Directory
UAE free zones: the full picture, zone by zone
The short answer
There are dozens of free zones across the seven emirates, each with its own permitted-activity list, workspace formats, visa allocation model, and renewal obligations. The zone should be chosen after the activity, the customer geography, and the visa requirement are known — never before. Fees, allocations, and processing times are quoted by the authority and change, so we verify them at the point of application rather than publishing a price list.
Most comparison tables online rank zones by headline package price. That is the least useful way to choose, because a cheap package that excludes your activity, caps your visas, or complicates banking costs far more over three years than the difference in the licence fee.
This directory sets out what each major zone is genuinely known for, which activities tend to fit, and where the compliance load sits. Use it to build a shortlist, then let an adviser confirm the activity against the authority's live list.
At a glance
- Indicative cost
- Priced within your setup plan — every component itemised.
- What's included
- Activity mapping against the permitted lists of candidate zones.
- A shortlist of two or three zones with the trade-offs written down.
- Confirmation of current fees and visa allocations direct from the authority.
This is for you if
- You want to understand the landscape before speaking to a single zone's sales team.
- Your activity is unusual and you need to know which authorities can licence it.
- You are weighing a Dubai address against a lower-cost northern-emirate base.
- You want the compliance and renewal load compared, not just the entry price.
This may not be the right route if
- You want a published price list — fees are quoted by the authority, not by us.
- You have already signed with a zone and only need documents processed.
- Your business depends on selling directly into the mainland market.
- You need a regulated financial-services licence and have not yet spoken to a regulator.
At a glance
- Indicative cost
- Priced within your setup plan — every component itemised.
- What's included
- Activity mapping against the permitted lists of candidate zones.
- A shortlist of two or three zones with the trade-offs written down.
- Confirmation of current fees and visa allocations direct from the authority.
What this service includes
- Activity mapping against the permitted lists of candidate zones.
- A shortlist of two or three zones with the trade-offs written down.
- Confirmation of current fees and visa allocations direct from the authority.
- Workspace and premises options matched to your headcount plan.
- Submission, follow-up, and establishment-card coordination.
- A renewal and compliance calendar for the chosen zone.
What it does not include
- A published price list or a guaranteed package cost.
- Any promise of visa numbers, approval, or processing time.
- Regulatory authorisation for financial-services activity.
- Tax opinions on free-zone treatment.
Process
How the work is sequenced
Each stage has its own dependencies — activity approvals, document legalisation, authority processing, and bank review — and we report progress against them rather than against one overall date.
- 01
Activity definition
What you actually do, described in the language the authority uses.
- 02
Candidate zones
Zones whose permitted lists cover the activity are identified.
- 03
Shortlist
Two or three zones compared on visas, workspace, compliance, and banking view.
Prefer to start in writing? Send the details through the contact form.
Start with a structure assessment
In an initial consultation you receive a plain-language decision summary, a document-preparation list, and the next actions for your situation. Current figures are confirmed within your adviser-reviewed route comparison.
By emirate
The zones worth knowing about
Grouped by emirate, with what each authority is genuinely built for. Zones marked with a profile have a dedicated page; the rest are covered in the shortlist conversation.
Dubai
Abu Dhabi
Sharjah
Decision factors
What actually decides your route
An adviser works through these factors with you before any structure is recommended. Each one can change the licence, the emirate or free zone, the visa allocation, and the banking conversation.
How zones differ from one another in practice.
Activity list
- Range across zones
- Narrow specialist lists to very broad general lists
- What it means for you
- An unlisted activity cannot simply be added later
Workspace
- Range across zones
- Desk-only packages through to warehouses and land
- What it means for you
- Workspace drives visa allocation and substance
Visa allocation
- Range across zones
- Set per package and premises by each authority
- What it means for you
- Headcount plans must be checked before you commit
Regulator
- Range across zones
- Zone authority only, or a separate financial regulator
- What it means for you
- DIFC and ADGM add an authorisation process
Audit
- Range across zones
- Some zones require audited accounts at renewal
- What it means for you
- Affects ongoing accounting cost
Customs
- Range across zones
- Port- and airport-linked zones vs office-only zones
- What it means for you
- Matters if you move physical goods
| Dimension | Range across zones | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Activity list | Narrow specialist lists to very broad general lists | An unlisted activity cannot simply be added later |
| Workspace | Desk-only packages through to warehouses and land | Workspace drives visa allocation and substance |
| Visa allocation | Set per package and premises by each authority | Headcount plans must be checked before you commit |
| Regulator | Zone authority only, or a separate financial regulator | DIFC and ADGM add an authorisation process |
| Audit | Some zones require audited accounts at renewal | Affects ongoing accounting cost |
| Customs | Port- and airport-linked zones vs office-only zones | Matters if you move physical goods |
Possible directions
Structure categories an adviser will assess
Zones are grouped here by what they are built for. A zone can appear in more than one group, and the right shortlist usually contains two or three zones from different groups.
Broad general-purpose zones
Wide activity lists suited to consultants, service firms, and small traders. IFZA, Meydan, RAKEZ, SPC, Ajman.
Trade and logistics zones
Port- or airport-linked, built for physical goods. JAFZA, DAFZA, Dubai South, SAIF Zone, KEZAD, Hamriyah.
Financial centres
Common-law jurisdictions with their own regulators and courts. DIFC and ADGM.
Media and creative zones
Content, production, and agency activity. Shams, twofour54, Dubai Media City, Fujairah Creative City.
Technology and specialist clusters
Sector-focused districts. Dubai Internet City, Dubai Silicon Oasis, Masdar City, Dubai Healthcare City.
E-commerce-oriented zones
Built around online retail and fulfilment. Dubai CommerCity, Meydan, and several general zones with e-commerce activities.
Every route is planned against how the business will actually operate in the UAE.
Next decision
Related reading
Questions
Frequently asked
- How many free zones are there in the UAE?
- Dozens, spread across all seven emirates, including specialist financial, media, healthcare, and industrial zones. This directory covers the ones most commonly relevant to incoming businesses.
- Which free zone is the cheapest?
- We do not answer that question with a number, because packages change and the cheapest licence is frequently not the cheapest three-year outcome. We compare total cost including visas, workspace, renewals, and audit.
- Can I change free zone later?
- Moving usually means a new registration in the new zone and a proper closure in the old one, not a transfer. Getting the activity and headcount right at the start avoids that cost.
- Does the free zone affect my bank application?
- Banks assess the business, the ownership, the activity, and expected flows. Some zone-and-activity combinations attract more questions than others, which is why we plan the banking conversation before the licence is issued.
- Do all free zones allow the same activities?
- No. Each authority publishes its own permitted-activity list, and an activity that is routine in one zone may be unavailable in another.
Sources
- UAE Government portal — free zones in the UAEArabic original
- Federal Tax Authority — corporate taxArabic original
- ICP — residency and entry permitsArabic original
Regulations, fees, and eligibility can change. Every regulatory statement is re-checked before publication and dated above.
Legal notes and scope
Velarozone provides setup and operational-readiness coordination. This page is general information, not legal, tax, immigration, or banking advice.
This page is general information about UAE business setup, not legal, tax, immigration, or banking advice. Rules, fees, permitted activities, and bank policies can change. Final eligibility depends on your facts and the applicable rules at the time of application.
UAE corporate tax, VAT, and free-zone treatment depend on your specific facts. Home-country obligations may also apply. We coordinate with your tax adviser and do not provide a tax opinion.