EV charging licence, from wall box to network
An EV charging company that runs public charge points in Dubai needs a DEWA licence, beyond the trading licence for selling chargers.
- Usual route
- Mainland (DET)
- Extra approval
- DEWA licence
- Timeline
- Weeks
- AML
- Not a DNFBP activity
An EV charging licence in Dubai depends on the role you take. Selling chargers is a trading activity, and installing them is electrical work for a DEWA-approved contractor. Operating public charge points needs a charge point operator licence from the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), with separate categories for complimentary and paid charging.
- Covers
- Selling, installing and operating electric vehicle chargers
- Not covered
- Solar systems, vehicle sales and charging app development
- Premises
- An office, plus host-site agreements for every public charger
- Timeline
- Weeks for the licence; DEWA licensing runs alongside
What an EV charging company licence covers
EV charging work comes in three roles: supplying chargers, installing them, and running them for drivers who pay or charge as guests.
Covered
Not covered
- Covered by Solar energy company
- Covered by Electromechanical contracting
- Covered by Car trading or car rental
- Covered by Software development
Tick what you plan to do. The result shows here.
We fix the wording before you apply. Send us your list on WhatsApp
Trading, installation and operation are separate activities, so we put every role you plan on the licence before filing.
Mainland or free zone for EV charging
Chargers in Dubai sit on mainland sites and serve Dubai drivers, so installing or operating points to DET. Trading hardware can sit in either.
| If most of your clients are | Likely route | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Drivers at malls, hotels and car parks | Mainland (DET) | Public charge points sit on Dubai sites under DEWA's operator licensing |
| Villa owners and building managers | Mainland (DET) | Installation is electrical work for a DEWA-approved contractor in Dubai |
| Installers and fleets buying hardware | Either route | Importing and wholesaling chargers works from a mainland or free zone base |
A free zone company can reach mainland buyers through a DET branch licence or permit (Executive Council Resolution 11 of 2025). Charging sold to individual drivers sits outside the QFZP 0% rate.
Several free zones license this activity; we match the zone to your visas, office and banking. Compare free zones
Three questions. The closest row is marked in the table above.
Your likely route shows here.
DEWA licence for charge point operators
Dubai's EV Charging Infrastructure Regulation lets DEWA grant licences to independent charge point operators, with one category for complimentary charging and one for paid. Operators already running chargers had until 31 March 2025 to comply.
Before the licence
- Trade name and initial approvalDET
The licence
- Trade licenceDET
Alongside the licence
- Host site agreementsMall, hotel or building owner
After the licence
- Electrical contractor approvalDubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA)
- Charge point operator licenceDEWA
- Connection approval per siteDEWA
- Corporate bank accountThe bank
We line up host sites and the DEWA licence together.
Which role does your charging business play?
Tick each role you plan. The heaviest one shows what DEWA expects on top of the trade licence.
A paid operator charges a fee on top of DEWA's electricity tariff, so we model the pricing with you before the host sites are signed.
Tick every role the business will take on
| What you plan | Points to |
|---|---|
| The trade licence with a charger trading activity | |
| Installation by a DEWA-approved electrical contractor, with DEWA approval before chargers go in | |
| Installation by a DEWA-approved electrical contractor, with DEWA approval before chargers go in | |
| A DEWA charge point operator licence for complimentary charging | |
| A DEWA operator licence for paid charging, with the fee set under Dubai's regulation |
Tick a line to see where your plan points.
What banks ask an EV charging company
Bank viewStandard, with questions on hardware imports and site payments
Banks treat an EV charging company as a standard trading and services business. Early money goes abroad for chargers, and income may come in small card payments through an app, or as installation invoices to building owners. Revenue-share payments to host sites draw questions too. We put the hardware orders, the host site agreements and the DEWA licence status into the bank file, so each payment has a clear reason.
AMLNot a DNFBP activity; the bank's own customer checks still apply.
Where EV charging files go wrong
Paid charging without the DEWA licence
Some guides say charging needs no approval beyond the trade licence. Dubai's regulation says otherwise for public charging: independent operators need a DEWA licence, and the paid category comes with its own conditions.
Chargers fitted by an unapproved installer
DEWA expects chargers to be installed by approved electrical contractors and to its technical rules. A trading company that fits units itself risks a connection that will not pass, and a client asking for the work again.
Host sites signed before the numbers work
A paid network earns a fee on top of DEWA's tariff, then shares it with the site. Signing long site deals before modelling that margin locks the business into chargers that struggle to pay back.
Questions about a EV charging company licence
A question about your plan? Describe your EV charging company plan and an advisor replies on WhatsApp.
Ask on WhatsAppHow to start an EV charging station business in Dubai?
How much does an EV charging licence cost in Dubai?
Do I need a DEWA licence to operate EV chargers in Dubai?
Can a free zone company install EV chargers in Dubai?
Related pages
ActivitySolar energy licence in DubaiFitting solar panels on Dubai rooftops needs DEWA enrolment and certified experts on your team, on top of the trade licence.
ActivityTechnical services licence in DubaiA DET licence covers routine maintenance in clients' buildings.
JurisdictionDubai mainland licence through DETSuits businesses that sell to UAE customers or bid for Dubai tenders.
Selling chargers, fitting them, or running a network? Each role brings its own approvals
Fifteen minutes with a senior advisor on the role you plan and the sites you have in mind. You leave with the activities, the route and the DEWA category that fits.
On the call
- The activity wording that fits your plan
- The route, and the approvals in order
- A written quote before any work starts
