Starting a translation services business in Dubai is one of the more accessible professional-services licences to obtain, though offering certified legal translation specifically involves additional accreditation beyond a standard translation-services trade licence.
Licensing options
A general translation and language-services business can be licensed as a professional-consultancy activity through Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) for a mainland licence, or through a general free zone like IFZA or RAKEZ for a lower-cost route without a physical retail requirement, since most translation work does not need customer-facing premises.
Legal translation accreditation
Translating documents for official, legal or court purposes typically requires the translator to be accredited by the relevant judicial or legal authority as a certified legal translator — a separate qualification and registration process from the business licence itself, similar in principle to how a law firm needs individually registered lawyers beyond its company licence. A general business translation service (marketing materials, websites, business documents) does not need this specific accreditation.
Costs and timeline
As a professional-services activity without special facility requirements, base licensing costs are comparable to other consultancy businesses. Model your case with this site's Business Setup Cost Calculator, and see this site's Freelance Permit Cost Comparison if you are a solo translator rather than planning a multi-person agency from the outset.