Dubai Free Zone Company Setup Cost: What to Budget For

This is the core annual fee charged by the free zone authority, sometimes split into registration (one-off) and licence (annual). It varies with the number of activities and the licence category.

Licence prices quoted publicly are indicative starting points. Your final cost depends on activity, visa allocation, facility type and current authority fees.

Visa quota is often priced separately. Each residence visa carries its own costs: entry permit, medical test, Emirates ID, stamping and sometimes a refundable deposit. Costs differ for inside-country and outside-country applications.

An establishment (immigration) card is required before you can apply for visas under the company. It is an annual cost and is easy to overlook in a first budget.

Cheap packages include a flexi-desk or virtual address. If you need a private office, warehouse or higher visa count, facility cost rises significantly and can exceed the licence fee.

Regulated activities may require third-party approvals. Corporate shareholders or non-English documents may need notarisation, legalisation or legal translation.

Recurring costs are as important as setup costs when comparing zones.

Ask each provider to quote the same scenario: same activities, same visa count, same facility, first year and second year separately, with government fees listed apart from service fees. Differences usually appear immediately.