Setup and compliance
US LLC formation support
Finbryn prepares the trade licence application for a new UAE mainland or free zone company: activity classification, ownership structure, and the constitutive documents a free zone authority or the Department of Economic Development asks for, reviewed before anything is submitted. The choice of jurisdiction is laid out against the entity's actual trading plan rather than a default.
Compliance calendar
Illustrative client · August 2026
AED
- Entity formed and registration numbers recordedDone
- Chart of accounts set up for your modelDone
- Annual report date added to the calendarDone
- Sales tax or VAT position confirmedIn progress
- First filing prepared for reviewNext
Illustrative. An example of the document, not a client's figures.
What the formation package covers
Forming a UAE company means choosing a licence type (commercial, professional or industrial), a jurisdiction (mainland under the relevant Department of Economic Development, or a free zone such as DMCC, DIFC, ADGM, JAFZA, RAKEZ or IFZA), and an activity code that matches what the business actually does. We gather the ownership structure and shareholder documents, check the activity code against the business's real plans, and prepare the licence application and constitutive documents for review before anything reaches the licensing authority.
Mainland versus free zone, in practice
A free zone company generally cannot trade directly with the UAE mainland without a distributor or a dual licence, and its Corporate Tax treatment depends on whether it qualifies as a Qualifying Free Zone Person on its actual income mix. A mainland company can trade anywhere in the UAE but sits under the Commercial Companies Law's onshore rules from the start. Both routes now allow full foreign ownership in the great majority of activities, so the decision usually turns on where the customers are and which licence fits the business model, not on ownership limits.
DIFC and ADGM specifically
DIFC and ADGM operate under English common law with their own courts, which matters for a financial-services entity or a holding structure that wants that legal framework rather than UAE civil law. We flag when a client's activity or investor base makes one of these two zones worth the extra setup cost against a standard commercial free zone.
After the licence is issued
Once the trade licence is granted, the entity still needs a corporate bank account, Corporate Tax and VAT registration, and a UBO filing before it can start trading in practice. We hand off into Corporate Tax and VAT registration support and the annual filing calendar so nothing sits between licence issuance and the entity actually being ready to operate.
Who submits the application
The licence application is submitted by the entity's owner, its PRO, or an authorised corporate service provider. Northlane Solutions Inc. is the company you contract with. See the pricing page for how formation support fits into an engagement.
Questions
Frequently asked questions: US LLC formation support
Can a foreign owner hold 100% of a UAE company?
In the great majority of commercial and professional activities, yes, both on the mainland and in a free zone. A short list of strategic activities still carries different ownership rules, which we check against the specific activity before choosing a structure.
Can a free zone company trade with mainland UAE customers?
Generally not directly. It needs a mainland distributor, a dual licence, or a mainland branch, which is one of the trade-offs we lay out before recommending a jurisdiction.
How long does UAE company formation take?
A standard free zone licence can be issued in days once the application is complete; a mainland licence or a regulated activity in DIFC or ADGM typically takes longer, so we build realistic timelines into the setup plan.
What is included in this support?
Activity classification, ownership structure documentation, and the licence application and constitutive documents prepared for review. The exact scope is agreed and set out in writing before work starts.
Do you file the formation paperwork with the state?
Formation documents are prepared for your review and filed by you, a registered agent, or a filing service authorized to submit in that state, since the filing itself is a state-level legal act.
Which state should the LLC be formed in?
It depends on where the business actually operates, plans to raise money or hold property; we lay out the cost and reporting trade-offs so the decision is informed, not templated.
What is included in uS LLC formation support?
US LLC formation support covers state selection notes comparing formation cost, franchise tax and reporting load and articles of organization drafted for your review before filing. The exact scope is agreed and set out in writing before work starts, so you know precisely what is and is not covered before the first deliverable arrives.
How is uS LLC formation support priced?
Pricing for uS LLC formation support depends on your transaction volume, the software you use, and how much cleanup is needed before ongoing work starts. Current ranges are published on the pricing page, and your exact fee is confirmed in writing before anything begins.
Related services
- Setup and complianceEIN application supportPreparation of the employer identification number application so a new entity has the number it needs to open a bank account, run payroll and file returns, with the form checked before it goes to the filer.
- Setup and complianceRegistered agent coordinationCoordination between your registered agent and your compliance calendar, so service-of-process notices and state correspondence are logged, forwarded and acted on instead of sitting unopened.
Industries
- Startups and VC-backed companiesBookkeeping and reporting for early-stage, venture-backed companies watching burn, runway and investor reporting closely.
- Ecommerce (Amazon and Shopify)Bookkeeping for online sellers on Amazon, Shopify, Etsy and their own storefronts, built around clean payout and sales tax data.
- SaaSBookkeeping and reporting for subscription software businesses tracking recurring revenue, deferred revenue and burn.
- Agencies and consultanciesBookkeeping for marketing agencies, design studios and consulting firms billing clients on retainers and project fees.
Next step
Talk to the team that would run your books
A short call covers your setup, your software and what a first month would look like. You get a written scope and price after it.