Al Ghad licence in Ras Al Khaimah: fees, rules (2026)

Is the Al Ghad licence still issued in 2026?

Yes, on the evidence available in September 2026. Our northern emirates guide could only find Al Ghad in archived pages, and the licence is missing from the four-item services catalogue on the Department of Economic Development's site. But the DED homepage itself, under "Business support and development" (دعم وتطوير الأعمال), carries a button labelled رخصة الغد with a video link (RAK DED). The site is a JavaScript app, so it shows a blank page to some browsers and tools; open it in an ordinary browser.

Two other signals point the same way:

In December 2024 DED said more than 600 Al Ghad licences were active, most of them in handicrafts (Al Khaleej, 15 December 2024).
In September 2025, DED, working with RAK Municipality, held an awareness campaign on food control for home projects, attended by more than 30 Al Ghad holders, covering the health requirements for an Al Ghad licence issued for food activities (Al Ittihad, 12 September 2025).

The RAK Government fee table also still has a row for "New/Renewal of Al Ghad license" and another for cancelling one, but that page was last updated on 27 November 2019, so it shows the licence existed then, not that it is issued now (RAK Government, economic licensing fees).

Al Ghad is one of DED's oldest initiatives, launched in 2007, and food activities were among its most popular by 2021 (WAM, 17 June 2021).

Who can hold Al Ghad, and what can a resident use instead?

Al Ghad: nationals

The sources do not agree on exactly which nationals. A 2018 RAK Government news release says the applicant must be a citizen aged over 18 and that the licence must be their first project (rak.ae, 2018). WAM described it in 2021 as an opportunity for citizens (WAM, 17 June 2021). In May 2025, DED's Business Development director told Al Bayan that Al Ghad is for UAE nationals and nationals of the GCC (Al Bayan, 4 May 2025). No official RAK page we could find mentions GCC nationals.

DED's own Al Ghad page, as last captured in February 2023, frames the licence as an opportunity for "a segment of citizens" in its introduction, then sets no nationality condition in the conditions list itself (RAK DED Al Ghad page, archived 8 February 2023). If you are a GCC national, ask DED on 072044444 before you apply.

The other conditions on that 2023 page:

You are 18 or over.
You hold no commercial licence already. Al Ghad has to be your first project.
The home is in Ras Al Khaimah and you own it or live in it. Tenants need the landlord's written consent.
No more than two Al Ghad licences per home.
No labour.
The trade name must not be a registered trademark.
No more than three activities, and they must fit together.
No hazardous, toxic or flammable materials, nothing that affects public health or safety, and no nuisance to neighbours such as parking congestion or keeping animals.
You cannot give a power of attorney to relatives or anyone else to handle the licence for you.
You may transfer the licence to another owner on a justified request.

That page listed 46 activities. Food: hot and cold drinks, retail sweets, traditional sweets, pastries and pies, snacks, pickles, jam, date packing and hospitality services. Beauty and fragrance: henna, perfume mixing, oud and incense, cosmetics retail, soap making. Also fashion design, abaya tailoring, handicrafts, gift wrapping, event management and several kinds of consultancy. Counts vary by source: WAM reported 58 activities in 2021 (WAM, 17 June 2021), and Al Bayan reported "22 approved categories" in 2025. Ask DED for the list that applies today.

Forsa: residents of Ras Al Khaimah

This is the route most guides miss. In May 2025 DED posted an announcement for the "Chance License" (رخصة فرصة, usually called Forsa): a licence for residents of Ras Al Khaimah to start a business from home, with more than 63 professional and craft activities, open to all nationalities, at AED 1,500 a year (RAK DED, Chance License).

Be careful with the word "residents". DED's announcement says residents of Ras Al Khaimah specifically. When Forsa launched in November 2022, Al Bayan reported narrower conditions: you must be on a family member's residency or hold your sponsor's no objection certificate, the residency must be issued in Ras Al Khaimah, you must hold no other licence, Forsa must be your only licence, no work permits can be issued under it, and one licence cannot cover more than one activity in the same field (Al Bayan, 23 November 2022). Al Bayan's 2025 piece loosely called it a licence for "residents of the UAE". If your visa was issued in Dubai or Sharjah, ask DED before you assume you qualify.

Food is the other open question. DED describes Forsa's activities as professional and craft; the launch report listed handicraft, professional, consultancy and design. Neither names a food activity. Do not plan to sell food on Forsa until DED confirms on 072044444 that your activity is on its list.

How much does Al Ghad cost?

Three official or official-sourced figures exist, and they conflict.

DED's own Al Ghad page (captured 19 January 2021 and again 8 February 2023, site last updated 26 December 2022): AED 1,000 to issue, including the trade name reservation; AED 800 a year to renew; AED 10 to cancel; a fine of AED 10 a month after expiry; amendments at ordinary licence rates (archived 19 January 2021; archived 8 February 2023).
The RAK Government fee table (page last updated 27 November 2019): AED 1,000 for a new licence or a renewal, and AED 150 to cancel (RAK Government, economic licensing fees).
A 2018 RAK Government news release: AED 1,000 to issue plus AED 200 for the trade name, and AED 1,000 a year to renew (rak.ae, 2018).

So budget AED 1,000 to issue, and expect renewal at AED 800 or AED 1,000. DED's own Al Ghad page (site last updated December 2022) says 800; the RAK Government table, last updated November 2019, says 1,000. The newer source is DED's 800. Only RAK DED (072044444) can tell you today's figure. Food activities add the municipality's own approvals, whose fees are not published.

Exemptions. In May 2025 DED said people of determination and the families of inmates in correctional institutions pay nothing to issue or renew Al Ghad, and that members of the Young Entrepreneur programme (الواعد الصغير) are exempt from licence fees for three years (Al Bayan, 4 May 2025). The list has changed over the years: in 2018 it included women receiving social security and people over 50 (rak.ae, 2018). Check which exemptions apply now.

How do you apply for Al Ghad?

The رخصة الغد button on the DED homepage opens RAK's general "Issue License" service card, not a page written for Al Ghad (RAK Business Licensing, Issue License). That card is the application route DED points to. It says:

Apply through the RAK Digital portal, rakdigital.rak.ae, or an authorised service centre.
You must be registered with UAE PASS.
You need a valid trade name and initial approval from the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP).
Third-party approvals depend on the activity.
The expected time is 30 minutes, and fees vary with the data you enter.

The documents on DED's 2023 Al Ghad page (archived 8 February 2023):

ICP initial approval
A valid passport copy
A valid Emirates ID copy
Proof that you own the home in Ras Al Khaimah, or a tenancy contract with the landlord's no objection letter
For food activities, a health card from the municipality's Public Health Department

Nothing newer lists documents, so ask DED whether the health card is still required.

What does a food business need from RAK Municipality?

The licence alone does not let you sell food. DED's 2023 page says food applications are referred to the municipality's Public Health Department for prior approval before the licence is issued.

RAK Municipality's Food Code, issued by the Food Control Section in 2020 and published on the municipality site in 2024, adds two rules that matter for a home business (RAK Municipality Food Code):

A food business in domestic premises must register with the Food Control Section if it supplies food commercially.
A business selling at a distance (online, through social media or by phone) must register before it starts. Its legal name and address must appear on the website, along with ingredients, allergens and expiry information.

In September 2025 the municipality's Food Control Department, working with DED, launched a food safety programme for home-based food businesses. It includes a manual of minimum health and safety requirements for home licences, and field inspections based on risk. Officials said violations would be handled in stages, with reminders and warnings first and fines only if needed (Khaleej Times, 20 September 2025). We could not find the manual published online. Ask the Food Control Department for a copy before your first inspection, not after.

For labels and packaging across the UAE, see packaging and labelling for a home food business.

How do the Ras Al Khaimah options compare?

Route	Who can hold it	Fee	Run from home?	Food allowed?	Source date
Al Ghad (رخصة الغد)	UAE nationals; GCC nationals per DED in 2025	AED 1,000 to issue; renewal AED 800 or 1,000	Yes	Yes, with municipality approval	DED page Feb 2023; fee table Nov 2019
Forsa (رخصة فرصة)	Residents of RAK, all nationalities (2022 report: RAK-issued family visa or sponsor NOC)	AED 1,500 a year	Yes	Not stated; ask DED	DED announcement May 2025
Virtual Trader (التاجر الافتراضي)	No nationality condition on the 2021 page	AED 1,000 to issue; AED 800 renewal (2021)	Yes, online sales	Online retail of foodstuffs listed in 2021	DED page Jan 2021; current status unconfirmed
Instant License (الرخصة الفورية)	All nationalities	Not published	No premises needed in year one; not a home licence	Not stated; ask DED	DED announcement May 2025
RAKEZ Freelancer Permit	UAE residents with sponsor's NOC, or on RAKEZ sponsorship	From AED 6,100 (RAKEZ package)	Not stated	No; media and education professions	RAKEZ page Dec 2025

Table sources: RAK DED Al Ghad page, archived 2023; RAK DED, Chance License; Al Bayan, 2022; RAK DED Virtual Trader page, archived 19 January 2021; RAK DED, Instant License; RAKEZ Freelancer Permit.

A word on the two rows at the bottom. The Virtual Trader licence launched in 2018 for businesses run through social media, websites and apps, but nothing after 2021 mentions it: DED's October 2025 news names only Al Ghad and Forsa as its home licences (RAK DED). Ask DED whether it still issues one. The Instant License covers more than 828 activities with no external approvals and lets you choose 3, and the RAKEZ permit allows one activity in your own name with no staff. Neither is designed for a home business, and neither is where a resident should start if they want to sell food.

For how Ras Al Khaimah sits beside the other six emirates, read the UAE home business licence guide.

Where do you sell once you are licensed?

In 2021 DED signed a memorandum with a food delivery platform so Al Ghad holders could list food on it (WAM, 17 June 2021). The perks announced then were for that year; ask RAK DED what applies now. Delivery options are covered in delivery for a home business.

Licensing is your own responsibility, between you, RAK DED and the municipality. KLU is a UAE marketplace for home businesses: free to join, with no listing, subscription or setup fees. You pay 5% commission on completed orders plus 2% card processing, and payouts go weekly to a UAE bank account. You get a storefront link to share, buyers order on iOS, Android or the web, and each order is pickup or delivery, with the buyer paying the delivery fee. Onboarding is in English and Arabic.

Frequently asked questions

Can an expat get the Al Ghad licence in Ras Al Khaimah?

Not on any source we found. Al Ghad is described as a licence for UAE nationals, with DED adding GCC nationals in 2025. A resident of Ras Al Khaimah should look at Forsa, at AED 1,500 a year, and check the visa conditions with DED first.

Can I sell food on the Forsa licence?

Nothing official says so. DED describes Forsa's activities as professional and craft, and the 2022 launch report named handicraft, professional, consultancy and design. Call DED on 072044444 and ask about your specific activity before you pay.

What is the Al Ghad renewal fee?

Either AED 800 or AED 1,000 a year. DED's own page, last captured in 2023, says 800; the RAK Government fee table, last updated November 2019, says 1,000. The cancellation fee is AED 10 on the first and AED 150 on the second. Confirm with DED.

Do I need a separate approval to sell food under Al Ghad?

Yes. Food applications go to RAK Municipality's Public Health Department for prior approval, the 2023 document list included a health card, and the Food Code requires home and distance food sellers to register with the Food Control Section. Since September 2025 the municipality also inspects home food businesses on a risk basis.

Can I hire help on an Al Ghad licence?

No. The 2023 conditions allow no labour. Forsa, per the 2022 launch report, allows no work permits either. For other questions about selling on KLU, see /faq.

Sources

Last verified: 22 September 2026.