# Water Desalination, Refining and Distribution (Desalination Plant) licence in the UAE

> Water Desalination, Refining and Distribution (Desalination Plant) 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/water-desalination-refining-and-distribution-desalination-plant
- Updated: 2026-09-05
- Ajman Free Zone: AM-02399
- Dubai mainland (DET): 3600002
- Method: https://dubaisetupindex.com/methodology

## What the authority says

Stations and refineries that carry out evaporation and condensation operations and other operations for the purpose of removing salinity from seawater or other saline water by way of reverse osmosis and producing water suitable for drinking, irrigation, or for other commercial and industrial uses.

Source: Ajman Free Zone official activity list.

## 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-02399 | Industrial | Not stated | Warehouse, Land |
| [Dubai mainland (DET)](https://dubaisetupindex.com/mainland) | Listed | 3600002 | 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: [3600002](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/ajman)

## Facility and premises restrictions

- Ajman Free Zone AM-02399 facilities: Warehouse, Land

## 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 land, 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: 3600002 · Non-Financial (Category B)

## Related activities

- [Desalination & sewage treatment plants operation & maintenance](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/desalination-and-sewage-treatment-plants-operation-and-maintenance) — Dubai mainland (DET)
- [Water Desalination Equipment Trading](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/water-desalination-equipment-trading) — IFZA (Dubai) · Dubai mainland (DET)
- [Wholesale of Water Desalination Equipment and Machinery and Outfit Trading](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/wholesale-of-water-desalination-equipment-and-machinery-and-outfit-trading) — Ajman Free Zone
- [Water Desalination and Treatment Stations Contracting](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/water-desalination-and-treatment-stations-contracting) — Ajman Free Zone · Dubai mainland (DET)
- [Water Resource & Infrastructure Treatment & Enhancement](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/water-resource-and-infrastructure-treatment-and-enhancement) — Dubai mainland (DET)

## Frequently asked questions

### Can I add more activities to a Water Desalination, Refining and Distribution (Desalination Plant) 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

- [Water Desalination, Refining and Distribution (Desalination Plant) record (JSON)](https://dubaisetupindex.com/data/activities/water-desalination-refining-and-distribution-desalination-plant.json)

## Citation

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

Dubai Setup Index. “Water Desalination, Refining and Distribution (Desalination Plant) licence in the UAE.” Updated 2026-09-05. https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/water-desalination-refining-and-distribution-desalination-plant

[Dubai Setup Index](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/water-desalination-refining-and-distribution-desalination-plant). “Water Desalination, Refining and Distribution (Desalination Plant) 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.