Abu Dhabi extends office-free period for entrepreneurs to cut business costs
Abu Dhabi has extended the period for which entrepreneurs can operate without an office by a year, under its Tajer licensing programme. The move will cut one of the biggest upfront costs for small businesses, as the emirate steps up efforts to attract investment and expand its non-oil economy. The Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development said Tajer licence holders will now have more time to…
Abu Dhabi has extended the period for entrepreneurs to operate businesses without the need for a physical office by one year, as part of its efforts to reduce costs and attract investment. This move is under the Tajer licensing programme, which has seen an 8% increase in new licences in the first half of 2026, up from a 25% rise last year.
The programme now covers more than 1,200 business activities, a significant increase from just 30 when it was launched in 2017. The extension aims to give entrepreneurs more time to establish and grow their businesses before incurring the cost of commercial premises. The Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development also extended the validity of Rowad industrial licences from two to three years, and licences for ongoing projects from three to four years until production.
These measures are part of a broader package of initiatives to make it easier to conduct business in the emirate and support entrepreneurship, which is seen as a key pillar of the innovation-driven economy.
Written by urgent.news from The National UAE's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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