Key Highlights

• Noon accepts any UAE free zone or mainland license as long as the Commercial Registration includes Sales, Trading, Manufacturing, or Distribution/Wholesale as an activity.
• No free zone is blacklisted by Noon. The CR activity on your trade license is the only eligibility gate for seller registration.
• Health and beauty sellers need additional documents, including a Distribution Authorization Agreement and a Manufacturer Certificate, both attested by the UAE government.
• UAE-based Noon sellers can expand to Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, and Kuwait through a single Global Selling program without a separate license.

You have picked your products, researched the UAE market, and you are ready to start selling on Noon. Then the rejection email lands. Not because you chose the wrong free zone, but because your trade license has the wrong activity code on it.

This is one of the most common, and most frustrating, reasons sellers get blocked from the Noon marketplace. The good news is that it is completely avoidable once you understand how the system actually works.

Noon does not care which free zone issued your license. It cares about what your Commercial Registration activity says. If your license includes Sales, Trading, Manufacturing, or Distribution/Wholesale as an activity, you are eligible. If it does not, you are not. This rule comes directly from Noon’s official seller help portal.​

This article covers the exact CR activity requirement, which UAE free zones issue the right type of license for, the full document checklist for seller registration, and how to fix a rejected application. Keep reading to learn more. 

Disclaimer: Free zone license costs, government fees, and VAT thresholds referenced in this article are subject to change by the respective UAE authorities. Always verify current pricing and requirements directly with the relevant UAE free zone authority and the UAE Federal Tax Authority. This article is for informational purposes and does not constitute legal or tax advice.

The Only Requirement That Determines Noon Acceptance

Forget the myths floating around on social media about certain free zones being blacklisted by Noon. That is not how it works.

Noon’s official ineligibility page lists exactly two reasons your application gets rejected:​

1. Your CR activities are not supported. Your Commercial Registration must include Sales, Trading, Manufacturing, or Distribution/Wholesale.
2. Your VAT certificate is not updated. This applies specifically to international sellers whose companies are not registered in the UAE.

No secret blacklist. No preferred free zones. The CR activity on your trade license is the only gate.

1. What Each Qualifying Activity Means

Here is what to look for on your license before applying:

• Trading or Sales: Buying and selling goods. This is the most common activity for Noon sellers and covers general merchandise, electronics, fashion, beauty products, and more.
• Manufacturing: Producing goods for sale. If you make your own products in the UAE, this activity qualifies you.
• Distribution or Wholesale: Bulk supply of goods to retailers or other businesses. This also qualifies for Noon seller registration.

2. What Does Not Qualify

If your license only includes activities like Consultancy, IT Services, Marketing Services, or Media Production, you will not pass Noon’s eligibility check. These are services-only licenses, and Noon requires a trading or product-based activity on your CR.​

The UAE Ministry of Economy and Tourism officially recognizes several license types for free zone businesses, including Commercial, E-commerce, Industrial, Manufacturing, and Warehouse licenses. 

All of these can satisfy Noon’s CR requirement, as long as the specific package you purchase includes a qualifying trading or sales activity.

The key takeaway here is simple. Do not just look at the free zone brand name. Verify the specific license package you are purchasing includes a qualifying activity. Many free zones offer both trading and consultancy packages, and picking the wrong one means Noon will reject you.

UAE Free Zones That Issue Noon-Accepted Licenses 

Noon does not publish an official list of approved free zones. Any UAE free zone license works, as long as it includes the right CR activity.​

The table below lists free zones from the official UAE MOET registry that issue commercial, trading, or e-commerce licenses with qualifying CR activities:​

All these free zones are listed on the official UAE MOET free zone directory. Dubai CommerCity and EZDubai are also referenced on the official UAE government portal as dedicated e-commerce zones.

When setting up in any of these free zones, always select the trading or e-commerce license package specifically. Many of them also offer consultancy or services packages that will not qualify for Noon.

Two Free Zones Built Specifically for E-commerce Sellers

If selling on Noon is your primary business goal, two free zones deserve extra attention.

Dubai CommerCity is the first free zone in the MENA region dedicated exclusively to digital commerce. Developed as a joint venture between the Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority and Wasl Properties, it spans 2.1 million square feet with an AED 3.2 billion total investment. The infrastructure includes warehousing, last-mile delivery partnerships, and digital commerce solutions built around e-commerce operations.

EZDubai sits within Dubai South’s Logistics District, spanning 920,000 square meters right next to Al Maktoum International Airport and Jebel Ali Port. Companies like Amazon, Noon, and DHL Express already operate from this zone. If fast fulfillment and logistics access are priorities for your business, EZDubai is purpose-built for that.

Document Checklist to Register as a Noon Seller

Once you have the right license, here is exactly what you need to complete your Noon seller registration. This checklist comes directly from Noon’s official Documents Required to Sell on Noon page at support.noon.partners:​

• Valid UAE Trade License with a minimum of 30 days remaining validity. Individual sellers can provide a Freelance Certificate as an alternative.​
• Passport copy of the owner or authorized signatory.
• UAE Residence Visa for non-nationals.
• Emirates ID where applicable.
• VAT Registration Certificate, or select the Non-VAT Registered option if your annual turnover is below the UAE FTA mandatory registration threshold of AED 375,000. International sellers must provide a UAE-issued VAT certificate regardless of turnover.
• Corporate bank account IBAN and bank letter on company letterhead. Personal bank accounts are rejected. The bank account name must match the company name on the trade license.
• Company letterhead with authorized signatory stamp where applicable.
• For health and beauty products specifically, you also need a Distribution Authorization Agreement attested by the UAE government, proof of purchase or invoice, and a Manufacturer Certificate.​

One common rejection trigger is worth highlighting separately. If the company name on your trade license does not match your bank account name exactly, Noon will reject your application. Double-check this before submitting.

A Note on VAT Registration

The UAE Federal Tax Authority mandates VAT registration for businesses whose annual taxable turnover exceeds AED 375,000. Businesses with turnover between AED 187,500 and AED 375,000 can register voluntarily. 

If you are below the mandatory threshold, you can still sell on Noon by selecting the Non-VAT Registered option during your legal entity setup in Seller Lab.

VAT thresholds are set by the UAE Federal Tax Authority and may be updated. Always confirm the current threshold directly on the official website.

Why Noon Rejects Seller Applications and How to Fix It

Even with the right documents, applications sometimes get rejected. Here are the official reasons and the exact steps to fix each one, sourced directly from Noon’s seller help portal.​

1. Unsupported CR Activity

This is the number one rejection reason. Your license does not include Sales, Trading, Manufacturing, or Distribution/Wholesale.​

Fix Option A: Contact your free zone authority and request to add a qualifying activity to your current license. Each free zone has its own amendment procedure, so the timeline and fees vary.

Fix Option B: If amending is not practical, apply for a new legal entity with the correct activity. Then go to Seller Lab, navigate to Legal and Payment, and click Add New to submit the new legal entity. Email seller@noon.com to delink the old entity from your store.​

2. VAT Certificate Not Updated for International Sellers

If your company is registered outside the UAE, you must provide a VAT certificate issued by the local governing authority of the country where you wish to sell.​

Fix: Update your legal entity in Seller Lab with the correct VAT certificate. If you are a UAE-registered company below the mandatory AED 375,000 threshold, this does not apply to you since you can simply use the Non-VAT Registered option.​

3. Other Common Rejection Triggers

Beyond the two official reasons, sellers also get rejected for these practical issues:

• Expired trade license. Your license must have at least 30 days of validity remaining at the time of submission.​
• Personal bank account. Noon requires a corporate bank account. Personal accounts are automatically rejected.
• Name mismatch. The company name on your trade license must exactly match the name on your corporate bank account.
• Restricted product categories. Certain categories like health and beauty, electronics, and food require additional approvals and documentation before you can list products.​

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Does Noon have an official list of accepted UAE free zones?

No. Noon does not publish an approved free zone list. Any UAE free zone or mainland license is accepted as long as the CR activity includes Sales, Trading, Manufacturing, or Distribution/Wholesale.​

2. Can I sell on Noon with a SHAMS or IFZA license?

Yes, if your license package includes a trading or e-commerce activity. Both SHAMS and IFZA are listed on the official MOET free zone registry and issue qualifying license types.​

3. Will a consultancy or services license work for Noon?

No. A services-only or consultancy-only license without a trading or sales activity will be flagged as ineligible during Noon’s CR check.

4. Do I need a VAT number to sell on Noon?

Not necessarily. If your annual turnover is below the UAE FTA mandatory registration threshold of AED 375,000, you can select the Non-VAT Registered option during your legal entity setup on Seller Lab. International sellers, however, must provide a VAT certificate issued by the selling country regardless of turnover.

5. Can I use one UAE free zone license to sell on Noon UAE and Noon KSA?

Yes. Once your UAE legal entity is approved, you can expand to KSA through Noon’s Global Selling program using the same account. You need an active VAT-registered store in the UAE and an eligible warehouse to qualify. The same program also enables expansion to Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, and Kuwait for eligible FBN sellers.​

6. Is a mainland UAE license better than a free zone license for Noon?

Both are accepted by Noon. For sellers exclusively using Noon as an online marketplace, a free zone license is typically sufficient and more cost-effective. Noon handles consumer delivery across the UAE, so the free zone limitation on direct mainland trading does not apply to marketplace sales.​

7. My Noon application was rejected. What do I do?

First, check the rejection reason in your Seller Lab dashboard. If rejected for an unsupported CR activity, you can either amend your existing CR with your free zone authority to add a qualifying activity or apply for a new legal entity with the correct activity. Add the new entity in Seller Lab under Legal and Payment, then email seller@noon.com to delink the old entity.​

Get Your Noon-Ready License Right the First Time

The difference between a smooth Noon seller registration and a rejected application often comes down to one line on your trade license. Your CR activity code. Now that you know exactly what Noon requires, the next step is making sure your free zone license is set up correctly before you apply.

At JSB Incorporation, we help entrepreneurs across 24+ UAE free zone jurisdictions, including DMCC, IFZA, JAFZA, and more, pick the right license package with the correct CR activity from day one. Here is what you get:

• License setup with Noon-ready CR activities. Your trading or e-commerce activity is included from the start, so there are no surprises during Noon’s eligibility check.
• End-to-end support. From trade license to corporate bank account opening to VAT registration, the entire process is handled for you.
• Transparent pricing. No hidden fees, no upsells. You know exactly what you are paying before you commit.
• Fast turnaround. Most setups are completed in weeks, not months.

Ready to sell on Noon with a UAE trade license that actually gets accepted? 

Book your free consultation call today with the experts of JSB Incorporation to learn more.