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Business Starting Business RAK Economic General and Special Conditions
General and Special Conditions

To engage in any industrial, commercial, professional and touristic activity in the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah, a License has to be issued from the Department of Economic Development. The applicant must also get approvals from the concerned Ministries, Government authorities and institutions if required, according to the following details:

General Conditions for the Practice of Commercial Activities

  • Adhere to the regulations and laws in force in the UAE.
  • Not undertake any work that may affect the security and safety of society.
  • Nobody shall be permitted to practice any for-profit activities without obtaining a License.
  • Adhere to the tolerant provisions of the Islamic Shariah.
  • Not practice any activities that breachgeneral decency in all its forms.
  • Abide by the strict forbiddance to engage in gamblingactivities in all forms.
  • Commit to any future laws from official related government bodies.

SpecialConditions for License-holders:

  • The License applicant may not be less than21 years of age.
  • The Licensee may not hold a License morethan one month past its expiry.
  • The holder must meet the specialconditions for activities to be practiced.

SpecialConditions for Trade Names:

  • The trade name may not be repeated.
  • The trade name may not contain a political or religious meaning.
  • The trade name may not contradict theIslamic Shariah, customs, or traditions, andmay not contain any names or majesticqualities (except compound names).
  • The trade name may not contravene theinstructions and regulations in force federallyor locally.
  • The trade name may not be misleading andshould be in line with reality.
  • The trade name is preferably to be in Arabic andto give an indication of the activity.
  • The Department of Economic Developmentshall have the right to refuse or change asuggested trade name upon application.
  • The trade name shall be reserved for twomonths and available for renewal uponpayment of the decided fees.
  • It is strictly forbidden to write a trade nameon the flag of the State or any other country, orany political or holy religious symbol. Anyperson not abiding by such conditions shallbear himself accountable.
  • The trade name should not have obscene or indecent words, and should not be offensive to the general public even if it is a personal name.
  • If the trade name includes the name of a person, that person must be a partner/owner in the License.
  • Family names should not be used as a trade name unless it includes the first name.
  • Names should be written literally and not translated. For example, if the Arabic name is (المستقبل للتجارة) it must be written as “Al Mostaqbal Trading”.
  • The trade name should not include the name of a country or government.
  • The trade name should not include any punctuation marks, such as (., ! ? /).
  • The Department of Economic Developmentreserves the right to levy fines for name violations in previous years.
  • The trade name cannot start with "International", "Middle East”, "Global", etc.


Technical Analysis Conditions for the “Place of Business”:

First Condition – Regulatory Aspect:
A new facility shall not be opened, or an old facility transferred next to a facility that practices the same activity except with express approval from the Department of Economic Development, and provided that the siteis not incompatible with the approved activity in the area or main roads.

Second Condition – Aesthetic Aspect:
Neighbouring shops will be taken into consideration and the extent to which their activities andsize are compatible with existing Licenses and shops.

Third Condition– Health Aspect:
This concerns shops that practice activities that may affect people’s health and safety. For moreinformation, please refer to a representative of the Health Division at the Department of EconomicDevelopment.

Fourth Condition– Safety and Security:
This concerns shops that engage in activities that use flammable and hazardous materials. Formore information, please refer to a representative of the Civil DefenceDivision at the Department of EconomicDevelopment.

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