Starting a jewellery retail business in Ras Al Khaimah involves a jewellery-trading activity licence through the RAK Department of Economic Development — this guide covers a general RAK-based jewellery retail licence, distinct from Dubai's Gold and Diamond Park, a specialised free zone combining manufacturing and retail for the gold and jewellery trade specifically.
Licensing considerations
A jewellery retail business needs a gold/jewellery trading activity licence, and depending on whether the business also manufactures jewellery on-site versus purely retailing finished pieces sourced from suppliers, the specific activity classification and any workshop-related approvals differ. A pure retail operation without on-site manufacturing generally faces a simpler approval path than one combining production and sales.
VAT and regulatory considerations
Standard UAE VAT rules apply to retail jewellery sales — 5% VAT generally applies to the full invoice value (gold value plus making charges) for consumer jewellery regardless of purity, distinct from the zero-rating that applies only to business-to-business investment-grade bullion trades. This site's Gold Rate Calculator can help you understand how this plays out on an actual transaction.
Costs and timeline
Costs are driven by premises security requirements (jewellery retail typically needs enhanced security measures given the value of stock held), display fit-out, and initial inventory investment, which typically exceeds the licensing cost itself substantially. Model your base licensing cost with this site's Business Setup Cost Calculator.