Guides for getting things done in the UAE
Clear, dated guides on licences, setting up a company and what services cost. Written and reviewed by the editorial team, and updated when the rules change.
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Featured guides
Home servicesDubai Municipality pest control approval: what it means for youWhy only approved companies may treat homes and food premises, how to check an approval, what a treatment should include in 2026 and what it costs.Moathaq Editorial Team26 October 20266 min read
Jobs and hiringHow to verify a job offer in the UAE with MOHRE before you resign or travelWhat a genuine private-sector offer looks like, the five checks to run on the employer and the offer, who pays the visa cost and what to do if something does not match.Moathaq Editorial Team26 October 20267 min read
Business setup and licences
Licences, free zones, visas, tax and banking for new and growing companies.
Business setup and licencesCorporate Tax and VAT registration for a new UAE companyWhich taxes apply to a new company, the thresholds, the deadlines, the Federal Tax Authority penalties and a first-90-days checklist.Moathaq Editorial Team25 October 20268 min read
Business setup and licencesBusiness setup cost in the UAE in 2026: what you actually pay in year oneLicence, visa, office, medical and bank costs for a mainland LLC and a free zone company, with three worked examples and the fees that quotes tend to leave out.Moathaq Editorial Team24 October 20268 min read
Business setup and licencesTyping centres, Tasheel and Amer: what they do and what they chargeWhich government services a typing centre can process, how Tasheel and Amer centres differ, typical fees on top of the government charge and how to check a centre's registration.Moathaq Editorial Team24 October 20266 min read
Business setup and licencesChoosing an accountant in the UAE: licence, scope, price and the questions to askBookkeeper, tax agent and auditor are three different jobs with three different licences. How to match the firm to the work, read a fee quote and avoid the common traps.Moathaq Editorial Team23 October 20267 min read
Business setup and licencesHow to check a real estate agent's RERA licence in DubaiThe broker card, the company registration and the permit on every advert: three numbers to check before you view a property or pay a deposit.Moathaq Editorial Team23 October 20266 min read
Business setup and licencesHow to choose a lawyer or legal consultant in the UAEAdvocate or legal consultant, which court the case sits in, how fees are structured and the licence checks that matter before you sign a power of attorney.Moathaq Editorial Team22 October 20267 min read
Business setup and licencesHow to open a company bank account in the UAE in 2026Why banks decline new companies, which documents they ask for, realistic timelines and minimum balances, and what a bank account consultant can and cannot do.Moathaq Editorial Team22 October 20268 min read
Business setup and licencesWhat to ask an IT support company in the UAE before you signService levels, who owns your admin accounts, backups, data location under the UAE data protection law, pricing models and the exit clause that decides if you can leave.Moathaq Editorial Team21 October 20267 min read
Business setup and licencesMainland vs free zone licence in the UAE: which one fits your businessOwnership, where you can trade, office rules, visas, tax and first-year costs compared, with a plain recommendation for four common types of business.Moathaq Editorial Team20 October 20268 min read
Business setup and licencesWhat a PRO service actually does, and what it should costThe government transactions a PRO handles for a UAE company, how the fees are split between the government and the PRO, and the controls that keep your company file safe.Moathaq Editorial Team20 October 20267 min read
Business setup and licencesDocuments clearing (8299.85) explained: the licence behind most PRO companiesWhat the documents clearing activity covers, what a company holding it may and may not do, and the questions to ask before you hire one.Moathaq Editorial Team19 October 20266 min read
Home services
What home repairs, cleaning and moving should cost, and how to hire safely.
- Home servicesDubai Municipality pest control approval: what it means for youWhy only approved companies may treat homes and food premises, how to check an approval, what a treatment should include in 2026 and what it costs.Moathaq Editorial Team26 October 20266 min read
Home servicesHiring cleaners in the UAE: company vs freelance, and the visa rulesWhy a freelance cleaner is a legal risk for you, how licensed companies and Tadbeer centres work, what to pay per hour in 2026 and what to ask before a first booking.Moathaq Editorial Team25 October 20267 min read
Home servicesMoving house in the UAE: checklist, timeline and costsWhat to cancel, transfer and register before and after a move, what a mover charges for a studio, a flat and a villa in 2026, and how to keep your deposit.Moathaq Editorial Team25 October 20268 min read
Home servicesElectrical work in the UAE: permits, DEWA and what is legalWhich jobs a handyman can do, which need a contractor approved by the utility (DEWA in Dubai), what you need from your landlord, typical prices and the safety signs you should never ignore.Moathaq Editorial Team24 October 20267 min read
Home servicesPlumber call-out in the UAE: what to expect and what it costsWhat happens from the first call to the invoice, the usual call-out fee, who pays for what in a rented flat, and how to tell a real leak repair from a repeat visit.Moathaq Editorial Team23 October 20266 min read
Home servicesAC servicing in the UAE: what a proper service includesThe twelve steps of a proper split-unit service, the readings a technician should show you, what it costs in 2026 and the habits that make a service worth paying for.Moathaq Editorial Team22 October 20267 min read
Jobs and hiring
Finding a genuine employer and hiring within UAE labour rules.
- Jobs and hiringHow to verify a job offer in the UAE with MOHRE before you resign or travelWhat a genuine private-sector offer looks like, the five checks to run on the employer and the offer, who pays the visa cost and what to do if something does not match.Moathaq Editorial Team26 October 20267 min read
Jobs and hiringJob scams in the UAE: five common patternsFee-for-visa offers, cloned company names, interviews on messaging apps, visit-visa traps and task scams. How each one works, the sign that gives it away and what to do.Moathaq Editorial Team26 October 20267 min read
Trust and safety
How to check licences, spot scams and protect your money.
Trust and safetyHow online reviews get faked in the UAE, and how Moathaq limits itPaid review packages, review gating, competitor attacks and staff posing as customers: the four common methods, the signals that give them away and the rules Moathaq applies.Moathaq Editorial Team24 October 20267 min read
Trust and safetyWhat a Verified badge on Moathaq means, and what it does notThe three badges, the six checks behind Verified, how long a badge lasts and the limits of what a badge can promise a customer.Moathaq Editorial Team23 October 20266 min read
Trust and safetyHow to spot a fake trade licence in the UAE: seven signsForged, borrowed and expired licences look convincing on a phone screen. Seven signs that give them away, and what to do if you have already paid.Moathaq Editorial Team22 October 20266 min read
Trust and safetyHow to check a contractor before paying a deposit in the UAELicence, classification, insurance, references and payment terms: the checks that separate a contractor you can hold to a contract from one you cannot.Moathaq Editorial Team21 October 20267 min read
Trust and safetyHow to verify a UAE trade licence in two minutesA step-by-step check you can run before paying any company in the UAE: what the licence shows, where to look it up, and the signs of a forged document.Moathaq Editorial Team20 October 20267 min read
What does it cost in the UAE?
20 price guides with indicative AED ranges, the factors that move the price and the month each was last reviewed.