The Selling Food Products in Dubai has been significant growth between physical and online ventures. The Industry of Food in the UAE is strong especially high demand for imported and special food items. Before placing the products on store and other digital platform, food product registration and Business Registering is a mandatory legal requirement from the government of UAE.
Here the Complete Guide on Food Product Registration process in Dubai base on the recent regulation updates.
Why Register a Food Product in Dubai?
Some Basic Reasons are given below:
- Legal Compliance
- Consumer Safety
- Market Access
- Avoid Fines
Legal Compliance: The Imported, manufactured food item must be register with Relevant UAE authorities.
Consumer Safety: Registration Process ensure that your item meet the standards of the UAE.
Market Access: You cannot display your food products in store and also on E-Commerce platform without registration.
Avoid Fines: Unregister products are rejected from the custom side otherwise pay the heavy fine on selling the unregister products.
Step-by-Step Guide to Food Product Registration in Dubai (2025)
Step 1: Company Setup in UAE (If Not Already Registered)
- You must need to get your Business trading license in Dubai by the DED or a Free Zone authority.
- Mainland Company
- Free Zone Company
Step 2: Register with Dubai Municipality – Food Import and Export System (FIRS)
Dubai Food Authority use the FIRS for food products approvals. You Need to
- Create Account on Portal of FIRS
- Submit your Company Documents
- Get Access approval to process.
Step 3: Prepare Required Documents for Product Registration
Prepare the Following Requirement for product registration:
- Food Product Label
- Food Product Image
- Product composition/ingredients
- Certificate of Origin
- Health Certificate
- Halal Certificate (if applicable)
- Nutrition Facts (if applicable)
Make sure all documents are in English or Arabic and legally attested, if required.
Step 4: Label Review and Compliance Check
Dubai Municipality will assess your product’s label design, checking for:
- Ingredients and allergen disclosure
- Country of origin
- Expiry/manufacture dates
- Storage conditions
- Arabic translation of key information
If the label fails to meet UAE standards, it will be rejected or sent back for correction.
Step 5: Submit the Product for Registration
Once your documents and label are approved, you can formally submit the product via FIRS. You will:
- Enter product name, brand, and category
- Upload required documents
- Pay the registration fee
- Await product evaluation
Step 6: Await Evaluation and Approval
Dubai Municipality typically takes 5–10 business days to evaluate a product. During this period:
- They may request additional documents or clarification.
- If approved, the product will be assigned a registration number.
- If rejected, they will provide reasons for resubmission.
Step 7: Post-Approval – Import and Distribution
Once approved:
- You can import the product legally into Dubai.
- Ensure each batch is declared and cleared through FIRS.
- You can begin marketing, selling, and distributing your food product.
Conclusion
Registering a Food Company in Dubai Mainland is the Basic step for those business they want to enter in the UAE food markets. Dubai is known for its health-conscious public and makes compliance to regulatory frameworks a prerequisite.