The contracting and building works industry have seen an improvement and currently seeks to flourish with the coming of Expo 2020. Dubai is known worldwide for its skyscrapers and notable structures, and the government is encouraging new construction and contracting businesses to set up in the Dubai mainland. Company formation in Dubai for the contracting and building works sector may be subject to additional external approvals from various authorities in Dubai.
Types of business license activities for commercial license by the Dubai Economic Department (DED) under the contracting and building works sector
Activity Name | Activity Description | License Type |
Water Well Drilling Contracting | Includes the following:
· Drilling wells to get ground water by manual, percussive or rotary digging techniques after specifying the purpose for needing the water. · Conducting geologic studies to locate the ground water reservoirs as well as the site of the well, well maintenance and rehabilitation for optimum performance and longer lasting. |
Commercial |
Computer Network & Infrastructure Installation & Maintenance | Includes the following (for specialized firms):
· Maintaining, installing, and preparing the network and infrastructure of electronic computers. · excavations for the optical fibre, wires, extension cables, focal points, and attached devices such as servers and compounds connect including wireless technology, so the group of computers that are a part of the composition of the electronic network can benefit from the services provided by the other computers linked to the common network. · installing active and passive computer network, WIFI and the associated equipment and systems in big complexes such as shopping malls, hotels, hospitals, etc. |
Commercial |
Kitchens Installation | May include installation of kitchen related materials and products | Commercial |
Fire Retardant Lining Materials Installation | Includes the following:
· installation of non-combustible lining materials made of different materials by extruding between interior walls and ceilings to make high heat resistant and prevent flames spreading. |
Commercial |
Fire Retardant Exterior Cladding Installation | Includes the following:
· Installation of non-combustible lining materials made of different materials by extruding between exterior cladding materials to make high heat resistant and prevent flames spreading. |
Commercial |
Ventilation & Smoke Control Equipment Installation | May include installation of equipment for ventilation and smoke control. | Commercial |
Fire & Smoke Resistant Doors, Windows, Walls & Partitions Installation | May include installation of fire and smoke resistant doors, windows, walls and partitions | Commercial |
Technical Services Contracting | May include contracting and providing technical services | Commercial |
Decoration Design & Fit-out | May include services for decorating, designing and fitting out, etc | Commercial |
Electromechanical Works Contracting | May include works such as electromechanical contracting services | Commercial |
Wrecking & Demolition Works | Includes the following:
· Demolition of buildings and other structures that are on the verge of collapsing or for replacement using different methods, such as excavators and manual for medium buildings and cranes for high rise buildings, also building implosion using explosives. |
Commercial |
Land Draining Works | Includes the following:
· underground water suction using equipment and pumps to dewater work sites before the installation of concrete foundations, this being done under sub- contracts with the main contractor of the project. However, if the contracting companies carry out the work themselves, then it would be considered part of their activities. |
Commercial |
Land Digging, Filling & Levelling Works | Includes the following:
· prior construction dredging and levelling works which involve site inspection, soil layers testing, digging equipment installation and then the final testing to ensure the land suitability for construction. |
Commercial |
Sand Compacting & Controlling Works | Includes the following (for specialized firms):
· sand compacting in order to prevent collapses during construction works or civil projects. It also includes soil stabilization to prevent drifting on highways, or in agricultural projects executed in deserts. |
Commercial |
Piling & Foundation Contracting | Includes the following:
· foundation works, pile-driving operations, building site and soil testing, excavation equipment installations, as well as concrete foundations testing |
Commercial |
Coastal Reclamation Contracting | Includes the following:
· drainage of marshes and coastal lands by covering up with sand and rocks brought from other sites, or by using residues of maritime dredging, also, land reclamation and levelling to prepare for any using. |
Commercial |
Canal Dredging Contracting | Includes the following:
· drilling and dredging of waterways and canals, dredging maritime escarpments, port basins and artificial lakes. · Removal of underwater rocks and sand, do pre- drilling operations, such as explosions, cleaning, removal of maritime obstacles and dredging residues. |
Commercial |
Civil Exploding Works | Includes the following:
· exploding operations for civil purposes on the surface, underground or underwater, also, for construction purposes such as breaking rock layers, building demolition, land filling and levelling deepening water ways, etc. Exploding for geological test and other civil purposes are also included. |
Commercial |
Service Lines Coring & Ditching Contracting | Includes the following:
· excavation works either traditionally or mechanically to lay out the lines of public services such as electric and communications lines and water and drainage pipes. |
Commercial |
Building Contracting | Includes the following:
· All kinds and uses of constructions, such as, farms, industrial, commercial, schools, hospitals, residential, airports, public and agricultural buildings, also building adjusting, interior decoration, landscaping as well as electrical fittings, general maintenance, and sanitary plumbing, the number of floors to be constructed shall be set by Dubai Municipality. |
Commercial |
Road Marking Contracting | Includes the following:
· making roads and streets marks such as light reflectors, guiding lines and arrows, lane marking, pedestrian crossings and traffic signs. |
Commercial |
Advertising Billboards Contracting | May allow contracting activities related to advertising billboards | Commercial |
Pre-Fabricated Concrete Houses Contracting | Includes the following (for specialized firms):
· constructing all types of pre-fabricated concrete buildings, firms specialized in casting parts at factories without involving installation at sites are classified under Class 2695. · This activity does not include firms that carry out partial construction by pre-fabricated parts. |
Commercial |
Pre-Fabricated Buildings Contracting | Includes the following (for specialized firms):
· assembling houses made of prefabricated wooden or metal panels or others manufactured and transported to be located on site. It also includes connections works and base installation as well as other site fittings |
Commercial |
Steel Constructions Contracting | Includes the following (for specialized firms):
· execution of all operations related to steel constructions, including installing prefabricated steel structures on site, such as factories, warehouses, bridges, sheds, structures, hangars, and tunnels. · execution of all civil works for such installations, mainly foundation piling, floor paving and lay connections. For manufacturing such structures, firms are classified under class 2811, the number of floors involved shall be set by Dubai Municipality |
Commercial |
Road Contracting | Includes the following:
· general contracting of roads, streets, internal roads, parking areas, airports runways, also, adjustment, maintenance and reparation works. |
Commercial |
Sewage & Drainage Contracting | Includes the following (for specialized firms):
· constructing and maintaining sewer systems, including civil and electromechanical works, installation of project equipment, constructing sub main networks, etc. |
Commercial |
Water Pipelines & Stations Contracting | Includes the following (for specialized firms):
· constructing and maintaining water pipelines and stations, including civil and electromechanical works, installation of project equipment, constructing sub main networks, etc. |
Commercial |
Tunnels Contracting | Includes the following (for specialized firms):
· constructing, modifying, repairing and maintaining tunnels. |
Commercial |
Bridges & Dams Contracting | Includes the following (for specialized firms):
· constructing, modifying, repairing and maintaining bridges and dams. |
Commercial |
Oil & Natural Gas Pipelines Contracting | Includes the following (for specialized firms):
· constructing and maintaining oil and natural gas pipelines, including civil and electromechanical works and the installation of project equipment. |
Commercial |
Electric Power Lines Contracting | Includes the following (for specialized firms):
· constructing and maintaining electric power lines, including civil and electromechanical works and the installation of project equipment. |
Commercial |
Wireless Communication Towers Contracting | Includes the following (for specialized firms):
· constructing and maintaining wireless communication towers, including civil and electromechanical works and the installation of project equipment. |
Commercial |
Communication Lines Contracting | Includes the following (for specialized firms):
· constructing and maintaining communication lines, including civil and electromechanical works and the installation of project equipment. |
Commercial |
Ports & Marine Construction Contracting | Includes the following:
· constructing sea ports, harbours ships and boats wharfs, also the pre -construction operations such as underwater rocks removal, continental shelf dredging and deepening, as well as other marine constructions, including wave breakers, canals, dry docks, port protection water breakers, ports gates and maritime signs. |
Commercial |
Desalination Plants Contracting | Includes the following (for specialized firms):
· constructing and maintaining desalination plants, including civil and electromechanical works and the installation of project equipment, also, constructing sub main networks to collect, desalinate and connect with the main distribution network. |
Commercial |
Electric Power Station Contracting | Includes the following (for specialized firms):
· construction of electric power stations, including the execution of civil works for projects as well as mechanical works, such as installing the machinery, generators and other necessary equipment. This also includes the construction of electric power boosting sub-stations, distribution centres and other facilities related to energy network and distribution. |
Commercial |
Swimming Pools Maintenance | Includes the following:
· periodical or general maintenance and repair of swimming pools and water treatment by using special cleaning sterilizing products and equipment to ensure high purity, also, general maintenance and repair of water pipes, pumps and drainers, electric fittings, light fixtures, painting, installing insulation and coating materials, etc. |
Commercial |
Underwater Telecommunications & Power Cables Installation & Maintenance Services | Includes the following:
· laying of communication cables on the sea bed between stations that are land-based to transmit telecommunication signals across of the ocean, including the cables that use optical fibre technology to carry digital data, such as telephone, internet, and private data traffic, it involves submarine power cables which carrying electric power below the surface of the water. |
Commercial |
Railways Contracting | Includes the following (for specialized firms):
· executing the civil works for building and maintaining railway lines, including earth excavation and levelling for running the tracks as well as the mechanical works of welding and fixing metals. |
Commercial |
District Cooling Plants Contracting | Includes the following:
· providing consultancies and services related district cooling plants the distribution networks, it includes preparing preliminary engineering, economic and technical feasibility studies. Also, the environmental impact, also, preparing the electromechanical designs, supervision of execution and operation. |
Commercial |
Shooting Ranges Works & Maintenance | Includes the following (for specialized firms):
· constructing indoor and outdoor shooting ranges, whether for military or civil use, including installing A/C and ventilation systems, sound abatements, static and moving targets, scoring systems, control towers, etc. |
Commercial |
Helicopter Landing Pad (Helipad) Installation | Includes the following:
· constructing and installing fixed and temporary platforms for helicopters landing, whether on the ground, high rise buildings, oil platforms, including installing all the equipment that enable the safe landing. |
Commercial |
Meteorology Projects Contracting | Includes the following:
· constructing weather stations on land or sea for accommodating the instruments and equipment that observe the atmospheric conditions to provide information for weather forecast and to study the weather and climate. |
Commercial |
Traffic & Road Signs Installation | Includes the following:
· installing of traffic lights, and road signs posts and gantries in streets, roads and public squares to guide and warn and instruct motorists and pedestrians. |
Commercial |
Air-Conditioning, Ventilations & Air Filtration Systems Installation & Maintenance | Includes the following:
· series of installation processes ranging from accessories and fitting devices to air-conditions, air-purifiers, ventilators, to maintaining and reconditioning the old units, fixing fans, cleaning air ducts, fabric filters, sound dampers, etc. · Installing air-sterilizers in foodstuff kitchens, hospitals, laboratories, cold stores, electronic plants, animal breeding and husbandry rooms, any facility that requires air with specific gas concentration or highly purified air. |
Commercial |
Lifts & Escalators Contracting | Includes the following:
· installation of escalators, elevators and other related control systems in commercial, residential, and industrial facilities, including repair and maintenance. |
Commercial |
Electricity Transmission & Control Equipment Installation Works | Includes the following:
· installing and maintaining electric power transmission and distribution equipment and devices, such as current rectifiers, alternation controllers, operation panels, electric and electronic control apparatuses and distribution panels. |
Commercial |
Exhibition Stand Fitting & Execution | Includes the following:
· installing exhibitions fixtures including walls, ceilings, podiums and requisites, also, fitting water pipes, power connectors, telephone and computer accessories. |
Commercial |
Electromechanical Equipment Installation and Maintenance | Includes the following:
· testing and assembling, whether on site or elsewhere, for mechanical and electromechanical equipment and machinery utilized in workshops and factories, also, energy generators, boilers, cold compartments, coolers, central kitchens, automatic laundries…etc. |
Commercial |
Fencing & Barbed Wire Contracting | Includes the following:
· maintaining and installing barbed wire and fence in agricultural installations, industrial, airports, military facilities to prevent crossing. |
Commercial |
Satellite Receiving Equipment Installation & Maintenance | Includes the following:
· installing and fixing apparatus or equipment for radio- broadcasting and television transmission, functioning testing, as well as maintenance and reparation services. |
Commercial |
Security Systems & Equipment Installation | May include the installation of related security systems and equipments | Commercial |
Internal Communication Network Installation & Maintenance | Includes the following:
· designing networks and internal communication systems that are installed in big complexes such as, hospitals, public institutions, hotels, student hostels and others. · fixing of telephone calls and answering machines, and providing the repair and maintenance services. |
Commercial |
Communication & Wireless System Equipment Installation | Includes the following (for specialized firms):
· installing telecommunication apparatus, including main switchboards and exchanges well as calls transfer devices and the satellites ground stations. |
Commercial |
Metal Parts & Erections Contracting | Includes the following (for specialized firms):
· supplying and installing metal parts for buildings, including boilers, chimneys and silos, water and liquid storage tanks, and others needed for constructional projects. · installing non- structural metal parts in buildings, constructing metal towers, lay metal pipelines, it does not involve any manufacturing, but supplying and installing parts and on site. |
Commercial |
Measuring Control System Installation and Repairing | May include installation and repairing of measuring control systems | Commercial |
Plumbing & Sanitary Contracting |
Includes the following: · fixing of water pipes at home and installation of sanitary products such as lavatories, washbasins, spigots, bathtubs, tapes, and bathroom and kitchen articles |
Commercial |
Electrical Fitting Contracting | Includes the following:
· installation of electric wiring and cable laying in buildings and civil constructions. · Fixing switch gears, feeding points, distribution panels and other power transmitting apparatuses and installations. · exterior decorative lighting for buildings. |
Commercial |
Prestressed Concrete Contracting | Includes the following:
· installation of the prestressed concrete structures which are precast in the plants. |
Commercial |
Sport Fields & Halls Contracting | Includes the following:
· civil engineering works (except constructions) to install indoor and outdoor sport courts, fields, tracks and arenas. · Works include flooring, walling, fencing, grandstand fixing and dismantling, as well as supply equipment made to international standards to enhance sport exercising and competitions. |
Commercial |
Radio, T.V. Station, Cinema Theatre Equipment installation & Maintenance | Includes the following:
· installing equipment of filming, recording, presentation, lighting, audio and visual effects, control systems for radio and T.V. studios and cinema, radio- broadcasting and TV transmission equipment, also, furnishing, flooring, fitting fixtures, repairing and maintenance. |
Commercial |
Specialized Piping & Related Fittings Contracting | Includes the following:
· executing various specialized piping, including medical gases in hospitals, fuel gases in facilities and factories, computer and optical fibres lines and waste chutes, also, fitting fixtures and operation control. |
Commercial |
Fire Fighting & Safety Equipment Installation | Includes the following:
· fixing, testing, operating firefighting and safety equipment, as well as training services on how to run and maintain. |
Commercial |
Automated Car Parking Systems Installation & Maintenance | Includes the following:
· installation of automatic systems that are capable of parking cars in the parking garage through the help of programmed pallet less automatic Robots, the process involves receiving the car, transfer to a vacant space and the exit from the module when the car is recalled, the parking garage can be constructed above the ground and/or underground. |
Commercial |
Parking Management Electronic Systems Installation & Maintenance | Includes the following:
· installing electronic systems to guide incoming cars to empty spaces in the parking lot, it involves installing an ultrasonic sensor at each car space to determine whether is full or empty, an electronic board is installed at the entrance to indicate the vacancies in each parking lot. |
Commercial |
Solar Energy Systems Installation | Includes the following:
· installing and maintaining solar panels and slabs energy systems (photovoltaic) on tops and facades of residential and commercial buildings, or on the ground to generate power from solar energy. |
Commercial |
Airports Ground Support Equipment Installation & Maintenance | Includes the following:
· installation and maintenance of equipment at airport terminal, such as baggage handling system, x-ray inspectors, metal detectors, and luggage and body scanners. |
Commercial |
Central Gas Distribution Networks Contracting | Includes the following:
· installing and controlling the safety of central gas systems in buildings, the components include, the fittings, filling and distribution apparatus, measure and control fixtures, the process involves maintaining such systems and providing periodic inspection and reporting to the concerned parties as well as the provision of technical support to end users. |
Commercial |
Concrete Works | Includes the following:
· concrete works, including concrete injection, spray insulation as well as marine constructions concrete. |
Commercial |
Concrete Restoration | Includes the following:
· concrete restoration, including the repair of the cracks and the concrete partial collapse using special kind of concrete, it involves also reinforcement steel corrosion treatment. |
Commercial |
Floor and wall Tiling Works | Includes the following (for specialized firms):
· flooring and wall tiling with ceramic, cement and natural stones. |
Commercial |
Painting Contracting | Includes the following (for specialized firms):
· carry out painting works for residential, commercial, industrial facilities. |
Commercial |
Carpentry & Flooring Contracting | Includes the following:
· flooring installation and woodwork inside the house except home furniture. |
Commercial |
Insulation Contracting | Includes the following:
· installing insulators in different facilities for damp proofing, waterproofing, heat, sound proofing, and vibrations. |
Commercial |
Building Maintenance | Includes the following:
· maintenance of buildings only, excluding any equipment or extensions available inside, such operations include restoration and reparations of roofs, columns, walls, floors and others. |
Commercial |
Scaffolding Contracting | Includes the following:
· temporary frames of metal pipes or other materials, used to support people and materials in the constructions or repair of buildings, including, all inshore, offshore and oilfields constructions and structures. |
Commercial |
Interior Decoration | Includes the following:
· interior decoration works, including wooden oriels, gypsum decoration of ceilings, flooring and curtains fixing as well as other similar complete works executed by the firm. |
Commercial |
Engraving & Ornamentation Works | Includes the following:
· drawing, engraving, and interior decoration using colors, wood, gypsum or others. |
Commercial |
Wall Paper Fixing | Includes the following:
· fixing of wallpaper in the interiors of offices, homes, and other buildings and others in different designs to cover walls defects and cracks and to decorate. |
Commercial |
False Ceiling & Light Partitions Installation | May include installation of false ceiling and light partitions | Commercial |
Landscaping Works | Includes the following:
· interior and exterior landscaping and the pertaining works of constructions and fitting of fixtures, including swimming pools, fountains, water-falls, water ways and bridges, etc. |
Commercial |
Historical Sites Restoration | Includes the following:
· restoring and renewing old buildings and historical sites, as well as partially or wholly reassembling using materials and techniques that maintain their historical features. |
Commercial |
Plaster Works | Includes the following (for specialized firms):
· Works and cladding internal or the external walls of commercial, industrial, and residential facilities with marble, granite, natural stones, tile, ceramic, aluminium panels, glass, etc |
Commercial |
Swimming Pools Installation | Includes the following:
· installing pools made from concrete, metal, plastic and fiberglass, and is intended for swimming or water based recreations or lifeguard training, including Olympic-size pools, and pools in public and private places, hotels, sport and health clubs, also, water pipes, pumps and drainers, electric fittings, light fixtures, painting, insulation and coating materials… etc. |
Commercial |
Glass & Aluminium Installation & Maintenance | Includes the following:
· glass works, and maintaining and installing aluminium doors, windows, advertising signboards frames, balconies, staircases, fences, window grids and garden fences. |
Commercial |
Steel Products Installation & Maintenance | Includes the following:
· installing and maintaining steel doors, windows, advertising signboards frames, balconies, staircases, fences, window grids and garden fences. |
Commercial |
Exterior Building Cladding Contracting | Includes the following:
· installing the metal and class cladding in the exterior of buildings, it involves preparing execution plans for fixing as well as the processes that ensure its safety. |
Commercial |
Types of business license activities for professional license by the Dubai Economic Department (DED) under the contracting and building works sector
Activity Name | Activity Description | License Type |
District Cooling Services | Includes the following:
· constructing central cooling stations, which supply cold water to central air-condition systems in districts. Cold air is pumped through a 10 kilometres underground network connecting residential units with the station. · Other auxiliary works like management, operations, maintenance necessary to achieve this service are also included. |
Professional |
Electrical Fittings & Fixtures Services | Includes the following:
· maintenance and repair of electrical installations in civil constructions and buildings, including cables, wires, switches and feeding points, distribution panels. |
Professional |
Sanitary Installation & Pipes Repairing | Includes the following:
· repairing sanitary installations and water pipes in the kitchen and the rest of the house. |
Professional |
Railway Maintenance | Includes the following:
· maintaining railway system and infrastructure, involving rolling stock, track, power generation and distribution, signalling, related communication systems, electro mechanical equipment, etc. |
Professional |
Also Read: Business Setup in Agriculture and Fishing Industry
Business Setup Consultants in Dubai
The contracting and building works industry is fast-growing, and setting up a business that belong to such in the Dubai mainland can often be considered beneficial and profitable. Farahat & Co offers a range of services for business setup in Dubai and seeks to simplify the procedure of setting up a business.