UAE Freezone list
We’ve set up companies in free zones across the Emirates: commodities, finance, media, tech, logistics and fully-digital licences for solo founders. Pick a zone below to see costs, activities, visas and the exact setup process, or filter by emirate.
3,200+
clients supported
5.0
200+ verified Google reviews
100% free
Book your free 30-minute call
Free 30-min consultation · Pick a slot in Dubai time
What a UAE free zone actually is
A free zone is a special economic jurisdiction with its own regulator that lets a foreign founder own 100 % of their company, repatriate profits without restriction, and, on qualifying income, pay 0 % corporate tax. The UAE has around 40 of them; this directory covers the ones we set up companies in regularly and have published a full guide for.
100% foreign ownership, no local sponsor
0% corporate tax on qualifying income (QFZP), 9% otherwise
Full repatriation of profits and capital
Licence, visa and bank account in a matter of weeks
Why founders choose a free zone
Free zones were built to take friction out of a foreign founder’s life: lighter admin, predictable tax, and a legal framework designed for international business. The upside lands on two sides: your company, and your day-to-day life in the UAE.
For your business
100% foreign ownership: no local partner or Emirati sponsor required.
0% corporate tax on qualifying income under QFZP status; 9% on non-qualifying income, with no AED 375k shield.
Full repatriation of profits and capital: no exchange control, no withholding on dividends.
Fast formation: licence and Establishment Card in 5–15 days, resident visa 1–3 weeks more.
A visa quota tied to your licence: from 1 with a flexi-desk up to dozens with dedicated office space.
An instant sector cluster: finance (DIFC, ADGM), media (DMC), tech (DIC), logistics (JAFZA, DAFZA), health (DHCC).
For your life in the UAE
Investor residence visa: 2 years renewable, or a 10-year Golden Visa on criteria.
Family visas for spouse and children, sponsored straight after your own.
No personal income tax: salary, dividends and capital gains are exempt.
Tax-residency certificate once you meet the 183-day / centre-of-interests test.
Among the safest countries in the world, consistently top-5 on the Global Peace Index.
World-class healthcare and international schools accessible from day one.
All UAE free zones
Every zone we work with, in one list. Pick an emirate, then narrow by industry, or browse them all. Open any zone for its full cost breakdown, licence families and timeline.
No zones match that combination. Tell us your activity and we’ll point you to the right one.
Dubai Design District
the creative cluster for design, fashion & architecture houses
Not sure which free zone fits?
Tell us your activity, where your customers are and how many visas you need. We’ll shortlist the two or three zones that actually fit your model, and quote the all-in cost, with no hidden charges.
A free zone company, in brief
The legal, tax and banking parameters of a UAE free-zone company: what is common to every zone, and what depends on the jurisdiction you pick.
- Legal form
- FZE (single shareholder), FZ-LLC / FZ-CO (two or more), or a branch of a foreign company.
- Permitted activities
- Consultancy, trading, holding and 2,000+ sector codes. Each zone publishes its own catalogue. Regulated activities (finance, health, education, crypto) need a separate approval.
- Share capital
- Nominal in most zones (AED 1,000–50,000 declared). DMCC: AED 50,000 per shareholder. DIFC: from USD 50,000 by regulated activity.
- Paid-up capital
- Not required in most zones (declared, not deposited). Mandatory for regulated activities (finance, insurance, funds).
- Manager / Director
- At least one individual manager named on the licence, though a shareholder may be a company, the listed director must be a person.
- Shareholder(s)
- Individual (18+) or corporate, resident or not. 100% foreign ownership.
- Local Emirati sponsor
- Not required
- Bank account
- Mandatory to operate, the longest step (4–10 weeks), decided by zone and activity profile.
- Accounting
- Mandatory: 7-year retention, IFRS since Corporate Tax came into force.
- Annual audit
- Required for DMCC, DIFC, ADGM and JAFZA, and for any zone once you claim QFZP status.
- Corporate tax
- 0% on qualifying income (QFZP); 9% above AED 375,000 of non-qualifying income.
- VAT
- 5%. Registration mandatory from AED 375,000 taxable turnover, optional from AED 187,500.
- Registration time
- 5–10 working days in express zones (IFZA, Meydan, SHAMS); 3–6 weeks for DMCC, DIFC or ADGM.
What to anticipate before you commit
No jurisdiction is perfect. These are the real constraints to plan for, so there are no bad surprises after incorporation, and you choose with your eyes open.
Restricted direct onshore sales: to invoice a mainland client (B2C or onshore B2B) directly you need an approved distributor, a mainland branch or dual licensing; otherwise the revenue becomes non-qualifying.
A physical office is required in nearly every zone: a flexi-desk (~AED 5–15k/year) at minimum, a dedicated office for DIFC, ADGM, DMCC or to unlock more visas.
Annual renewal is mandatory (licence, lease and visas), with a financial audit required by DMCC, DIFC, ADGM and, increasingly, the rest since Corporate Tax.
QFZP status is conditional: to keep the 0% rate you must run a qualifying activity, hold adequate economic substance (premises, staff, spend) and stay under the de-minimis ratio on non-qualifying income.
Banking friction varies: some zones (notably outside mainstream Dubai) are viewed cautiously by Emirates NBD, Mashreq or ADCB; your zone choice directly affects your account-opening odds.
9% corporate tax applies to non-qualifying income and to companies that lose QFZP status, above AED 375,000 of taxable profit, as on the mainland (in force since 1 June 2023).
Why the right zone deserves a real conversation
The right call depends on your activity, your profile and your banking plan, not a generic ranking. These are the three variables we work through together.
Your real activity
Every free zone keeps its own list of activity codes: same trade, same job, very different permissions from one zone to the next. We test your activity against the official catalogues so you only shortlist zones where you can legally operate.
Your team and your visas
A solo founder, a couple relocating, or a team of five don’t face the same visa-quota, office or renewal constraints. We size the zone and the package to your situation, not the other way around.
Your bank account
UAE banks don’t welcome every free zone with the same enthusiasm. The right choice maximises your odds of an IBAN without friction, something we handle up front, not after incorporation.
How free-zone setup works
From choosing the jurisdiction to opening the bank account, the full run-through. Allow 2–4 weeks for express zones, up to 8 for DIFC or ADGM.
1
2
3
4
5
6
Day 1 → 3
Choose the zone & activity
We validate the activity · budget · jurisdiction triptych together. The permitted-activity list differs from one zone to the next. Before signing, your business code has to be in the target zone’s catalogue.
Day 3 → 7
Prepare the KYC file
While you gather documents, we reserve the trade name in parallel. The KYC file is the same across zones in 90% of cases, so you can move without surprises.
Day 7 → 14
File the licence & reserve the name
We file the licence with the chosen authority, with the MOA and shareholder resolutions. Most zones issue initial approval within 48–72 hours.
Day 14 → 25
Establishment Card & investor visa
With the licence in hand we move to the Establishment Card, then your resident visa: medical, Emirates ID biometrics, visa stamping. Family visas can follow.
Day 25 → 45
Open the corporate bank account
The most demanding step: UAE banks apply strict KYC and decide case by case on your profile, activity and zone. We pre-position your file with 2–3 banks in parallel.
Day 45 → on
Launch & ongoing compliance
Licence live, account open. You invoice. We keep you compliant: accounting, VAT registration where applicable, annual renewal and audit.
Frequently asked questions
A free zone company is 100% foreign-owned and can access the 0% corporate-tax rate on qualifying income (QFZP status). In return, its revenue is meant to flow internationally, intra-zone, or through a mainland distributor, not direct B2C onshore sales. A mainland (DED) company can trade freely on the local UAE market and bid for government tenders; since 2021, 100% foreign ownership is also open for most commercial activities. For the majority of founders (consulting, export e-commerce, holding), a free zone is the default choice. The mainland wins the moment your customers are primarily inside the UAE or you need public contracts.
Yes. Every free-zone licence carries the right to a renewable investor visa (or a 10-year Golden Visa on criteria), plus a quota of employee visas attached to the licence. The quota depends on the zone and your office footprint: 1–3 visas with a flexi-desk in zones like IFZA, Meydan or SHAMS, up to 6+ with a dedicated office in DMCC or DIFC. Beyond that you lease more space.
There is no single “best” free zone. It depends on your activity, how many visas you need, your banking plan, and whether common-law or federal-law jurisdiction serves your strategy. Two founders in the same line of work can end up in different zones. That is exactly why we offer a free 30-minute pre-diagnosis: we work through your case, rule out the zones that don’t fit, and show you the ones that do, with realistic numbers and a timeline.
Yes, but it means closing the existing company (or transferring it, where the origin zone allows) and re-incorporating in the new zone. The cost, timeline and visa impact are not trivial, which is the whole point of choosing the right zone from the start, and the reason this directory and our advisory exist.
Express zones (IFZA, Meydan, SHAMS) issue a licence and Establishment Card in roughly 5–15 days; DIFC, ADGM and other regulated zones run 3–6 weeks. The residence visa adds 1–3 weeks, and the corporate bank account (the longest step) typically 4–10 weeks depending on the bank and your profile.
Still weighing several zones?
Thirty minutes with an advisor to compare licence, office, visa quota, banking perception and total 3-year cost. You leave with a reasoned shortlist.
