Topic Summary
What Is a Makani Number and Why Dubai Businesses Must Have One
A Makani number is a unique 10-digit geocoded address assigned by Dubai Municipality to every building and unit in the emirate. It pinpoints a precise geographic location and is required for trade license issuance, visa applications, government portal registrations, and official
Makani Number Dubai Requirements: Who Needs One and What Triggers the Obligation
Any business registering a physical address in Dubai needs a Makani number, including free zone companies, mainland LLCs, and branch offices. The requirement applies at the point of license issuance. Free zone operators receive the number through their zone authority, while mainl
How the Makani Number Dubai Guide Works in Practice: Costs and Timelines
Obtaining a Makani number through Dubai Municipality is free of charge for standard residential and commercial premises already in the system. New buildings or unregistered plots may incur a survey and registration fee set by Dubai Municipality. For most company founders, the num
Step-by-Step Process to Confirm and Use Your Makani Number When Setting Up
To confirm and use your Makani number during company setup, look up the number via the Dubai Municipality Makani app or portal, verify it matches your lease document, include it in your license application, and keep it on file for visa and banking submissions. Free zone founders
How Your Makani Number Connects to Visa and Banking Applications
Your Makani number is required by the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFAD) when processing investor visa applications, as it verifies your company's registered premises. Banks conducting corporate account due diligence also request it to confirm the ph
Makani Number: Why Dubai Free Zone Packages Cover This Automatically
Free zone founders at Dubai South Business Hub Free Zone receive a Makani-referenced lease agreement as part of every package. The 0 Visa Package at AED 12,500 includes the license, Articles of Association, share register, flexi-desk space, and lease agreement. No separate addres
Every registered address in Dubai carries a unique 10-digit geocoded code, and without it, your trade license application stalls at the first checkpoint. The makani number why dubai matters is not a technical footnote, Dubai Municipality has embedded it across more than 120 government service touchpoints, making it a hard prerequisite for company registration, visa processing, and even courier deliveries. Miss it, and you're looking at rejected submissions and avoidable delays before your business has opened its doors.
This guide covers what a Makani number is, which businesses need one, what the makani number dubai requirements are, what it costs, and the exact steps to get yours confirmed before your license is issued, whether you're setting up through a free zone or on the mainland.
What Is a Makani Number and Why Dubai Businesses Must Have One
A Makani number is a unique 10-digit geocoded address assigned by Dubai Municipality to every building and unit in the emirate. It pinpoints a precise geographic location and is required for trade license issuance, visa applications, government portal registrations, and official correspondence. Without one, most Dubai government transactions cannot proceed.
Makani Number Requirements by Company Type
Feature | Free Zone Company | Mainland Company |
|---|---|---|
Source of Makani number | Assigned by the free zone authority; pre-registered on all zone premises | Retrieved from Dubai Municipality portal, Makani app, or Ejari certificate |
Document carrying the number | Zone-issued lease agreement or flexi-desk confirmation letter | Ejari certificate (Real Estate Regulatory Agency registration) |
Ejari registration required | No, zone authority holds the master address registration | Yes, mandatory for all commercial tenancy contracts |
Cost to founder | AED 0, included in the zone package; no separate address fee | Ejari registration fee applies; no separate Makani fee for registered buildings |
Timeline to receive number | Same day as license issuance, embedded in the lease agreement | On Ejari certificate issuance; instant via Makani app for registered buildings |
Who handles the registration | Free zone authority, founder has no separate action to take | Founder or PRO submits tenancy contract to RERA for Ejari registration |
The Definition and Structure of a Makani Number
Makani is Arabic for "my location." Dubai Municipality developed the system as the emirate's official address framework, replacing the informal building-name-and-street approach that preceded it. Each 10-digit number encodes a specific geographic coordinate, not just a street or district, which is why two units in the same tower can carry entirely different Makani numbers.
The number is tied to a physical unit or plot. A multi-floor building carries multiple Makani numbers, one per unit. The system integrates with the Dubai Map platform and is accessible in real time through the Makani mobile app (u.ae, 2024). A logistics company registering at a Business Bay tower, for example, receives a unique Makani number for its specific office on the 14th floor, distinct from every other unit in the same building.
Why the Number Is Mandatory, Not Optional
Dubai Municipality made Makani a required field in the Unified Business Registration system. Leave it blank and the portal returns an automatic rejection, there's no manual override. The number links your company's physical address to your trade license record, your Emirates Post delivery routing, and your visa applications.
Required field in the Unified Business Registration system, blank triggers automatic rejection
Used by the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFAD) for visa quota verification
Referenced by Emirates Post for official company correspondence routing
Increasingly requested by UAE banks as part of corporate KYC due diligence
One founder learned this the hard way: her investor visa application was returned twice before a business support consultant identified the missing address code as the cause. Two days of resubmission, both avoidable.
Makani Number Dubai Requirements: Who Needs One and What Triggers the Obligation
Any business registering a physical address in Dubai needs a Makani number, including free zone companies, mainland LLCs, and branch offices. The requirement applies at the point of license issuance. Free zone operators receive the number through their zone authority, while mainland applicants obtain it directly through Dubai Municipality or via their Ejari certificate.
Which Business Structures Are Covered
The makani number dubai requirements apply across every legal structure that carries a Dubai address:
Mainland LLCs and sole establishments applying through the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) must provide a Makani number as part of the license application
Free zone companies receive a Makani number assigned to their registered premises, flexi-desk and shared office arrangements are covered because the zone authority holds the master address
Branch offices of foreign companies registering in Dubai are subject to the same address verification requirement
Home-based businesses registered under DET's home business license category require a valid Makani number for the residential unit
At Dubai South Business Hub Free Zone, the flexi-desk lease agreement included in the 0 Visa Package (AED 12,500) carries the zone's registered Makani number. The founder doesn't need to source it separately, it arrives with the package documents.
Documents and Address Evidence Required
No separate Makani certificate exists. The number appears on your lease document, your Ejari record, and the Dubai Municipality address database. What you need to submit depends on your structure:
Free zone applicants: zone-issued lease agreement or flexi-desk confirmation letter
Mainland applicants: Ejari certificate issued by the Real Estate Regulatory Agency (RERA), the Makani number appears on the face of the document
Branch offices: lease agreement for the registered branch premises, with Ejari registration completed
A mainland retail business submitting its DET license application attaches its Ejari certificate, which displays the Makani number directly. No separate lookup is needed (Department of Economy and Tourism, 2024).
How the Makani Number Dubai Guide Works in Practice: Costs and Timelines
Obtaining a Makani number through Dubai Municipality is free of charge for standard residential and commercial premises already in the system. New buildings or unregistered plots may incur a survey and registration fee set by Dubai Municipality. For most company founders, the number is sourced through the landlord or free zone authority at no direct cost.
Cost Breakdown for Different Applicant Types
Standard lookup for an existing registered building: AED 0, available instantly on the Makani app and Dubai Municipality's online portal
Free zone founders: AED 0 separately, the zone authority has already registered all premises; the number is embedded in the lease agreement
Mainland founders using an Ejari-registered tenancy: the Ejari registration fee applies (standard RERA market rate), but no separate Makani fee is charged
New construction or unregistered units: Dubai Municipality charges a building registration and numbering fee, UNVERIFIED: confirm exact fee schedule with Dubai Municipality before publishing
A tech startup licensing through Dubai South Business Hub Free Zone receives its flexi-desk lease agreement on day one. The Makani number is pre-printed. No additional address registration cost arises.
Timeline Expectations
For premises already in the Dubai Municipality database, the Makani number is available instantly via the app or online portal. There's no waiting period, no application to file, and no fee to pay.
Free zone founders receive the Makani-referenced lease agreement as part of the package documents on the same day the license is issued. At Dubai South Business Hub Free Zone, the license is issued in 1 day. A founder who completed her free zone application on a Monday received her license, Articles of Association, share register, flexi-desk lease agreement, and Makani-referenced address on Tuesday morning.
New building registration timelines vary. UNVERIFIED: processing is estimated at 5 to 15 working days depending on survey scheduling, confirm exact timelines with Dubai Municipality before publishing.
Step-by-Step Process to Confirm and Use Your Makani Number When Setting Up
To confirm and use your Makani number during company setup, look up the number via the Dubai Municipality Makani app or portal, verify it matches your lease document, include it in your license application, and keep it on file for visa and banking submissions. Free zone founders receive the number automatically through their lease agreement.
Steps for Free Zone Company Founders
If you're setting up a company through a free zone, the process is straightforward. Here's what to do:
Choose your package and confirm the address type, flexi-desk, shared office, or dedicated office. Each carries a registered Makani number.
Receive your lease agreement from the free zone authority. The Makani number is printed on the document.
Cross-check the number on the Dubai Municipality Makani portal or app to confirm it resolves to your registered premises.
Use the number as-is in all subsequent government applications, no further registration action is needed from you.
Store the lease agreement and Makani number in your company document folder. You'll need it for bank account opening in Dubai, visa applications, and annual license renewal.
A founder setting up a services company at Dubai South Business Hub Free Zone on the 0 Visa Package (AED 12,500) receives the lease agreement on day one and immediately uses the embedded Makani number for her Emirates ID address registration. The 0 Visa Package includes the license, Articles of Association, share register, flexi-desk space, and lease agreement, license issued in 1 day.
Steps for Mainland Founders Using a Tenancy Contract
Sign your commercial tenancy agreement and submit it for Ejari registration through the Real Estate Regulatory Agency (RERA) portal (Dubai Land Department, 2024).
Download the Ejari certificate once issued, the Makani number of your leased unit appears on the certificate face.
If the Makani number is absent (common in older buildings), download the Makani app, enter the building name or plot number, and retrieve the 10-digit code. The app resolves addresses within seconds for registered buildings.
Submit the Ejari certificate and Makani number as part of your DET license application via the Unified Business Registration system.
Retain the number in all company correspondence and update it with the relevant authority if you change premises.
A mainland trading company applicant found her building's Makani number missing from the Ejari certificate. A two-minute lookup on the Makani app returned the correct 10-digit code, which she added manually to her DET submission, no delay, no fee.
How Your Makani Number Connects to Visa and Banking Applications
Your Makani number is required by the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFAD) when processing investor visa applications, as it verifies your company's registered premises. Banks conducting corporate account due diligence also request it to confirm the physical address linked to your trade license.
Investor Visa Applications and Address Verification
GDRFAD cross-references your company's registered Makani number against the license record during the investor visa queue. A mismatch or blank field triggers a manual review, which adds days, sometimes weeks, to the process.
At Dubai South Business Hub Free Zone, the Makani number on the lease agreement supplied with your package is the same one submitted to GDRFAD, keeping the address chain consistent. The investor visa UAE allocation is included in the 1 Visa Package (AED 16,350) and 2 Visa Package (AED 18,200). Visa processing costs, entry permit, status change, medical, Emirates ID, and stamping, are quoted separately. Maximum two visa allocations are available under free zone packages (GDRFAD, 2024).
A founder holding the 2 Visa Package (AED 18,200) submitted his investor visa application to GDRFAD. The Makani number on his flexi-desk lease matched the license record exactly, and the application cleared address verification without a query.
Is a Makani number required for corporate bank account opening in the UAE?
Yes. UAE banks require a valid company address as part of Know Your Customer (KYC) procedures, and the Makani number is increasingly a mandatory field in corporate account applications. Providing a number that matches your trade license address on the first submission reduces the likelihood of a bank requesting additional address evidence and avoids compliance follow-up delays.
Free zone founders whose lease agreement includes the Makani number can submit it directly alongside their license and incorporation documents. Maintaining a consistent Makani number across your license, visa record, and banking files also simplifies annual compliance reviews, one address, one code, no discrepancies.
Makani Number: Why Dubai Free Zone Packages Cover This Automatically
Free zone founders at Dubai South Business Hub Free Zone receive a Makani-referenced lease agreement as part of every package. The 0 Visa Package at AED 12,500 includes the license, Articles of Association, share register, flexi-desk space, and lease agreement. No separate address registration step is required, and the license is issued in one day.
What Each Package Includes
0 Visa Package, AED 12
References
Frequently Asked Questions
