Dubai: Can my wife offer online cooking classes without a permit?

Dubai: If someone living in Dubai wants to give cooking classes online, can they do so without a licence? If not, what are the steps they need to follow? These were the questions raised by a Gulf News reader.

The reader asked: “Could you please clarify the following – can someone give online classes, without a licence, from home or do they need a licence for it? My wife wants to give online cooking classes. She is a homemaker, and we live in Dubai.”

Gulf News raised the reader’s query with Dubai’s Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), which confirmed that if an individual wishes to conduct any training courses, they would need to apply for a licence with the KHDA as well as any other licensing authorities as relevant to the type of courses being offered. This includes bodies like the Dubai Economic Development Department and Dubai Municipality.

“All training courses in Dubai have to be licensed by KHDA and obtain the necessary approvals from respective licensing authorities. Any advertisement, social media post or email circular advertising training courses also has to be approved by KHDA,” the authority said.

KHDA offers applicants the option to apply for a permit for a training institute. However, if you wish to only offer a one-time course, there is also a ‘Short-term Permit’ available.

Steps to follow

If you wish to offer a training course in Dubai, these are the steps you should follow.

1. Trade name registration with DED – you would first need to apply for a trade name registration with the Dubai Economic Department before you can approach KHDA with a request for a training permit.

2. Register as an applicant through KHDA e-services system – Once you have the initial approval from DED, register with the KHDA e-services system on https://www.khda.gov.ae/portal/#/page/login

You would need to provide basic details like your full name, mobile number and nationality, along with details of the institute’s name and the courses that will be offered.

3. Receive Initial Approval from KHDA - You would need to submit details of your trade licence, a detailed registration plan, which would include elements like the purpose of the training institute and what value it is adding to the training field in the UAE, a detailed course list and payment of fees.

This process takes approximately 12 working days.

4. Apply for the DED trade licence – Complete the trade licence application process with the Dubai Economic Department, depending on the type of licence you wish to apply for.

5. Educational Services Permit is issued by KHDA in approximately three working days.

The cost of the process will vary depending on the type of trade licence you apply for.

Regular checks

A Dubai-based culinary courses provider – Vandana Jain – who has been offering cooking classes in Dubai for the past four years, also spoke about the licences and permits she applied for when she started her business.

“We submitted the application with KHDA online, with details of all the courses we would offer, the fee structure and the profile of the centre and the owner. We also had to apply for a trade licence with the Dubai Economic Department, and needed to submit documents like the Ejari for the rented space. We received a fire safety training from Civil Defence Department after the KHDA approval came through,” Jain said.

She also advised residents interested in offering cooking classes to ensure they maintain high standards of quality as businesses registered with DED get inspected regularly by the Department as well as other relevant bodies.

“Hygiene checks happen regularly checks every two to three months, where the municipality or DED officials tick all the boxes on the list, in terms of cleanliness, hygiene and courses offered. These should be in line with the rules and regulations of the country,” she added.