What is the IFZA business activities list?
The IFZA business activities list contains the approved commercial, professional, service, industrial and investment-related activities that can be placed on an IFZA licence. Each activity must be checked for its official name, activity code, licence category, Green or Amber classification, property condition and any external approval required before the company begins operating.
Search Popular IFZA Business Activities and Activity Codes
Use the search box to find a business model, activity name or code. The table is a practical starting point for frequently requested IFZA activities. The final activity wording, code, classification, property condition and approval requirement must be checked against the live IFZA activity portal before submission.
30 activity directions shown
Open Official IFZA Activity Portal| Code | Activity or Search Term | Category | Suitable Business Model | Before Applying |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Verify live code | Management Consultancy | Professional | Strategy advisors, operations consultants, management specialists and corporate advisory firms. | Check qualification and experience conditions. |
| Verify live code | Business Consultancy | Professional | Business planning, startup advisory, commercial studies and operational support. | Define the advisory scope clearly. |
| Verify live code | Marketing Consultancy | Professional | Marketing strategy, market positioning, campaign planning and growth advisory. | Add production activities if creating advertising material. |
| Verify live code | Human Resources Consultancy | Professional | HR policy, workforce planning, organisational design and performance advisory. | Recruitment and manpower supply must be checked separately. |
| 4610010 | Commercial Brokers | Professional | Introducing trade buyers and sellers for commission without trading on the company’s own account. | Does not cover real estate, finance or securities brokerage. |
| Verify live code | Accounting and Bookkeeping | Professional | Bookkeeping, accounting records and financial reporting support. | Auditing and tax agency work require separate review. |
| 6920002 | Tax Consultancy | Professional | Tax advisory, treaty review and UAE tax compliance support. | Check qualification and professional conditions. |
| Verify live code | Documents Clearing Services | Professional | Administrative document support and application coordination for clients. | Do not claim to issue government approvals. |
| 6202002 | Computer Systems Consultancies | Digital and IT | Systems assessment, software selection and technology solution advisory. | Check qualification requirements. |
| 6202003 | Information Technology Consultants | Digital and IT | IT consulting, application planning, infrastructure advice and technical implementation support. | Product sales may require a Commercial activity. |
| 6201001 | Software Design and Development | Digital and IT | Software development, application development and systems programming. | Confirm whether software is developed, sold or licensed. |
| Verify live code | Web Design Services | Digital and IT | Website design, UX, UI and development services. | Add hosting or marketing activities when provided separately. |
| 6312101 | Blogging Services | Digital and IT | Online publishers, content creators and niche information websites. | Advertising, media production and e-commerce need separate coverage. |
| Verify live code | Digital Marketing Services | Digital and IT | SEO, paid advertising management, social media and digital campaign delivery. | Select consultancy or production activities based on deliverables. |
| Verify live code | Online Portal | Digital and IT | Directories, listing websites, marketplaces and online service platforms. | Document seller, commission and payment flows. |
| Verify current class | General Trading | Commercial | Import, export, wholesale and distribution across multiple unrelated product groups. | Restricted and regulated products remain excluded. |
| 4791004 | Household, Professional and Personal Goods E-Trading | Commercial | Online stores selling household, professional or personal-use goods. | The product category must match website and supplier invoices. |
| 4791002 | Garments, Textiles and Gifts E-Trading | Commercial | Online fashion, textile, gift and accessories sellers. | Add broader trading coverage for wholesale or offline sales. |
| 4791001 | Foodstuff E-Trading | Commercial | Online sale of food products through websites, apps or marketplaces. | Product, storage, label and food approval checks may apply. |
| 4791007 | Jewellery and Precious Stones E-Trading | Commercial | Online sale of jewellery, pearls, gemstones and related products. | Expect enhanced product, banking and source-of-funds review. |
| 4773306 | Seeds Trading | Commercial | Resale of plant, tree and flower seeds. | Check agricultural import and product conditions. |
| 4742002 | Radio, TV, Cinema and Theatre Equipment Trading | Commercial | Sale and distribution of broadcasting, cinema and theatre equipment. | Installation and technical services require separate activities. |
| 4510102 | Buses and Trucks Trading | Commercial | Trading in passenger buses, trucks and trailers. | Vehicle registration and operational permissions are separate. |
| 3290024 | 3D Printing Products Production | Industrial and technical | Production of 3D-printed parts, prototypes and finished products. | Confirm premises, equipment and product-specific conditions. |
| Verify live code | Industrial Equipment and Spare Parts Trading | Industrial and technical | B2B supply of machinery, technical equipment and spare parts. | Repair and installation are not automatically included. |
| Verify live code | Equipment Repair and Maintenance | Industrial and technical | Repair, servicing and maintenance of specified equipment. | Workshop or operational property conditions may apply. |
| Verify exact activity | Healthcare or Wellness Facility | Approval-sensitive | Clinics, rehabilitation facilities, medical services and selected wellness centres. | Authority, professional and premises approval may be required. |
| Verify exact activity | Education or Training Centre | Approval-sensitive | Professional training, education centres, academies and skills programmes. | Course, trainer, facility and authority checks may apply. |
| Verify exact activity | Real Estate Brokerage or Property Management | Approval-sensitive | Property brokerage, leasing and management of third-party property. | Real estate authority and broker conditions must be checked. |
| Verify live code | Holding Company | Holding and investment | Holding shares, subsidiaries or approved company assets. | Active trading or third-party asset management is separate. |
| Verify live code | Own-Fund Investment Activity | Holding and investment | Investment of the company’s own funds into permitted assets or enterprises. | No third-party fund management or public investment activity. |
Activity codes and classifications can be amended by the authority. A code appearing in an older PDF, existing licence or online article should not be used without checking the current IFZA activity database.
What Are IFZA Business Activities?
An IFZA business activity is the official description of the work your company is permitted to carry out. It is different from the licence category. The licence may be Professional or Commercial, while the individual activities describe the services, products or operations covered by that licence.
The activity should match the way the company earns money. Banks, payment providers, customers, suppliers, auditors and government bodies may compare the licence with the company website, contracts, invoices, product list and transaction pattern.
| Area | Why the IFZA Activity Matters |
|---|---|
| Legal scope | Defines the services, trading or operations the company can carry out. |
| Licence category | Helps determine whether the company needs a Professional, Commercial or another licence arrangement. |
| Approval status | Shows whether external approval may be required before the activity begins. |
| Property condition | Some activities require a particular office, facility, workshop, storage area or operating location. |
| Bank review | Banks compare licensed work with contracts, invoices, customers, suppliers and expected payments. |
| Invoices | Invoice descriptions should fall within the activity shown on the licence. |
| Future amendments | A missing or unsuitable activity may have to be added or replaced later. |
IFZA Business Activity vs IFZA Licence Type
Professional Licence
Used for consultancy, technical work, digital services, administration and other skill-based services. Revenue normally comes from professional work rather than product sales.
Commercial Licence
Used for buying, selling, importing, exporting, distributing or reselling products. The exact product class should match the goods shown on invoices and supplier records.
Industrial or Production Activity
Used for approved production, assembly, processing or manufacturing-related work. Facility, equipment and operational conditions may need to be reviewed.
Holding or Investment Activity
Used for approved shareholding, subsidiary ownership or investment of the company’s own funds. It does not automatically allow trading or third-party asset management.
IFZA Green and Amber Business Activities
Non-Regulated IFZA Activity
A Green activity does not require an external government approval as part of its classification. It may still have a property, qualification, document or operational condition that must be satisfied.
Regulated IFZA Activity
An Amber activity requires approval from a specified Dubai or UAE federal government entity. The licensee is responsible for obtaining the approval and providing it to IFZA when requested.
A Green classification should not be read as permission to operate from any location. An activity can be non-regulated and still require a suitable office, workshop, storage area or other property arrangement.
Healthcare, education, food, transport, aviation, real estate, finance, security, legal, media and other controlled sectors should be checked carefully. The approval body depends on the exact activity selected, not only the general industry.
How Many IFZA Business Activities Can Be Added to One Licence?
IFZA states that up to three business activity groups are included within the standard licence fee. Additional activities may be added for a separate charge, subject to activity compatibility, licence terms and approval.
IFZA also permits cross-business licensing, which can allow selected Professional and Commercial activities to be combined under one licence. This is useful for a company that both sells products and provides related services, but the combination should be approved before the business model is advertised or invoiced.
| Business Model | Possible Activity Combination | Check Before Submission |
|---|---|---|
| Digital agency | Marketing consultancy, advertising services, web design and IT services. | Services included in proposals and invoices. |
| E-commerce furniture store | E-trading activity plus furniture trading. | Product category, storage and fulfilment arrangement. |
| Software company | Software development, IT consultancy and software trading where applicable. | Whether software is developed, licensed or resold. |
| Industrial equipment supplier | Equipment trading plus approved maintenance or installation services. | Site work, workshop, staff and technical permits. |
| Content-led online business | Blogging, digital marketing, media or online portal activities. | Advertising, subscriptions, affiliate and product revenue. |
Do not add unrelated activities only to make the licence appear flexible. A narrow and understandable activity profile is often easier to explain to banks, customers and compliance teams.
How to Choose the Correct IFZA Activity
Start with the company’s real source of revenue. The correct activity depends on what is sold, who pays the company, how invoices are written, whether physical goods are handled and whether the business performs regulated work.
What will the company invoice for?
List every service, product and commission that will appear on customer invoices.
Are physical products being sold?
Product sales normally need Commercial coverage, even when orders are received online.
Will goods be imported or exported?
Check the product class, customs registration and planned supply chain.
Is the work regulated?
Confirm whether a government approval, professional qualification or operating permit is needed.
Does the activity require a facility?
Check for office, retail, warehouse, workshop, kitchen, clinic or storage conditions.
How will the bank see the company?
The licence, website, contracts, expected payments and supplier profile should agree.
Popular Business Models and Their IFZA Activity Direction
| Business Model | Activity Direction | Avoid | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| Management consultant | Management or business consultancy. | General Trading. | Revenue comes from advisory work rather than products. |
| Digital marketing agency | Marketing consultancy, advertising, branding, web or digital services. | One narrow content activity. | Agencies commonly invoice for several connected services. |
| Amazon or Noon seller | Relevant e-trading and product trading activity. | Consultancy only. | Marketplace income comes from product sales. |
| Shopify furniture store | E-trading plus furniture trading. | Generic digital service activity. | The licence should cover both online selling and the product category. |
| Software developer | Software design or development, with IT consultancy where required. | Software trading alone. | Development and resale are different business activities. |
| Multi-product importer | General Trading or several product-specific activities. | One narrow product code. | The licence must cover the full product range. |
| Commercial intermediary | Commercial Brokers, where the company introduces trade buyers and sellers. | Real estate or financial brokerage under the same code. | Those sectors have different licensing requirements. |
| Holding company | Holding or own-fund investment activity. | Product trading activity. | The licence should reflect ownership and investment purpose. |
IFZA General Trading vs Product-Specific Trading
General Trading can suit a company that genuinely intends to trade several unrelated product categories. It is not automatically the best choice for every commercial business.
A product-specific activity often gives banks, suppliers, payment gateways and customers a clearer description of the company. A furniture importer, for example, may be easier to explain under furniture trading than under a broad General Trading activity.
| Situation | Better Direction | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| One clear product line | Product-specific trading | Clearer website, invoice and bank explanation. |
| Several unrelated product categories | General Trading may be suitable | Provides broader commercial coverage, subject to exclusions. |
| Online store selling one product class | E-trading plus product-specific trading | Covers the sales method and the products sold. |
| International sourcing and B2B distribution | Relevant product trading or General Trading | Depends on the number and type of product groups. |
Which IFZA Activity Is Best for an E-Commerce Business?
The correct activity depends on what the online business sells. The word “e-commerce” describes the sales channel, but it may not fully describe the product or service.
- Online product store: select the relevant e-trading activity and confirm that the product category is covered.
- Amazon or Noon seller: match the marketplace products with the correct Commercial activity.
- Online service platform: an online portal, software, consultancy or service activity may be more suitable than product e-trading.
- Marketplace earning commission: document whether the company is a platform operator, commercial broker, retailer or payment intermediary.
- Digital downloads or SaaS: software development, software consultancy or another digital activity may be required.
Read our separate e-commerce business setup guide for licence, website, payment gateway and operating requirements.
External Approval and Property Checks for IFZA Activities
The authority and property requirement are determined by the exact activity. The table below shows common checks, not automatic approval rules for every company in the sector.
| Sector | Possible Check | Property or Operating Issue |
|---|---|---|
| Healthcare and wellness | Health authority and professional approval. | Approved clinical premises, equipment and licensed staff. |
| Education and training | Education, course or training approval. | Suitable classrooms, safety and trainer requirements. |
| Food and beverages | Food, product, label or import approval. | Storage, kitchen, cold-chain or food-handling arrangements. |
| Aviation and transport | Aviation, transport or operational permit. | Vehicles, airport access, equipment or safety conditions. |
| Real estate | Broker, property management or sector approval. | Broker qualifications, agreements and office conditions. |
| Finance and investment | Financial regulator or enhanced compliance review. | Substance, qualified personnel and source-of-funds records. |
| Technical workshops | Safety, municipal or technical approval. | Workshop, equipment, fire and site suitability. |
How IFZA Activities Affect Bank Account Opening and Invoicing
A UAE bank does not review the trade licence in isolation. It may compare the licensed activities with the website, business plan, contracts, expected customers, suppliers, countries of trade, transaction values and source of funds.
A consultancy company receiving marketplace settlements for product sales may be asked to explain why the Commercial activity is missing. A trader receiving monthly advisory retainers can face the opposite question. Selecting the correct activity at incorporation is easier than explaining a mismatch later.
No business setup consultant can guarantee a bank account. GloboPrime assists with activity selection and bank-file preparation, while the bank makes its own compliance and account-opening decision.
Do IFZA Business Activities Affect UAE Corporate Tax?
A Free Zone licence does not give every company 0% Corporate Tax on all income. The tax treatment depends on the company’s transactions, income type, customers, substance, accounts, audited financial statements where required and whether it meets the conditions for a Qualifying Free Zone Person.
The licence activity should match the company’s real revenue and accounting records. Corporate Tax, VAT and customs advice should be obtained separately for the planned transaction model.
Can You Add or Remove an IFZA Activity After Licence Issuance?
Yes. Business activities can be added, removed or replaced through a licence amendment, subject to the current activity rules, compatibility, documents, external approvals and amendment charges.
After an activity amendment, the company should review the records held by its bank, Federal Tax Authority, payment gateway, customs account, insurers and any sector regulator. The website, contracts and invoice descriptions should also be updated.
- Review the existing IFZA licence and the new business model.
- Find the correct current activity in the official portal.
- Check licence-category and cross-business implications.
- Confirm external approval or property requirements.
- Submit the amendment documents and applicable payment.
- Update banks, tax records, contracts and other registrations after approval.
How GloboPrime Checks Your IFZA Business Activity
Business Model Review
We review the services, products, customers, suppliers, invoice wording and expected income.
Activity Shortlist
We shortlist the closest official activity names and remove unrelated or unnecessary options.
Green and Amber Check
We check regulation status, property conditions and known third-party approval requirements.
Licence Combination
We review whether Professional and Commercial activities need cross-business licensing.
Package and Visa Review
We match the licence with the shareholder structure, visa requirement and workspace plan.
Application Support
After confirmation, we coordinate the IFZA company application and related documentation.
For full licence packages, visa options and company-registration steps, read our IFZA company formation guide.
Request the IFZA Activity List and Personal Activity Shortlist
Send us a short description of your company, products, services and expected customers. GloboPrime will shortlist the relevant activity names, flag possible Green or Amber issues, and explain whether a Professional, Commercial or cross-business licence arrangement may be required.
Why Work With GloboPrime for IFZA Activity Selection?
IFZA Professional Partner
Application support through the IFZA Professional Partner model.
Business-Model Review
Activity selection based on the company’s real services, products and income.
Approval Pre-Check
Early identification of regulated, property-linked and approval-sensitive activities.
Banking Preparation
Guidance on aligning the licence with contracts, website and transaction plans.
Document Support
Corporate document preparation, legal translation and attestation coordination.
Post-Licence Assistance
Support with amendments, renewals, establishment cards, visas and company changes.
IFZA Business Activities FAQ
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