# Restaurant licence in the UAE

> Restaurant 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/restaurant
- Updated: 2026-09-05
- Ajman Free Zone: AM-02859, AM-06773, AM-11618
- Dubai mainland (DET): 5610001
- Method: https://dubaisetupindex.com/methodology

## What the authority says

**Conditions : 1-Business plan + LAYOUT 2- Approval from HSE Dept. + Sign - the Undertaking It includes stores that work in the field of food preparation and types of meals, including fast food.It also includes preparing types of drinks and presenting the

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-02859, AM-06773, AM-11618 | Services | Not stated | Warehouse, Retail unit, Showroom |
| [Dubai mainland (DET)](https://dubaisetupindex.com/mainland) | Listed | 5610001 | Professional | Not stated | Not restricted in the 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)
- [Dubai mainland (DET)](https://dubaisetupindex.com/mainland) — Onshore trading rights, Ejari premises. From, no visa: AED 14,000 (Licence only · plus 5% of rent)

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

## Additional conditions

- Ajman Free Zone ISIC code: [5610001](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/ajman)

## Facility and premises restrictions

- Ajman Free Zone AM-02859 facilities: Warehouse, 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.
- Dubai mainland under DET lets you invoice UAE mainland clients directly, but it expects Ejari-registered premises and runs longer than a free-zone desk package.
- Ajman Free Zone allows this activity only on warehouse or retail unit or showroom, so a virtual-office package will not carry it.

## Also catalogued elsewhere

The same activity name appears in other authority catalogues we track. This is a name match, not a legal equivalence, and Dubai Setup Index does not file in these zones.

- ADGM: 5610001 · Retail (Category C)
- DMCC: 5520-01 · Service

## Related activities

- [Restaurants and mobile food service activities](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/restaurants-and-mobile-food-service-activities) — Ajman Free Zone
- [Floating Restaurant](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/floating-restaurant) — Dubai mainland (DET)
- [Restaurants Management](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/restaurants-management) — IFZA (Dubai) · Ajman Free Zone · Dubai mainland (DET)
- [Cafeteria](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/cafeteria) — Ajman Free Zone · Dubai mainland (DET)
- [Multi Restaurants Center](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/multi-restaurants-center) — Dubai mainland (DET)
- [Wholesale of Restaurants and Kitchens Equipment and Outfit Trading - Import & Export](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/wholesale-of-restaurants-and-kitchens-equipment-and-outfit-trading-import-and-export) — Ajman Free Zone

## Frequently asked questions

### Can I add more activities to a Restaurant 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

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

## Citation

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

Dubai Setup Index. “Restaurant licence in the UAE.” Updated 2026-09-05. https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/restaurant

[Dubai Setup Index](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/restaurant). “Restaurant licence in the UAE.” Updated 2026-09-05.

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.