Time required to start a business in United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates: Time required to start a business was 3.8 days in 2019. ▼ Falling
Time required to start a business in United Arab Emirates, 2003–2019
Source: Doing Business project, World Bank (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in days.
Analysis
The most recent figure for time required to start a business in United Arab Emirates is 3.8 days, measured in 2019. That is the lowest value across all 17 years on record.
The figure is down 75.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, time required to start a business in United Arab Emirates peaked at 19.3 days in 2003 and was at its lowest, 3.8 days, in 2018.
That places United Arab Emirates 175th out of 188 countries with data for 2019, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 17 years of available data.
Time required to start a business in United Arab Emirates, year by year
| Year | days | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 19.3 days | — |
| 2004 | 19.3 days | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 19.3 days | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 19.3 days | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 18.3 days | -5.2% |
| 2008 | 18.3 days | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 15.3 days | -16.4% |
| 2010 | 15.3 days | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 13.3 days | -13.1% |
| 2012 | 8.3 days | -37.6% |
| 2013 | 8.3 days | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 8.3 days | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 8.3 days | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 8.3 days | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 8.3 days | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 3.8 days | -54.2% |
| 2019 | 3.8 days | +0.0% |
United Arab Emirates compared with similar countries
- United Arab Emirates's 3.8 days is below the median for high income countries, which is 8.5 days, 45% of the median. (62 countries reporting)
- United Arab Emirates's 3.8 days is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 14 days, 27% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 18.44 days | 15.3 days | 19.3 days | 7 |
| 2010s | 8.6 days | 3.8 days | 15.3 days | 10 |
Countries ranked near United Arab Emirates
- 176 Azerbaijan 3.5 days compare
- 176 Denmark 3.5 days compare
- 176 Estonia 3.5 days compare
- 176 Netherlands 3.5 days compare
More reference data data for United Arab Emirates
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0407 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.4839 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.6291 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0001 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 0.6291 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.1364 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.0486 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.91 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 2.53 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0008 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is time required to start a business in United Arab Emirates?
- Time required to start a business in United Arab Emirates was 3.8 days in 2019, according to Doing Business project, World Bank (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest time required to start a business recorded in United Arab Emirates?
- The highest recorded value was 19.3 days in 2003.
- What is the lowest time required to start a business recorded in United Arab Emirates?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.8 days in 2018.
- How does United Arab Emirates rank for time required to start a business?
- United Arab Emirates ranks 175th out of 188 countries with data for 2019.
- Is time required to start a business rising or falling in United Arab Emirates?
- Over the last ten years it is down 75.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United Arab Emirates data come from?
- The figures come from Doing Business project, World Bank (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Time required to start a business. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 17 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Number of calendar days needed to complete the procedures to legally operate a business.