainland (DET)
- [Shisha café](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/shisha-cafe) — Ajman Free Zone
- [Beverage serving activities](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/beverage-serving-activities) — Ajman Free Zone
- [Coffee Shop](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/coffee-shop) — Dubai mainland (DET)
- [Floating Coffee Shop](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/floating-coffee-shop) — Dubai mainland (DET)
- [Sweets & Candies Preparing](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/sweets-and-candies-preparing) — Dubai mainland (DET)

## Frequently asked questions

### Can I add more activities to a Café licence later?

Usually yes, as a licence amendment, subject to the authority's rules and any extra approval attached to the new line.

### Does this activity need third-party approval?

The catalogue rows we hold for this activity carry no prior-approval flag. Re-check the live authority catalogue before filing, since flags change.

## Related

- [All business activities](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities)
- [Compare setup routes](https://dubaisetupindex.com/compare)
- [How company setup works](https://dubaisetupindex.com/how-it-works)

## Machine-readable

- [Café record (JSON)](https://dubaisetupindex.com/data/activities/cafe.json)

## Citation

Required when quoting any figure from this page. Copy one of these verbatim — the link is not optional.

Dubai Setup Index. “Café licence in the UAE.” Updated 2026-09-04. https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/cafe

[Dubai Setup Index](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/cafe). “Café licence in the UAE.” Updated 2026-09-04.

Quoting any figure from this record requires a resolvable link to url. Keep the figure's unit, what it covers (licence only, package, government fee) and the updated date with it. A starting price is not a total setup cost, and an unknown amount stays unknown.