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Shared offices in Dubai: flexi desk, dedicated desk, serviced office
A shared office is workspace inside a business centre or a free zone facility that you rent ready to use. A flexi desk gives access to shared desks, a dedicated desk is reserved for you, and a serviced office is a private furnished room. The type you choose affects which licences you can hold and how many visas the company can apply for.
At a glance Fact sheet
- Flexi desk
- Use of a shared desk in a common area, with a business address
- Dedicated desk
- A desk reserved for you in a shared room
- Serviced office
- A private, furnished office with reception and shared facilities
- Where
- Business centres on the mainland and facilities run by free zones
- Effect on visas
- Allocation generally rises with the type and size of the office
- Tenancy document
- Issued by the centre or the free zone and filed with your licence
Overview
A conventional lease asks a new company to commit to a fit-out, furniture, utilities and a contract that may outlast its first business plan. Shared offices remove most of that. The space is furnished and connected, reception and meeting rooms are shared, and you pay for the amount of space you use.
There are three common levels. With a flexi desk you use any free desk in a common area. A dedicated desk is the same desk every time, usually with storage. A serviced office is a lockable room for your team inside the centre. Free zones often offer these together with the licence, and mainland business centres rent them to companies licensed by the emirate's economic department.
Comfort is the smaller part of the decision. Authorities tie visa allocation to the premises on record, so a flexi desk generally supports the fewest visas and a larger private office supports more. Some activities cannot be licensed on a desk at all. Caliph checks these points against your plans before you sign.
Why choose a shared office through Caliph
Office type matched to visa plans
Tell us how many people you expect to sponsor this year and next. We point you to the level of office that supports that number under your authority's rules.
Accepted by your licensing authority
Before you sign, we confirm that the centre's tenancy document is one your licensing authority accepts for your activity.
Ready when the licence is issued
Desks, internet, reception and meeting rooms are already in place, so you can start work as soon as the company is licensed.
Costs you can plan
One agreement normally covers the space and its services, which is easier to budget than a lease with separate fit-out and utility bills.
Simple to move up
When the team outgrows a desk, moving to a serviced office in the same centre is far easier than ending a long lease.
What to tell us and bring
- A passport copy of each owner and of the manager who will sign the agreement
- Your trade licence, or the initial approval and trade name reservation for a new company
- The list of business activities on the licence or the application
- The number of people who will use the space
- The number of residence visas you plan to apply for
- Your preferred area and the date you want to start
Centres and free zones have their own forms and may ask for more. Your Caliph consultant confirms what applies to the centre you choose.
How we find and register your office
Needs and visa plan
We ask about your team, your visitors and the visas you need, and check what your activity is allowed to use.
Shortlist
You receive options at the right level, whether flexi desk, dedicated desk or serviced office, in the areas that suit you.
Viewing and choice
You see the space, or we send photos and details if you are abroad, and you choose.
Agreement and tenancy document
The centre or the free zone issues the agreement. On the Dubai mainland the tenancy is registered in Ejari.
Licence and establishment card
Caliph files the document with your licence application or renewal, and then with the immigration and labour records.
Move in and review
You start using the space. Before each renewal we check whether the office still fits your team and your visa needs.
Good to know
- Visa allocation rules are set by each free zone and, on the mainland, by the labour and immigration authorities. They change, so we confirm the current position for your case.
- A flexi desk is shared space. If you handle confidential client files or need storage, look at a dedicated desk or a private office.
- Activities that need inspections, storage or public access usually cannot be licensed on a desk.
Questions people ask
What is a flexi desk?
A flexi desk is the right to use a desk in a shared area of a business centre or a free zone facility, together with a business address. You do not have a fixed seat. Free zones commonly offer it with a licence as the entry-level office option for small and new companies.
How does the office type affect my visas?
Authorities link the number of visas a company can apply for to its premises. In general a flexi desk supports the fewest, a serviced office more, and a leased office assessed by floor area the most. The actual figures depend on the free zone or mainland authority and can change, so we confirm them for your case.
Can a mainland company use a shared office?
Mainland companies need premises that meet the rules of the emirate's economic department, with a tenancy contract that is registered in Ejari in Dubai. A serviced office in a business centre can meet this where the centre provides a contract that can be registered. Whether a desk is enough depends on the activity, which Caliph checks first.
Can I upgrade from a flexi desk to an office later?
Yes. Moving to a dedicated desk or a serviced office is a normal step as a company grows. The new tenancy document is filed with the licensing authority, and your visa allocation can then be reviewed on the basis of the larger space. Caliph handles the amendment.
What is the difference between a serviced office and a normal lease?
A serviced office is furnished, connected and managed by the centre, with reception and meeting rooms shared between tenants. A normal lease gives you an empty unit that you fit out, furnish and run yourself, with your own utility accounts. A serviced office needs less money up front, while a lease gives more space and control.
- UAE Government portal, starting a business on the mainland
- Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC)
- Invest in Dubai
Reviewed by Caliph Business Solutions on . Rules differ by activity and by authority. Your Caliph consultant confirms what applies to you.
Ready to establish your company in the UAE?
Book a free consultation. Tell us what you want to open and we come back with the route, the documents and the cost.
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