Hub · Glossary

UAE company formation glossary

27 terms across 5 clusters, each with a plain-English definition and links to the services it affects.

Published terms

Free Zone What it is, why it matters Mainland DED-licensed companies explained Establishment Card The key to your visa quota MOA (Memorandum of Association) The constitutional document e-Channel The visa filing system Initial Approval The first regulatory yes Trade Name Reservation Naming rules and procedure License Renewal Annual costs and deadlines Offshore Company Holding vehicle explained FZ-LLC 2–50 shareholders FZE Single-shareholder free-zone company Corporate Tax 9% Who pays and from when VAT 5% Thresholds and registration Articles of Association (AOA) Internal rules next to the MOA Certificate of Incorporation Proof your company exists NOC (No Objection Certificate) Consent letters explained PRO Services Government paperwork, outsourced Branch Office Parent company, extended Representative Office Promo and research only Holding Company Owns shares, does not trade Sole Establishment One owner, full liability Emirates ID The resident identity card Residence Visa Through employer or own company Visa Quota How many visas a license carries UBO Ultimate beneficial owner, 25% rule Flexi Desk Shared desk instead of an office Ejari Dubai tenancy registry

Clusters

All 27 terms, organized by cluster

Company types (free zone, mainland, offshore, FZ-LLC, FZE, branch, holding)
Registration (MOA, establishment card, e-channel, initial approval, license renewal)
Visas & people (Emirates ID, investor visa, visa quota, UBO)
Taxes & reporting (corporate tax 9%, VAT 5%, ESR, audits)
Operations (corporate bank account, flexi desk, Ejari)