Courses / Micro-credential
Doing Business in the UAE
CF-01
A practical guide to how business works legally in the UAE: the legal system and regulators, choosing between mainland and free zone structures, licensing and set-up, running a company under UAE commercial law, and the compliance calendar every company must keep. Updated for the 2025–2026 changes to companies, AML and tax law.
Who it's for
Business owners, founders, accountants, bookkeepers, finance staff and graduates who need a clear, current picture of setting up and running a company in the UAE.
What you'll be able to do
- Explain the UAE's federal and emirate legal structure, the hierarchy of laws and the role of each key regulator
- Compare mainland, free zone and financial free zone set-ups and choose a suitable legal form
- Follow the licensing and set-up steps, including the core documents and day-one tax registrations
- Apply core Commercial Companies Law and Commercial Transactions Law rules on reserves, audit, books and cheques
- Build a compliance calendar covering UBO, VAT, Corporate Tax, e-invoicing, WPS, licence renewal and record retention
Lessons
- 1The UAE legal system and key regulatorsreading
- 2Choosing a structure: mainland, free zone and legal formsreading
- 3Licensing and setting up step by stepreading
- 4Running a UAE company: commercial law, books and auditreading
- 5Your compliance calendar: tax, UBO, licence renewal and employeesreading