What this note covers
Older headlines said free zone companies could start operating on Dubai mainland. That framing is no longer a safe summary. A compliance deadline in March 2026 has already passed, so the useful question is which permissions still apply to a specific free zone licence, and which activity still needs a mainland path.
This note is orientation only. It does not list fees, forms, or a universal approval. EmirHub uses it to point founders at the mainland and free zone pages that own the setup detail.
Where things stand after March 2026
Treat pre-deadline articles as background, not as current permission to trade or contract on the mainland. Whether a free zone company may carry on a particular activity in Dubai mainland depends on the free zone authority, the licensed activity list, and the Department of Economy and Tourism rules that apply to that file.
If the operating model needs direct UAE market access, local contracting, or mainland premises, compare that need with a mainland formation path instead of assuming a free zone licence covers it.
What to confirm on your file
Write down the activity you will actually perform, where the customers are, and whether the work happens inside a free zone or on the mainland. Then ask the free zone authority and Dubai DET which permission, if any, still covers that activity after the March 2026 deadline.
If the answer is that the activity belongs on a mainland licence, start from the mainland formation service and the activity list, not from a generic free zone package.
Related services
Check this against your setup
Share your activity and whether you are looking at mainland or a free zone. We will tell you what to confirm next.