# Chemicals trading business activities in the UAE > 20 activities the Dubai DET catalogue files under its “Chemicals trading” group. Of them, IFZA (Dubai) lists 18, Ajman Free Zone 12 and Dubai mainland (DET) 20. All three routes list 12 of these 20 activities. Only the mainland lists 2: Industrial Sponge Trading and Insecticides Trading. 2 activities need an outside approval before the licence issues. - Canonical: https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/groups/chemicals-trading - Updated: 2026-09-05 - Activities: 20 - IFZA (Dubai): 18 - Ajman Free Zone: 12 - Dubai mainland (DET): 20 ## Activities in this group A tick means that route's own catalogue lists the activity. Same name at: other zone catalogues naming it, a name match rather than an equivalence. All 20 are DET Commercial licences. 2 activities need an outside approval before the licence issues. | Activity | DET code | Approval | IFZA | Ajman FZ | Mainland | Same name at | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | [Acids & Alkalines Trading](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/acids-and-alkalines-trading) | 4669213 | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | [DMCC](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/dmcc), [Meydan Free Zone](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/meydan) | | [Adhesives Trading](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/adhesives-trading) | 4669218 | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | [DMCC](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/dmcc), [Meydan Free Zone](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/meydan), [SPC Free Zone](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/spc) | | [Basic Industrial Chemicals Trading](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/basic-industrial-chemicals-trading) | 4669208 | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | [DMCC](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/dmcc), [Meydan Free Zone](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/meydan) | | [Detergents Trading](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/detergents-trading) | 4773311 | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | [SPC Free Zone](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/spc) | | [Fire Extinguishing Materials Trading](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/fire-extinguishing-materials-trading) | 4669215 | Prior approval | ✓ | — | ✓ | [DMCC](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/dmcc), [Meydan Free Zone](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/meydan), [SPC Free Zone](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/spc) | | [Industrial & Liquefied Natural Gas Trading](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/industrial-and-liquefied-natural-gas-trading) | 4669211 | Prior approval | ✓ | — | ✓ | [DMCC](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/dmcc), [Meydan Free Zone](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/meydan) | | [Industrial Solvents Trading](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/industrial-solvents-trading) | 4669209 | — | ✓ | — | ✓ | [DMCC](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/dmcc), [Meydan Free Zone](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/meydan) | | [Industrial Sponge Trading](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/industrial-sponge-trading) | 4752202 | — | — | — | ✓ | [DMCC](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/dmcc), [Meydan Free Zone](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/meydan), [SPC Free Zone](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/spc) | | [Ink & Printing Materials Trading](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/ink-and-printing-materials-trading) | 4752048 | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | [DMCC](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/dmcc), [Meydan Free Zone](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/meydan), [SPC Free Zone](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/spc) | | [Insecticides Trading](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/insecticides-trading) | 4773310 | — | — | — | ✓ | [DMCC](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/dmcc), [Meydan Free Zone](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/meydan), [SPC Free Zone](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/spc) | | [Laboratories Chemicals Trading](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/laboratories-chemicals-trading) | 4669226 | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | [DMCC](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/dmcc), [Meydan Free Zone](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/meydan) | | [Medical Gas Trading](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/medical-gas-trading) | 4669210 | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | [DMCC](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/dmcc), [Meydan Free Zone](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/meydan), [SPC Free Zone](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/spc) | | [Non Edible Oil Trading](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/non-edible-oil-trading) | 4669217 | — | ✓ | — | ✓ | [DMCC](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/dmcc), [Meydan Free Zone](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/meydan), [SPC Free Zone](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/spc) | | [Photography Processing Materials Trading](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/photography-processing-materials-trading) | 4669214 | — | ✓ | — | ✓ | [DMCC](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/dmcc), [Meydan Free Zone](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/meydan) | | [Plastic & Nylon Raw Materials Trading](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/plastic-and-nylon-raw-materials-trading) | 4752201 | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | [DMCC](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/dmcc), [Meydan Free Zone](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/meydan), [SPC Free Zone](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/spc) | | [Raw Materials Trading](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/raw-materials-trading) | 4669911 | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | [DMCC](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/dmcc), [Meydan Free Zone](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/meydan), [SPC Free Zone](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/spc) | | [Rubber Trading](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/rubber-trading) | 4752203 | — | ✓ | — | ✓ | [DMCC](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/dmcc), [Meydan Free Zone](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/meydan), [SPC Free Zone](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/spc) | | [Sterilizers & Disinfectants Trading](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/sterilizers-and-disinfectants-trading) | 4773316 | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | [ADGM](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/adgm), [DMCC](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/dmcc), [Meydan Free Zone](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/meydan), [SPC Free Zone](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/spc) | | [Tannery & Dyeing Materials Trading](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/tannery-and-dyeing-materials-trading) | 4669212 | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | [DMCC](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/dmcc), [Meydan Free Zone](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/meydan) | | [Water Treatment & Purification Chemicals Trading](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/water-treatment-and-purification-chemicals-trading) | 4669230 | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | [DMCC](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/dmcc), [Meydan Free Zone](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/meydan) | ## Where the grouping comes from The group is the one the Invest in Dubai (DET) business activity catalogue gives each activity code, under the label “Chemicals trading”. An activity appears here when its guide carries that DET code. Licence types in this group: Commercial. Catalogue checked 2026-09-05. [DET catalogue](https://app.invest.dubai.ae/search-business-activities) ## Related - [All business activities and groups](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities) - [Dubai mainland](https://dubaisetupindex.com/mainland) - [Compare setup routes](https://dubaisetupindex.com/compare)