Montaji registration in Dubai: what to prepare
Before cosmetics or personal-care products can be sold in Dubai, they generally need to be registered with Dubai Municipality through Montaji. Most delays come from the file, not from the product.
Who applies
The application is made in the name of an eligible company — generally a UAE-licensed company whose trade licence covers the relevant activity. A foreign brand usually works through its UAE importer, distributor or its own local entity.
What is commonly requested
A company account on the Dubai Municipality platform, then a file per product: product details and formula or ingredient list, labels and packaging photos, and supporting documents such as certificates of analysis where the category requires them. Requirements vary by category: check the current list on the official portal before you start.
Labels deserve their own check
Labels must match the file exactly — product name, ingredients, quantities, origin. Arabic labelling requirements may apply. A mismatch between label and file is one of the most common reasons for questions from the authority.
One product, one file
Each product — and often each variant — is registered on its own. A range of twenty references is twenty files to keep consistent with each other.
Plan it before the launch date
Registration has to be in place before products are placed on the market. Build it into the launch plan rather than starting it once the stock has arrived.
Checklist
- 01Eligible UAE applicant identified
- 02Product data and formulas collected
- 03Labels checked against the file, including Arabic
- 04One file per product or variant
- 05Registration planned before the launch date