Hi Lukas,

I’m Deepak from DhanGuard. Setting up a business in Sharjah starts with deciding whether a mainland or free zone structure is more suitable, followed by the required registration and licensing procedures.

Here’s the usual process:

• Choose Your Business Activity: First, define exactly what your company will do. Your activity determines the appropriate licence, such as commercial, professional, industrial or e-commerce.
• Select the Jurisdiction: Choose between Sharjah Mainland, regulated by the Sharjah Economic Development Department (SEDD), or a free zone such as SAIF Zone, Hamriyah Free Zone or SHAMS. Your choice should depend on your target market, ownership requirements, office needs and budget.
• Reserve a Trade Name: Submit proposed company names to the relevant authority and ensure the selected name complies with UAE naming requirements.
• Obtain Initial Approval: Secure the initial approval or clearance from the licensing authority before proceeding with the remaining formation steps.
• Arrange Your Office: Mainland businesses generally need an approved physical premises and tenancy documentation, while eligible free zone businesses may have options such as a flexi-desk or virtual workspace.
• Prepare Legal Documents: Depending on the structure, prepare and notarise the Memorandum of Association (MOA) and other required shareholder documents.
• Pay the Government Fees and Receive the Licence: Submit the final documents, lease paperwork and approvals, pay the applicable fees and obtain your official trade licence.
• Complete Visas and Banking: Once the company is established, you can process the establishment card and applicable investor or employee visas. You can then approach a UAE bank to open a corporate bank account, subject to the bank's KYC and compliance requirements.

One thing I recommend is choosing the jurisdiction only after deciding how you intend to operate. A local retail or service business may have different requirements from an export company or an online consultancy.

The right structure at the beginning can make a significant difference to your licensing costs, office requirements, visa eligibility and banking process later.