A Limited Liability Company (LLC) defines the liabilities of the company and it is limited to its shares. This is one of the oldest and most popular structures in the international market. A Limited Liability Company can be formed by a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 50 shareholders. The LLC is the most common business structure in Dubai since it offers a good blend of flexibility and protection. It’s a separate legal entity, which means the company takes on the risk—not the individual owners. If something goes wrong, the shareholders are only liable up to the amount they’ve invested.
To incorporate this type of entity, it used to be mandatory to have a UAE national (corporate or individual) owning a minimum of 51% shares and the remaining 49% of shares allotted to the other shareholder in the company. However, since the update the UAE Commercial Companies Law (CCL) in July 2021, it is now possible to own a LLC in the mainland 100% with the vast majority of activities.
You can set up an LLC in either a free zone or on the mainland. Free zones often appeal to businesses focused on international trade or digital services. They offer full foreign ownership and simplified setup, but they come with trade restrictions outside the zone. Mainland LLCs, on the other hand, give you access to the UAE market without limitation and can work with government clients. Most sectors now allow 100% foreign ownership, though some still require a local partner or agent.