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Cyber security licence, built around your clients

A cyber security company licenses quickly, and testing for government or critical infrastructure clients adds DESC Cyber Force certification.

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Technology and digital

Usual route
Mainland or free zone
Extra approval
DESC certification
Timeline
Weeks
AML
Not a DNFBP activity
At a glance

A cyber security licence in Dubai is a professional IT activity, issued by the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) or a free zone. For private clients it is usually all you need to start. Dubai government, semi-government and critical-infrastructure clients must buy penetration testing and incident response from providers certified under the Dubai Electronic Security Center (DESC) Cyber Force programme.

Covers
Security advice, audits, penetration testing, managed monitoring and incident response
Not covered
Reselling security hardware or software, guarding and alarm systems
Premises
Office space sized to the visas the team needs
Timeline
Weeks for the licence; Cyber Force certification runs separately

What a cyber security company licence covers

The activity covers security work you sell as a service, from a one-off test to a monthly monitoring contract.

Covered

Not covered

Consulting and managed operations sit under separate activity codes, so a firm planning to run a monitoring centre adds that activity before applying.

Mainland or free zone for cyber security

Your clients' location sets it. Overseas and free zone clients suit a free zone, and a mainland client book changes the tax picture.

Likely route by where most of your clients are
If most of your clients areLikely routeWhy
Companies abroad and in free zonesFree zoneAdvice and testing sold outside the mainland sit well in a free zone
Dubai mainland companies and banksMainland (DET)IT services to mainland clients rarely qualify for the free zone 0% rate
Government bodies and critical infrastructureEither routeDESC asks for a local trade licence and local presence, on either route

A free zone company can serve mainland clients through a DET branch licence or permit (Executive Council Resolution 11 of 2025). Most IT and consultancy income from mainland clients falls outside the QFZP 0% rate.

Several free zones license this activity; we match the zone to your visas, office and banking. Compare free zones

Approvals for a cyber security company

For private clients, the trade licence is usually the only approval. DESC certification comes in when a Dubai government, semi-government or critical-infrastructure client wants testing or incident response, and it needs a CREST-accredited company behind it.

  1. Before the licence

    • Trade name and initial approvalDET or the free zone

  2. The licence

    • Trade licenceDET or the free zone

  3. After the licence

    • Company accreditationCREST
    • Cyber Force certificationDubai Electronic Security Center (DESC)
    • Security clearance for engagementsThe government client
    • Corporate bank accountThe bank

We time certification against the first government contract you target.

Which clients bring Cyber Force into the file

DESC's rule depends on who buys the work and which service it is. Most private engagements need the licence alone.

Governance, audit and SOC work are named for later phases of the programme. We check the current scope before you bid.

What are you delivering? by Who is the client?
A private companyGovernment, semi-government or critical infrastructure
Advice, audits or trainingThe licence covers it No certification needed; the client's own vendor checks set the bar.Licence plus procurement checks Cyber Force covers testing and response today; governance and audit are listed for later phases.
Penetration testing or incident responseLicence plus signed authority Private clients may pick any provider, and every test starts with the owner's written consent.Certification required These clients must buy from Cyber Force certified providers with qualified, CREST-backed teams.

What banks ask a cyber security firm

Bank viewStandard, with questions on overseas clients and remote teams

Banks treat a cyber security firm as a standard professional services business, and the review is usually routine once the contracts and the team are clear. Questions start with where the money comes from, because many new firms bill clients abroad and pay for tools overseas. A team spread across several countries draws more questions. We put the first contracts, the client list and the tool subscriptions into the bank file.

AMLNot a DNFBP activity; the bank's own customer checks still apply.

Where cyber security files go wrong

  1. Testing without the owner's written consent

    Getting into a system without the owner's permission is a cybercrime in the UAE, even when the purpose is a test. A signed scope naming the systems and the testing window is what protects the firm.

  2. Monitoring left off an advisory licence

    A firm licensed for advice that starts running a client's monitoring centre is working outside its activity. Fixing it takes an amendment. Contracts signed in the meantime sit on the wrong activity.

  3. A government tender before certification

    A Dubai government or semi-government body cannot buy testing or incident response from an uncertified provider. Certification needs an accredited company and qualified testers, so a tender can arrive before the firm is able to accept it.

Questions about a cyber security company licence

A question about your plan? Describe your cyber security company plan and an advisor replies on WhatsApp.

Ask on WhatsApp

How to start a cyber security business in Dubai?

Start with the client list. It sets the route, DET on the mainland or a free zone, and the activities the licence needs, with testing and managed monitoring added at the start. Government and critical-infrastructure work adds DESC Cyber Force certification. We line up the licence, visas and bank file around your first contracts.

How much does a cyber security licence cost in Dubai?

A cyber security licence cost in Dubai depends on the route, the number of activities and how many visas the team needs. Office space follows the visa count, and certification for government work adds its own costs. You get a written quote before anything starts, and it only changes if your plans do.

Do I need DESC Cyber Force certification in Dubai?

Only for certain clients. Dubai government entities, semi-government companies and critical information infrastructure operators must buy penetration testing and incident response from Cyber Force certified providers. Semi-government includes companies with 25% or more government capital. Private clients can choose any provider, so many firms certify once government work is in sight.

Can a free zone cyber security company work with mainland clients?

Yes. A DET branch licence or permit attached to the free zone company covers it. The tax effect is the larger question, because IT and consultancy income from mainland clients mostly sits outside the QFZP 0% rate. We size the mainland share of your work before the route is chosen, so the structure fits the clients.

Related pages

Testing for government clients or private ones? The answer shapes your first tender

Fifteen minutes with a senior advisor on your services and the clients you expect. You leave with the activity list, the route and where DESC certification fits.

Book a 15-minute callMessage us on WhatsApp

On the call

  1. The activity wording that fits your plan
  2. The route, and the approvals in order
  3. A written quote before any work starts
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