How do I move my company from a UAE free zone to the mainland?

There is usually no one-step transfer — you establish a mainland presence and migrate into it rather than converting the free zone company itself. Common routes: a mainland branch of your existing free zone company, or a new mainland company — which fits depends on your activity, banking and contracts. A shop-front retail location needs a mainland licence, and government procurement commonly does too. The transition means obtaining the mainland licence, securing premises and activity-specific approvals — then the underestimated part: novating client contracts, transferring employee visas, and opening new bank accounts. Many businesses run both entities in parallel and wind down the free zone licence only once revenue and staff have fully moved. Full step-by-step guide: Mainland vs free zone company setup.