Courier and delivery services in Dubai have grown substantially alongside e-commerce, and the licensing path differs meaningfully depending on whether you're running your own fleet or operating as an aggregator/platform connecting independent drivers to delivery jobs.
Licensing: transport and courier activity
A courier/delivery business licenses under a transport/courier services activity through DET. If you're operating your own vehicle fleet, RTA approval for commercial vehicle registration and driver permits applies on top of your base trade licence — this is a genuinely separate compliance track from the licence itself and needs its own timeline.
Own-fleet vs. platform/aggregator models
Running your own fleet with directly-employed drivers is the more straightforward regulatory model, if the more capital-intensive one (vehicles, fuel, maintenance, driver salaries). A platform model — connecting independent contractor drivers to delivery jobs through an app — is legally more complex, since the classification of drivers as contractors vs. employees has real implications for labour law compliance, and this area has faced regulatory scrutiny in various markets globally. If you're building a platform rather than a fleet, get specific legal advice on driver classification before launching, not after you've built the operational model around an assumption.
Vehicle types and permits
Motorcycle couriers, van-based delivery, and larger truck freight each have different RTA registration and permit requirements — confirm the correct vehicle category and associated permits for your specific delivery model before purchasing or leasing vehicles.
Insurance considerations
Commercial vehicle insurance for delivery fleets typically costs more than personal vehicle insurance and should explicitly cover commercial use and, if applicable, the goods being transported — confirm your policy actually covers commercial delivery use rather than assuming a standard vehicle policy extends to it.
Staffing and hiring
Directly-employed drivers need sponsored employment visas like any other staff — the Employee Cost Calculator gives a realistic all-in cost per hire, and the Employment Contract Generator covers the standard paperwork.
Costs and next steps
Model your setup cost with the Business Setup Cost Calculator, and confirm your exact activity classification and RTA requirements with the Trade Licence Activity Finder before committing to a fleet size or operating model.