Cleaning services in Dubai split into two genuinely different regulatory tracks depending on your business model — a distinction that trips up a lot of first-time founders who assume it's a single, simple licence.
Commercial cleaning contracts vs. manpower/staffing models
A standard cleaning services trade licence through DET covers a business that contracts to clean premises — offices, homes, retail units — using its own directly-employed staff and equipment. This is the straightforward path most cleaning companies take. It's a different matter if your model involves supplying cleaning staff to work under another company's day-to-day direction (a labour/manpower supply arrangement) — that crosses into MOHRE's more tightly regulated manpower supply licensing, which has stricter approval requirements and is a separate activity classification entirely. Confirm which model you're actually running before applying, since the wrong activity code on your licence application creates problems later, not fewer.
Equipment and storage
Unlike office-based service businesses, cleaning companies typically need storage space for equipment and chemical supplies, which factors into your premises choice — a flexi-desk works for the licence and admin side, but you'll likely need a small warehouse or storage unit separately for equipment, especially once you're running multiple crews.
Chemical and safety compliance
Industrial cleaning chemicals fall under health and safety handling requirements — proper storage, staff training on chemical safety, and correct labelling — which matters more once you're operating at a scale with multiple staff handling concentrated products daily rather than a single founder cleaning part-time.
Staffing is the core cost driver
Cleaning is a labour-intensive model — most of your ongoing cost is staff, not the licence itself. Each employee needs a sponsored employment visa, and your total cost per hire runs well above the salary line once visa costs, health insurance, and gratuity accrual are included — the Employee Cost Calculator gives a realistic all-in figure rather than just the quoted salary. If you're hiring internationally rather than locally, factor in the Visa Cost Calculator for each new hire's entry costs.
Contracts and paperwork
Once you're issuing employment contracts and salary certificates for staff, the Employment Contract Generator and 3 cover the standard paperwork — useful from day one rather than something to figure out ad hoc as you scale.
Costs and next steps
Model your setup cost with the Business Setup Cost Calculator, and confirm you're applying under the correct activity — commercial cleaning services vs. manpower supply — with the Trade Licence Activity Finder before submitting your application.