A consultant plans to offer business strategy advice to clients remotely, with no physical products and no in-person retail component.
The Walkthrough
- Rule out commercial and industrial licence types
Since there's no buying/selling of goods or manufacturing involved, a professional licence covering consultancy services is the relevant category, not commercial or industrial. - Search for the specific consulting activity code
Business and management consultancy typically has its own specific activity code — search for it directly rather than a broader, less accurate category. - Check if any additional approvals apply
Some consulting sub-categories (like specific regulated advisory areas) may require additional approvals beyond the standard licence — confirm your specific service doesn't fall into one of those. - Avoid adding unrelated activities
Resist adding retail or trading activities 'just in case' if the business is purely service-based — this keeps the licence fee focused and avoids unnecessary complexity. - Confirm the activity matches what invoices will say
The licensed activity should match the service description used on client invoices and contracts, keeping everything consistent for compliance.
The Takeaway
For a purely remote, service-based consultancy, picking the single correct professional activity code (rather than a bundle of loosely related ones) keeps the licence simpler, cheaper, and easier to stay compliant with.
Try It With Your Own Numbers
This example used specific figures to make the process concrete, but the same steps apply whatever your actual numbers are. Run the Trade Licence Activity Finder with your own details — free, in under a minute, no sign-up required.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does remote consulting still need a UAE trade licence?
If operating as a UAE-based business, yes — a trade licence is required regardless of whether client meetings happen remotely or in person.
Can one licence cover multiple types of consulting?
Often yes, if the sub-activities are closely related; a licence covering business and management consultancy broadly may cover related advisory work without needing separate activities.
What if a client asks to buy a product alongside consulting services?
That would fall under a different, commercial activity type — worth adding to your licence deliberately rather than operating outside your licensed scope.
Does this activity type limit which free zones are available?
Most free zones offer professional/consultancy licences, though the specific package pricing and visa allocation can vary by zone.
Is a professional licence cheaper than a commercial one?
It varies by jurisdiction and package, though professional licences are often positioned as a lower-cost, simpler option for service-only businesses.