How to Buy a Laundry in Dubai: Prices & Checks (2026)
Short answer: To buy a laundry in Dubai, shortlist running laundries, then check that the trade licence covers every service, the Dubai Municipality permit and approved layout are in place, and the lease, machines, staff and real takings hold up before you pay. In 94 past Dubai laundry listings on BusinessFinder.me, the median asking price was AED 155,000, and half asked between AED 76,250 and AED 350,000. You can see every current laundry for sale in Dubai on our listings page.
Last updated: November 4, 2026
BusinessFinder.me is a UAE marketplace for buying and selling running businesses, where owners list laundries, restaurants, salons, shops and trade licences with asking prices in AED. For the bigger picture, see our main guide on how to buy a business in Dubai, and for detailed price data see how much a laundry business costs in Dubai.
What do you get when you buy a running laundry in Dubai?
When you buy a running laundry, you usually take over the trade licence (or its transfer), the lease, the washers, dryers, ironing and steam equipment, the fit-out, any pick-up van, the customers and often the staff. You pay for a shop that already has approvals, working machines and regular customers, so it trades from day one.
Key terms you will see in laundry listings
- Running laundry: a laundry that is open and trading, sold with its premises, machines and usually its licence and customers.
- Laundry vs dry cleaning: laundry washes with water and detergent; dry cleaning uses chemical solvents, which brings extra chemical handling and hazardous-waste duties.
- No-objection permit: the Dubai Municipality permit, issued with an approved furniture layout, that laundry and pressing shops need.
How much does it cost to buy a laundry in Dubai?
We looked at 94 Dubai laundry and dry cleaning listings that have since gone offline on BusinessFinder.me (listed between 2019 and 2024), with reposts and placeholder prices removed. The median asking price was AED 155,000, ranging from AED 20,000 to AED 2,000,000. The 14 listings from 2024 had a higher median of AED 400,000, so recent asking prices have risen.
| Asking price band | Number of listings |
|---|---|
| Up to AED 100,000 | 33 |
| AED 100,001 to 200,000 | 25 |
| AED 200,001 to 500,000 | 23 |
| AED 500,001 to 1,000,000 | 7 |
| Above AED 1,000,000 | 6 |
Where sellers gave details, the median yearly rent was AED 43,000 (26 listings), the median team was 5 to 6 staff (34 listings) and the median shop size was 650 sq ft (19 listings). International City had the most listings, followed by Jumeirah Village Circle (JVC), Bur Dubai and Dubai Investment Park. These are asking prices, not final sale prices.
Which laundries are for sale in Dubai right now?
These are the latest laundry listings on BusinessFinder.me, updated automatically as owners post new ads:
- Running laundry business for sale in Dubai (International City, Dubai, UAE)
- Laundry for sale in Dubai (Wasl Village, Al Qusais Industrial 5,)
- Profitable commercial laundry business for sale in Dubai (Dubai Investment Park (DIP), Dubai, UAE)
- Well running laundry dry cleaning for sale in Dubai (Downtown Dubai, Dubai, UAE)
- Urgent laundry business for sale in Dubai (International City, Dubai, UAE)
- Laundry for sale in Dubai (Al Karama, Dubai, UAE)
For more options and a short checklist per listing, see our page on laundry business for sale in Dubai.
How do you buy a laundry in Dubai, step by step?
- Set a budget covering the price, next rent cheque, transfer fees and a few months of running costs.
- Visit at different times to see walk-ins, pick-ups and how busy the machines are.
- Request documents: trade licence, Dubai Municipality permit and layout, Ejari lease, staff list, bank statements and any corporate contracts.
- Check the numbers against bank deposits, not the seller’s word.
- Inspect the machines with a technician, including the boiler, drainage and ventilation, and ask for invoices and service records.
- Sign a lawyer-reviewed agreement listing every machine included and who pays old bills and gratuity, holding back part of the price until transfer.
- Transfer the licence, lease, permits and staff, then release the balance.
What approvals does a laundry in Dubai need?
According to Dubai Municipality’s Technical Guidelines on the Compliance of Laundry Facilities (DM-HSD-GU76, version 5, March 2026), a laundry needs a Dubai commercial licence and a permit, and its services must match the activities on the licence. Dry cleaning or carpet cleaning that isn’t on the licence is a risk you inherit.
Laundry Services and Cloth Pressing Services are covered by Dubai Municipality’s Technical Requirements for No Objection for Practicing Health and Safety Activities (DM-HSD-SP06). The shop needs a no-objection permit with an approved furniture layout, renewed for a new branch, layout change, added activity or new location. The layout needs corridors at least 1.2 metres wide, 20 cm between machines, a separate hand wash basin, and separate sections for receiving, washing and drying, ironing, delivery, storage and chemicals. Adding machines or rearranging the shop may mean updating the permit.
Which records should a Dubai laundry already have?
Dubai Municipality’s laundry guideline lists documents owners must present on request. Ask to see them before you buy:
- Valid trade licence and Dubai Municipality permit with approved layout
- Fire prevention compliance certificate from Dubai Civil Defence
- Contract with a Dubai Municipality-approved pest control company and pest control reports (at least one visit a month)
- Contract with a Dubai Municipality-approved company for general and hazardous waste
- Boiler and pressure vessel inspection records (the guideline requires an annual inspection by an EIAC-approved technician)
- For laundries in independent buildings: water system disinfection and water test reports
What extra checks apply to dry cleaning?
Dry cleaning uses chemical solvents, so ask which solvent the machines use, where chemicals are stored and how hazardous waste is collected. The guideline also requires approved detergents, trained staff for dilution, protective equipment and an eyewash station in the chemicals area.
What should you check before buying a laundry?
Is the lease safe?
Dubai tenancy contracts are registered through Ejari with the Dubai Land Department. Check the rent, cheques, expiry date and whether the landlord will accept the new owner in writing. A laundry lives on neighbourhood customers, so losing the lease means losing most of the business.
Are the takings real?
Some laundries earn a large share from hotel, restaurant or building contracts. Compare sales reports with six to twelve months of bank deposits, and ask whether contracts transfer to you. Our guides on how to value a business in Dubai and buying a running business in Dubai explain how to test profit, assets and key money.
Who are the staff, and who pays their gratuity?
List each worker on the company’s visas with basic salary and start date. According to the UAE Government portal, private-sector staff with a year or more of service earn gratuity of 21 days’ basic salary per year for the first five years and 30 days per year after, capped at two years’ wages. Agree in writing who pays gratuity built up before the sale.
Is VAT due, and how is ownership transferred?
Under the Federal Tax Authority’s public clarification VATP015, a transfer of a going concern (TOGC) to a taxable buyer who continues the business is not a supply for VAT; an asset-only sale does not qualify. For a Dubai mainland company, a change of owner is a trade licence amendment with the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) via Invest in Dubai; free zones have their own process. Get current fees and tax advice before agreeing the price.
Laundry buyer checklist
- Licence activities match every service the laundry offers
- Dubai Municipality permit and approved layout in place, with no unapproved changes
- Civil Defence, pest control and waste contracts valid
- Ejari lease has enough time left and landlord consent
- Sales reports match bank deposits, and key contracts are transferable
- Machines, boiler, drainage and ventilation inspected
- Staff list, visas and gratuity responsibility agreed
- Part of the price held back until the transfer is complete
Key takeaways
- The median past asking price for a Dubai laundry on BusinessFinder.me was AED 155,000, and AED 400,000 for 2024 listings.
- Check the licence activities, Dubai Municipality permit and approved layout before paying.
- Verify takings with bank deposits and confirm whether corporate contracts transfer to you.
- Start your search with laundries for sale in Dubai or browse all businesses for sale.
Selling instead? You can list your laundry on BusinessFinder.me from the post an ad page.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to buy a laundry in Dubai?
In 94 past Dubai laundry listings on BusinessFinder.me, the median asking price was AED 155,000, and half asked between AED 76,250 and AED 350,000. Listings from 2024 had a median of AED 400,000.
What licences does a laundry in Dubai need?
A Dubai trade licence that lists its laundry, pressing or dry cleaning activities, and a Dubai Municipality no-objection permit with an approved furniture layout, plus fire safety compliance and approved pest control and waste contracts.
Can a foreigner buy a laundry in Dubai?
Yes, through a mainland or free zone company, depending on how the laundry is licensed. Confirm the ownership structure with DET or the free zone before signing.
Do I pay VAT when I buy a running laundry?
Not if the deal qualifies as a transfer of a going concern under the FTA’s VATP015 guidance, meaning the whole business passes to a taxable buyer who keeps running it. An asset-only sale does not qualify.
Where can I find laundries for sale in Dubai?
BusinessFinder.me lists running laundries and dry cleaners across Dubai and the UAE with asking prices in AED, on its laundry for sale in Dubai listings page.
Sources: Dubai Municipality Technical Guidelines on the Compliance of Laundry Facilities (DM-HSD-GU76, v5, 2026); Dubai Municipality Technical Requirements for No Objection for Practicing Health and Safety Activities (DM-HSD-SP06, v3, 2024); Federal Tax Authority VATP015; UAE Government portal (u.ae) on end-of-service benefits; Dubai Land Department (Ejari); Invest in Dubai (DET) trade licence amendment; BusinessFinder.me listing data. This article is general information, not legal or tax advice.
