A Dubai free zone company with no visa costs AED 12,500 at Meydan or AED 12,900 at IFZA. With one residence visa it is AED 23,136 or AED 23,436, including medical, Emirates ID and corporate tax registration. The full package most buyers want is Premium: company, one residence visa and business bank account opening assistance, AED 28,136 at Meydan or AED 28,436 at IFZA. Bank account opening is subject to each bank’s KYC, compliance review and final approval. We prepare the file, pre-check it against the bank’s requirements, and if one bank declines we apply to the next. Mainland and offshore are quoted. Send your business activity and visa count on WhatsApp and you get an itemised written quote.
By First Idea Consultant. Reviewed by Amir Aslam, Founder. Updated September 2026.
Cost of setting up a business in Dubai at a glance
The Meydan free zone and the IFZA free zone are the two zones with fixed First Idea totals, so the UAE free zone company setup cost below is a real figure. What separates the tiers is visas, banking assistance and ongoing support.
Dubai free zone business setup cost by tier, September 2026
| Tier | What it covers | Meydan | IFZA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | Company only, no visa | AED 12,500 | AED 12,900 |
| Standard | Company plus one residence visa | AED 23,136 | AED 23,436 |
| Premium: company + visa + bank account assistance | Company, one residence visa and business bank account opening assistance | AED 28,136 | AED 28,436 |
| Gold | Company and one residence visa, plus digital and premier local business bank account opening assistance, two personal bank account opening assistance and twelve months of corporate services support | AED 48,136 | AED 48,436 |
Meydan and IFZA are separate free zones with separate packages. The two columns are alternatives, not figures to add together.
The Premium section below also itemises Premium with a local bank account.
To compare what each tier includes side by side, see our business setup packages.
Basic: company only, no visa
Basic suits an entrepreneur who needs a Dubai free zone company but not UAE residency.
What is in the licence price
| Description | Price |
|---|---|
| Meydan Free Zone License | AED 12,500 |
| IFZA Free Zone License | AED 12,900 |
| Professional Service Fee | AED 0 (promotion, regular AED 1,000) |
Basic covers the trade licence, Memorandum of Association, flexi-office address, Certificate of Registration, share registry where applicable, and formation assistance. While the AED 0 professional service fee promotion runs, the free zone license cost in Dubai is the whole Basic total for a company with no visa.
Read the professional service fee carefully. The AED 0 is a promotion; the regular fee is AED 1,000. When it ends, the total changes.
What you add when you need a visa
Basic has no residence visa and no banking assistance, and it does not include corporate tax registration. Banking, accounting and tax services cost extra. One residence visa adds the Standard rows below: visa allocation, establishment card, visa, medical and Emirates ID.
Standard: company plus one residence visa, line by line
The Dubai free zone company setup cost rises from Basic to Standard almost entirely because of the visa.
Meydan, one visa: AED 23,136
| Description | Price |
|---|---|
| Trade License | AED 12,500 |
| Visa Allocation | AED 1,850 |
| Establishment Card | AED 2,000 |
| Residence Visa | AED 4,000 |
| Normal Medical | AED 400 |
| Normal Biometrics / Emirates ID | AED 386 |
| Professional Service Fee | AED 2,000 (promotion, regular AED 3,500) |
| Total | AED 23,136 |
IFZA, one visa: AED 23,436
| Description | Price |
|---|---|
| Trade License | AED 12,900 |
| Visa Allocation | AED 2,000 |
| Establishment Card | AED 2,000 |
| Manager / Employee Visa | AED 3,750 |
| Normal Medical | AED 400 |
| Normal Biometrics / Emirates ID | AED 386 |
| Professional Service Fee | AED 2,000 (promotion, regular AED 3,500) |
| Total | AED 23,436 |
Both totals include everything in Basic plus one UAE residence visa, medical, biometrics and Emirates ID processing, Corporate Tax Registration free of charge (regular service value AED 1,000), end-to-end company and visa process guidance, and express WhatsApp and email support during the process. The AED 2,000 professional service fee is also a promotion, against a regular AED 3,500.
Optional government and express services
These optional add-ons are not part of any tier, and they most often move a quoted total.
| Service | Price |
|---|---|
| Inside-country status change | AED 1,600 additional, if applicable |
| VIP Medical | AED 750 instead of normal medical |
| Earlier biometrics appointment assistance | AED 600 additional |
The status change is charged only where it applies, so we check it case by case. Normal biometrics appointment timing is generally 5 to 7 days, subject to appointment availability.
Premium: company, one residence visa and business bank account opening assistance
Premium is the full package most buyers look for: the Standard company and residence visa, plus business bank account opening assistance, one personal bank account opening assistance, a digital company stamp and corporate tax registration. It comes in two versions, depending on the bank.
Premium also includes priority WhatsApp and email support during the process.
Premium with digital business bank account opening assistance
| Component | Meydan | IFZA |
|---|---|---|
| Company with one residence visa (Standard) | AED 23,136 | AED 23,436 |
| Digital or fintech business bank account opening assistance | AED 3,000 | AED 3,000 |
| One personal bank account opening assistance | AED 2,000 | AED 2,000 |
| Premium total, digital business bank account opening assistance | AED 28,136 | AED 28,436 |
Premium with a local bank account
| Component | Meydan | IFZA |
|---|---|---|
| Company with one residence visa (Standard) | AED 23,136 | AED 23,436 |
| Local bank business account opening assistance (physical presence required) | AED 8,000 | AED 8,000 |
| One personal bank account opening assistance | AED 2,000 | AED 2,000 |
| Premium with a local bank account, total | AED 33,136 | AED 33,436 |
Those banking figures are the rates as priced inside these formation packages.
Bank account opening is subject to each bank’s KYC, compliance review and final approval. We prepare the file, pre-check it against the bank’s requirements, and if one bank declines we apply to the next.
Gold: local bank account opening assistance and a year of corporate services
| Description | Meydan | IFZA |
|---|---|---|
| License, visa and government package before Gold service upgrade | AED 21,136 | AED 21,436 |
| Gold Professional Service Fee | AED 5,000 | AED 5,000 |
| Premier local business bank account opening assistance (physical presence and relationship manager) | AED 12,000 | AED 12,000 |
| Digital business bank account opening assistance | AED 3,000 | AED 3,000 |
| Two personal bank account opening assistance (AED 3,500 each) | AED 7,000 | AED 7,000 |
| Total | AED 48,136 | AED 48,436 |
The base figure sits below the Standard total because the AED 5,000 Gold professional service fee replaces the AED 2,000 standard fee rather than adding to it. The Gold fee is stated at AED 5,000 instead of AED 10,000.
Gold adds one year of corporate services support and limited bank compliance support during initial account opening and onboarding: KYC, source of funds and wealth, expected business activity, customer and supplier information, supporting documents. Ongoing compliance support after account opening is a separate annual Banking Compliance Package, quoted after reviewing expected turnover, transaction volume, business activity, countries of operation and the support level required. Relationship Manager availability depends on the selected bank and bank approval.
Bank account opening is subject to each bank’s KYC, compliance review and final approval. We prepare the file, pre-check it against the bank’s requirements, and if one bank declines we apply to the next.
Costs after year one: licence renewal and what recurs
No professional service fee on licence renewals; government and authority fees still apply. Send your business activity and visa count on WhatsApp and you get an itemised written quote.
Who sets each recurring item:
| What recurs | Who sets it | When |
|---|---|---|
| Trade licence renewal | Meydan Free Zone or IFZA | Every year |
| Establishment card | The free zone authority | As the authority sets |
| Flexi-desk or office | The free zone | With the licence |
| Residence visa renewal, medical and Emirates ID | The free zone authority and the immigration authority | When the visa’s validity ends |
| Corporate tax return | Federal Tax Authority (FTA) | Every financial year |
| Audited accounts | The free zone, where it requires them | Yearly |
| Business bank account minimum balance and fees | Your bank | As the bank sets |
The steps and documents for a renewal are on our trade license renewal Dubai page.
What changes the cost: visas, activity, office, zone
Every business setup in Dubai cost comes back to five drivers, and the same drivers set any Dubai company setup cost outside the fixed tiers.
- Visa count. The gap between Basic and Standard is the visa rows. Each extra visa is quoted.
- Which free zone. Each authority sets its own licence fee.
- Workspace. Most free zones have no compulsory physical office and accept flexible desks, but a leased office must sit inside its own zone. Most Dubai free zone authorities cap visas per company, and a higher quota means a larger office or an application the authority decides at its discretion.
- Banking. Digital and local bank account opening assistance are priced differently, and the local bank route requires physical presence.
- Activity and licence type. Professional, commercial and general trading licences suit different activities. Regulated, industrial and warehouse activities need extra premises and approvals, and restricted-list sectors are not open to full foreign ownership.
| Driver | Why it moves the cost | What to send us |
|---|---|---|
| Visa count | Each visa adds allocation, establishment card, visa, medical and Emirates ID rows | How many visas, including partners and staff |
| Business activity | Regulated, industrial and warehouse activities need extra approvals or premises | Your activity in one or two sentences |
| Office type | A leased office costs more than a flexi-desk and affects the visa quota | Flexi-desk, shared office or leased office |
| Free zone | Each free zone authority sets its own licence fee | Any zone you prefer, or none yet |
| Bank preference | Digital and local bank account opening assistance are priced differently | Digital bank, local bank or both |
Other free zones we set up: DMCC, DWTC, SPC and RAKEZ
Meydan and IFZA are the two zones with fixed First Idea totals on this page. The other zones we set up are quoted, because each publishes its own tariff and it changes.
Send your business activity and visa count on WhatsApp and you get an itemised written quote.
| Zone | Emirate | First Idea price | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| DMCC | Dubai | Quoted in writing | DMCC business setup |
| Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) | Dubai | Quoted in writing | On request |
| SPC Free Zone | Sharjah | Quoted in writing | SPC free zone |
| RAKEZ | Ras Al Khaimah | Quoted in writing | On request |
Dubai South, Dubai Silicon Oasis, DAFZA, JAFZA and DIFC are also quoted on request.
To compare the Dubai free zones themselves, see Dubai free zone company setup.
Dubai mainland business setup cost
We do not publish a mainland figure, because there is no single honest one. The cost of setting up a company in Dubai on the mainland turns on three things.
- The activity. Fees and approvals differ by activity, and regulated activities need extra premises and approvals. Most activities allow 100 per cent foreign ownership; restricted-list sectors need an Emirati partner.
- The premises. A mainland business needs a physical workspace that meets Department of Economy and Tourism and municipality planning rules. The lease must be registered with Ejari, and a RERA-attested lease is among the licence documents. Rent is set by the market.
- The visa count. Visas have to be in line with the size of the premises and the activity.
The cost components are the Department of Economy and Tourism trade licence and initial approval, trade name reservation, MOA notarisation, the Ejari tenancy contract, the establishment card, visas and PRO work. Send your business activity and visa count on WhatsApp and you get an itemised written quote.
Read our guide to Dubai mainland company formation cost, or compare mainland vs free zone.
Free Zone Mainland Operating Permit
Working in the mainland market on a free zone licence needs a separate permit with its own authority fee. Dubai’s Free Zone Mainland Operating Permit, issued by Dubai Business Registration and Licensing Corporation under the Department of Economy and Tourism and announced on 8 October 2025, is valid for six months and renewable. It initially covers non-regulated activities such as technology, consultancy, design, professional services and trading. Income from the related mainland activity is subject to 9% corporate tax, and the company must keep separate financial records for it. We add the current permit fee to your written quote as a labelled authority fee.
Offshore company cost: RAK ICC
A RAK ICC company is for holding assets and international activity. It gives no UAE residence visa, cannot trade inside the UAE, and cannot rent a Dubai office or hire UAE employees.
Its cost is made up of RAK ICC registry and incorporation fees, attested documents and the annual renewal, and RAK ICC sets its own fees. Send your business activity and visa count on WhatsApp and you get an itemised written quote.
Read more on offshore business setup in Dubai.
Tax, banking and approval: the honest lines
Tax. 0% personal income tax. Corporate tax is 9% only on profit above AED 375,000, and registration is included in every package from Standard upward. Registration is not exemption: companies established in a UAE free zone are within the scope of UAE corporate tax and must register.
Banking. Bank account opening is subject to each bank’s KYC, compliance review and final approval. We prepare the file, pre-check it against the bank’s requirements, and if one bank declines we apply to the next. For the documents banks usually ask for, read how to open a corporate bank account in Dubai.
Approvals. Visa, licence and immigration approvals are subject to the relevant UAE authorities.
Caveats to read before you budget
- Government fees and requirements may change without prior notice, and every total on this page moves with them.
- The AED 0 fee on Basic and the AED 2,000 fee on Standard are promotions, not permanent prices. The regular fees are AED 1,000 and AED 3,500.
- Visa, licence and immigration approvals are subject to the relevant UAE authorities.
- Bank account opening is subject to each bank’s KYC, compliance review and final approval. We prepare the file, pre-check it against the bank’s requirements, and if one bank declines we apply to the next.
- Corporate Tax Registration is included from Standard upward, but registration is not exemption: juridical persons established in a UAE free zone are within the scope of UAE Corporate Tax and must register.
- Accounting and bookkeeping, VAT registration and returns, Corporate Tax compliance and filing, audit assistance and PRO services are quoted separately.
- All prices are in AED, and your company setup cost in Dubai is confirmed in a written, itemised quote before payment.
- Confirm current promotional pricing with us before you budget on it.
Who prices your setup
First Idea Consultant LLC, in business since 2015. Park Regis, ParkLane Tower, Office 812, Business Bay, Dubai. Call or WhatsApp +971 56 500 6694.
Reviewed by Amir Aslam, Founder.
Send the activity, the visa count and whether you need bank account opening assistance. Your business setup cost in Dubai comes back as an itemised written quote, with every Dubai company formation cost row named before you pay.
FAQ
How much does it cost to set up a business in Dubai?
With no visa, a Dubai free zone company costs AED 12,500 at Meydan or AED 12,900 at IFZA. With one residence visa it is AED 23,136 or AED 23,436. Premium, which is company, one residence visa and business bank account opening assistance, is AED 28,136 at Meydan or AED 28,436 at IFZA, or AED 33,136 or AED 33,436 with a local bank account. More visas, a regulated activity, a leased office or a different zone push the cost higher.
What is the cheapest free zone in Dubai?
Meydan Basic, at AED 12,500, is the lowest total First Idea sells, and IFZA Basic is AED 12,900. A licence-only figure leaves out the establishment card and the visa, so compare totals with one visa: AED 23,136 at Meydan or AED 23,436 at IFZA. Our guide to the cheapest free zone license in UAE compares the options in more detail.
How much does a trade licence cost in a Dubai free zone, and what comes on top?
The Dubai free zone license cost is the first row of the Basic and Standard tables: AED 12,500 at Meydan and AED 12,900 at IFZA, which is also the Basic total while the AED 0 professional service fee promotion runs. A residence visa, banking assistance and yearly recurring costs come on top, as the Standard rows and the recurring-costs table show, and your written quote itemises them before payment. Other zones are quoted. Send your business activity and visa count on WhatsApp and you get an itemised written quote.
How much does a Dubai mainland company formation cost?
There is no single honest figure, because the cost turns on the activity, the premises (an Ejari-registered lease) and the visa count. The components are the trade licence and initial approval, trade name reservation, MOA notarisation, the Ejari tenancy contract, the establishment card, visas and PRO work. Send your business activity and visa count on WhatsApp and you get an itemised written quote. Our guide to Dubai mainland company formation cost explains each component.
How much does it cost to renew a Dubai free zone licence?
No professional service fee on licence renewals; government and authority fees still apply. Send your business activity and visa count on WhatsApp and you get an itemised written quote. The recurring authority items are the licence itself, the establishment card and the flexi-desk or office, each set by the free zone. Our trade license renewal Dubai page walks through the steps.
Which option includes company, visa and bank account?
Basic includes neither a visa nor banking assistance, and Standard adds one residence visa with no banking assistance. Premium is company, one residence visa and business bank account opening assistance, AED 28,136 at Meydan or AED 28,436 at IFZA, and Gold adds premier local bank account opening assistance and twelve months of corporate services support. Bank account opening is subject to each bank’s KYC, compliance review and final approval. We prepare the file, pre-check it against the bank’s requirements, and if one bank declines we apply to the next.
Will the bank approve my business account?
Bank account opening is subject to each bank’s KYC, compliance review and final approval. We prepare the file, pre-check it against the bank’s requirements, and if one bank declines we apply to the next. Gold includes limited bank compliance support during initial account opening and onboarding.
Are these prices fixed?
The totals on this page are First Idea’s current package prices. Government and authority components can change without notice, and the Basic and Standard professional service fees are promotions. The written, itemised quote you confirm before payment is what you pay.
Send your business activity and visa count on WhatsApp and you get an itemised written quote.
