UAE Free Zone Company Formation

We assist our clients in selecting the Free Zone that aligns best with their core business objectives, investment capacity, and growth strategies.

Minimized taxation

Enjoy 0% personal income tax and only 5% VAT.

100% foreign ownership

Foreign investors are permitted full ownership of their businesses.

Enjoy 100% repatriation of capital in Free Zones.

Free Trade Zones allow 100% repatriation of capital and profits.

Want to find out the cost of forming your Free Zone company instantly?

Best UAE Free Zones

We exclusively recommend the most reputable and top-performing Free Zones in the UAE.

With over 45 Free Zones in the UAE each offering different setup costs, business activities, facility options, and share capital requirements choosing the right one can be complex.

That’s where we come in. At Investbizcsp, our experts help you save time and money by recommending the ideal Free Zone based on your business goals, visa and office needs, and investment budget.

We carefully evaluate every factor to ensure you register your company in the most suitable location to support and accelerate your business growth.

UAE Free Zone explained

UAE Free Zones rank among the most popular and sought-after free economic zones globally.

UAE Free Zones are among the world’s most popular free economic zones, offering a highly attractive environment for global investors.

These Free Trade Zones (FTZs) are specially designated areas where UAE mainland taxes, employment regulations, import-export rules, and bureaucracy are significantly reduced—making them a top choice for foreign businesses.

Today, over 56% of Fortune 500 companies have a presence in one of the UAE’s 45+ Free Zones, with more than 200,000 companies registered in total.

56%

Of Fortune 500 companies registered

45

Free Economic Zones operating in the UAE

200K +

Companies registered in the UAE Free Zones

Advantages of UAE Free Zones

Experience ideal conditions to launch, operate, and grow your business in UAE Free Zones.

Have you ever considered the advantages of setting up your company in one of the UAE’s Free Zones? The benefits might surprise you.

100% foreign ownership

Minimised taxes

UAE Residence Visa

Zero trade barriers and no import quotas.

Full repatriation of capital and profits allowed.

Streamlined import and export regulations.

Zero personal income taxation.

Extensive infrastructure and facilities

No limits on hiring expatriate employees.

Estimate your startup costs for launching a business in a UAE Free Zone.

Kickstart your business the right way by accounting for all key setup costs in the top UAE Free Zones!

Free Zone company formation

How to register a UAE Free Zone company

Have you ever considered the advantages of setting up your company in one of the UAE’s Free Zones? The benefits might surprise you.

To start a business in any UAE Free Zone, you’ll need to complete three key steps:

Obtain a business license
Secure a UAE Residence Visa
Open a corporate bank account

With proper planning, the entire setup process typically takes between 1 to 4 weeks.

All companies operating in UAE Free Zones must hold a valid business license (also called a trade license). This license is issued for one year and must be renewed annually.

Additionally, some Free Zones require a minimum paid-up share capital at the time of company formation. The required amount varies depending on the specific Free Zone’s regulations.

Step 1

Choose your license type and define your business activity.

Each Free Zone has its own regulations regarding how many business activities can be included under a single license. However, a common rule across all zones is that commercial and service activities cannot be combined on the same license.

Trading-related activities must be registered under a Trading or Commercial License, while services or consultancy work must be covered by a Service License. If your business involves manufacturing or production, an Industrial License will be required.

Step 2

Choose a Free Zone

Each UAE Free Zone has its own list of permitted business activities, along with varying facility options and visa quotas. Because these factors differ from one Free Zone to another, it’s strongly advised to seek professional guidance at this stage to ensure you select the most suitable Free Zone for your business needs.

Step 3

Choose the appropriate corporate structure for your business setup.

The corporate structure can be one of the following: a New Company with individual shareholder(s), a Subsidiary Company (with a corporate shareholder(s)), a Joint Venture Company (a mix of the individual and corporate shareholders), Branch of a Local or a Foreign Company. Some business activities are allowed only for Branch Companies; therefore, you should check it with a Free Zone of your choice.

Step 4

Select trade name & prepare documents

List company name options (3 proposed names are required) in order of preference and prepare the list of documents required by the chosen Free Zone. For new company formation, the standard list of documents includes passport, visa, EID (if applicable), NOC for UAE Residents (for specific Free Zones), proof of residential address, professional CV. The list of documents required for Branch companies’ registration is relatively different.

Step 5

Apply for initial approval

Initial approval generally covers the company name, selected business activities, and the proposed corporate structure.

Step 6

Sign the legal documents required to officially incorporate your company.

After receiving initial approval, a face-to-face meeting or video call with a Free Zone representative is typically scheduled. In some cases, this step can be bypassed by granting Power of Attorney to your representative and submitting notarized documents.

During the meeting, the shareholders or Ultimate Beneficial Owners (UBOs) will undergo passport verification and sign key documents such as the Articles of Association (AOA), Board Resolution, and Specimen Signature Form.

Step 7

Establish business location

To move to the final stage of licensing, you should find a commercial property for your company located within the chosen Free Zone. Once you found a suitable option, you must sign a Tenancy Contract (for a minimum of 1 year), and obtain the Ejari Certificate. Both to be provided to the Free Zone, based on what your license will be issued with the address from your Tenancy Contract. Depending on the type of facility (flexi-desk, business center office, physical office, warehouse, retail space), there might be some additional documents required, like for example AOFC Certificate from Concordia, or Third-Party Liability Insurance.

Step 8

Collect business license

After the registration documents are signed, all necessary approvals are secured, and payments are completed, the business license will be issued along with the company’s official corporate documents.

By this stage, key steps have been completed including obtaining initial approval, signing incorporation documents, securing any necessary third-party approvals, and finalizing the Lease or Tenancy Contract.

At the final stage, your business license will be issued along with the standard set of corporate documents (which may vary slightly depending on the Free Zone). These typically include:

Trade License
Certificate of Incorporation
Share Certificate(s)
Articles of Association (AOA)
Lease/Tenancy Contract

How can we help?

Backed by over 16 years of expertise, we support you through every step of establishing your company in the Dubai South Free Zone

Understanding how valuable our clients’ time is, we ensure a hassle-free UAE Residence Visa process by offering hotel pick-up, transportation to government authorities, and drop-off back at their hotels eliminating the stress of managing medical tests and document submissions on their own.

The benefits of working with us that you can’t miss:

Our experienced and dependable team brings in-depth knowledge of local laws and regulations, along with strong relationships with UAE authorities, top free zones, and both local and international banks. We’ll guide you through every step of setting up your company in the DWTC, delivering highly personalized support to help you succeed in the UAE.

We're here to support your success in the UAE.

Reach out to our experts to start a successful business in the UAE.