For a services, trading, e-commerce or consultancy business, the usual Ras Al Khaimah route is RAKEZ, the Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone. RAKEZ publishes its own packages: Biz Starter at AED 6,000 and an all-inclusive package with one UAE residence visa at AED 14,000 per year (RAKEZ published package, rakez.com, checked 21 September 2026). A shop, restaurant, clinic or contractor serving local customers needs a RAK mainland licence from the RAK Department of Economic Development, priced per activity. First Idea Consultant LLC prepares both from Park Regis, ParkLane Tower, Office 812, Business Bay, Dubai, and Amir Aslam, Founder, reviews each. Send your business activity and visa count on WhatsApp and you get an itemised written quote.
Send my activity to Amir on WhatsApp
Company, visa and bank account: ask Amir on WhatsApp
By First Idea Consultant. Reviewed by Amir Aslam, Founder. Updated September 2026.
RAKEZ or RAK mainland: which route fits your business
Ras Al Khaimah company formation runs on three registers. The table compares them so you can rule two out.
| Route | Issuing authority | Who it suits | Trade inside the UAE | Residence visas | Facility or office | Next step |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RAKEZ | Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone (RAKEZ) | Services, consultancy, trading, e-commerce, media, education, light industry | Inside the zone and internationally; mainland reach through a distributor, a branch or a Dual License | Yes, the number follows the facility | A RAKEZ facility, from the coworking membership upward | See the RAKEZ section |
| RAK mainland | RAK Department of Economic Development (RAK DED) | Retail, food and beverage, contracting, clinics, local services | Yes, across the UAE | Yes, the number follows the office | An original rent contract certified by the Municipality (rak.ae) | See the RAK mainland section |
| RAK ICC offshore | RAK International Corporate Centre | Holding shares, property and intellectual property; business outside the UAE | No | No residence visa | No UAE office | See the RAK ICC section |
Most buyers who type the emirate’s name want RAKEZ. It licenses free zone and non-free zone entities and branches, and the older separate RAK free zone authorities now sit under it. UAE customers stay reachable through a distributor, a branch, or a RAKEZ Dual License, which RAKEZ describes as combining commercial and professional activities under one licence so a company can operate on the mainland as well as in free zones (rakez.com, checked 21 September 2026). If a Dubai address matters more, compare the Dubai free zone license options first.
RAK mainland is the second route, and the right one for a shop, restaurant, clinic or contracting yard serving customers in the emirate. RAK DED prices it per activity, which is why no honest page prints a single mainland figure.
What business setup in Ras Al Khaimah costs
Ras Al Khaimah trade license cost depends on the route: RAKEZ publishes package prices, while a RAK mainland licence is priced per activity by the RAK Department of Economic Development. Table A is the rak free zone license cost as RAKEZ publishes it today, paid to RAKEZ.
| RAKEZ package | RAKEZ published price | What RAKEZ lists |
|---|---|---|
| Biz Starter Package | AED 6,000 | Up to 10 business activities (mix and match), up to 50 shareholders, coworking centre membership, business networking events; RAKEZ states T&Cs apply and lists no residence visa here |
| All-inclusive business set-up package | AED 14,000 per year | Trade licence through to a UAE residence visa, 10 activities mixed and matched, up to 50 shareholders, up to 3 additional visas at AED 4,000 each, 20% off dependent visas, Compass Coworking Centre access, fully digital registration and renewal |
That ras al khaimah free zone license cost covers the licence and what RAKEZ lists with it; Table B is everything else on a real invoice.
| Cost component | RAKEZ | RAK mainland |
|---|---|---|
| Licence or package fee | RAKEZ published package (Table A) | Per RAK DED tariff by activity |
| Coworking, flexi facility or office | RAKEZ published package (Table A) | Itemised in your written quote |
| Establishment card and immigration file | Itemised in your written quote | Itemised in your written quote |
| Residence visa per person: entry permit, status change, medical, Emirates ID | RAKEZ published package (Table A) for the included and additional visas; otherwise itemised in your written quote | Itemised in your written quote |
| Trade name and initial approval | Itemised in your written quote | Per RAK DED tariff by activity |
| Rent contract | Not applicable | Itemised in your written quote |
| RAK Chamber of Commerce membership | Itemised in your written quote | Itemised in your written quote |
| MOA notarisation for an LLC | Itemised in your written quote | Itemised in your written quote |
| First Idea professional fee | Itemised in your written quote | Itemised in your written quote |
Send your business activity and visa count on WhatsApp and you get an itemised written quote.
Compare emirates on our cost of setting up a business in Dubai page and our cheapest free zone license in UAE page.
Company, visa and bank account in Ras Al Khaimah
The package most buyers ask for is a company, a residence visa and help opening a business bank account, bought together. For RAKEZ or RAK mainland that has no fixed First Idea price: send your business activity and visa count on WhatsApp and you get an itemised written quote.
The bundle First Idea prices in writing is in Dubai: Premium, which is company, one residence visa and business bank account opening assistance, at AED 28,136 in Meydan Free Zone or AED 28,436 in IFZA.
Our cost of setting up a business in Dubai page also prices Premium with local bank account opening assistance, where the bank requires your presence: AED 33,136 in Meydan Free Zone or AED 33,436 in 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.
See Meydan free zone, IFZA free zone, bank account opening assistance and Dubai company setup packages.
RAK free zone company formation with RAKEZ
RAK free zone company formation today means RAKEZ. RAKEZ is the Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone, the emirate’s licensing authority for free zone and non-free zone companies, and the separate RAK free zone authorities older articles still name were brought under it. One authority issues the rakez free zone licence, holds the immigration file and handles the renewal. Ras al khaimah free zone prices are in Table A above.
RAKEZ licence types
| Licence type | What RAKEZ says it covers |
|---|---|
| Commercial | Trading in services and goods |
| General Trading | Trading in multiple goods |
| E-Commerce | Trading in goods and services via electronic means |
| Services | Conducting services or consultancies across any industry |
| Professional | For individuals who provide professional services |
| Individual / Professional | One owner with one activity in a specific specialty or expertise |
| Industrial | Manufacturing, importing, packaging and exporting products |
| Media | Operating media-related business activities |
| Educational | Opening an education-related institution or consultancy company |
| Business Invest | Listed in the RAKEZ activity list filter |
| Freelance Permit | For media, education, IT and analysts professionals |
One rak trade license can carry several activities, but only from the groups RAKEZ allows together, so the activity check comes before the trade name. Regulated activities can need another authority’s approval before the licence is issued.
RAKEZ activity list
RAKEZ publishes a searchable licence activity list, and it is the only list that counts when your application is assessed. Work through it in order:
- Zone first. Freezone or Non-Freezone; the same activity can sit in both and the rest of the licence follows.
- Then licence type. Commercial, Services, Professional, Industrial, Media, E-Commerce, General Trading, Educational, Individual / Professional, Business Invest or Freelance Permit.
- Then activity group. This narrows a few thousand entries to your family of business.
- Then keyword. Search the words your customers use, not the words on your website.
Each row in the rakez business activity list shows the activity code, name, licence type, group and description, and that activity name is what has to appear on your application. The list page states no maximum; RAKEZ’s packages in Table A allow up to ten activities, mixed and matched.
Send your activity on WhatsApp and we check it against RAKEZ’s list before the name reservation.
How RAKEZ company formation works
RAKEZ publishes three steps on its getting started page (checked 21 September 2026):
- Customise your business setup package. You select the legal entity, licence type and facility with RAKEZ’s business development professionals. The entities RAKEZ names are Free Zone Entity, Non-Free Zone Entity and Branches.
- Submit application and documents. RAKEZ guides the application through submission, checks the requirements, then invoices.
- Receive your business setup licence. RAKEZ issues the licence with the registration set and a bank letter on completion of the formality, and the visa process starts after that.
Before step 1 we check your activity against the RAKEZ list, prepare three trade name options that survive the name rules, and check every shareholder and manager document. After step 3 come the establishment card and immigration file, then the visa steps below.
RAKEZ freelancer permit and freelance visa
RAKEZ’s freelancer permit is aimed at media and education professionals, and its licence types page adds IT and analysts professionals. Per RAKEZ, the freelancer works in his or her own birth name rather than a company name and can select only one activity per permit. RAKEZ lists eligibility for a UAE residence visa and offers 1 and 2 year packages, which is what a rakez freelance visa search is after. RAKEZ also states freelancers cannot open a corporate bank account, appoint staff or obtain an additional visa under it (rakez.com, checked 21 September 2026).
Send your profession and visa count on WhatsApp and you get an itemised written quote.
RAK mainland: a RAK DED licence step by step
A ras al khaimah trade license on the mainland comes from the RAK Department of Economic Development, and the Ras Al Khaimah Government portal publishes the sequence.
| Step (rak.ae wording) | Who does it | What you sign or provide | Typical working days |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Determine the type of business activity | You with First Idea | A written description of what the business will do | Confirmed in your quote |
| 2. Determine the legal category of the establishment | You with First Idea | Shareholder structure and manager details | Confirmed in your quote |
| 3. Registering the trade name | First Idea with RAK DED | Three trade name options | Confirmed in your quote |
| 4. Obtaining approvals of concerned authorities | First Idea, with the named authority | Activity-specific forms and qualifications | Confirmed in your quote |
| 5. Issuance of the business licence | RAK DED | Payment, and the tenancy contract before issue | Confirmed in your quote |
Around those steps rak.ae names RAK DED as the issuing authority, with the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs, the Monitoring and Consumer Protection Administration, the Chamber of Commerce and the Municipality, and the Ministry of Economy, the Civil Defence Division, the Health Division, the Securities and Commodities Authority or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for particular activities or company types. For several licence types it asks for an original rent contract certified by the Municipality and a copy of the property ownership, once the Inspection Division has approved the site.
Three things First Idea adds, none of them rak.ae’s: the tenancy contract has to be in place before the licence is issued, not after; RAK Chamber of Commerce membership is part of the file; an LLC needs its memorandum of association notarised.
On ownership, rak.ae addresses foreign companies, GCC companies and expatriate partners rather than publishing a general rule. A foreign company opening a branch needs initial approval from Ras Al Khaimah’s economic authority, with its licence and memorandum translated into Arabic and certified by the embassy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; a GCC company’s licence needs the same two approvals; an expatriate partner who works elsewhere needs a no objection letter certified by the Chamber of Commerce.
If a Dubai mainland licence serves the same customers, compare our mainland license page and LLC company formation in UAE.
Offshore in Ras Al Khaimah: RAK ICC
A RAK ICC offshore company is registered with the RAK International Corporate Centre, Ras Al Khaimah’s registry for international business companies. It can hold shares, property and intellectual property and do business outside the UAE. It cannot trade inside the UAE or sponsor a residence visa, so it does not replace a RAKEZ or mainland licence for anyone who needs to live or trade here. For Dubai’s offshore options, see offshore business setup in Dubai.
Documents required for RAKEZ and RAK mainland
Twelve documents cover almost every application on either route.
| Document | RAKEZ | RAK mainland |
|---|---|---|
| Passport copy of every shareholder and manager | Yes | Yes |
| UAE visa or entry stamp copy | Yes | Yes |
| Emirates ID copy, if a UAE resident | Yes | Yes |
| Passport photo | Yes | Yes |
| Proof of home address | If requested | If requested |
| No objection certificate from a current sponsor, if you hold a UAE residence visa | Where a permit or visa is applied for without a RAKEZ visa | Yes, for a resident partner who works elsewhere, certified by the Chamber of Commerce |
| Three trade name options | Yes | Yes, trade name registration is rak.ae step 3 |
| Business plan or activity description | Yes, on RAKEZ’s published template | If requested |
| Original rent contract certified by the Municipality | No, the facility comes with the package | Yes, with a copy of the property ownership after site approval |
| Memorandum of association | Yes for a company, on RAKEZ’s MOA template | Yes for an LLC, notarised |
| Parent company documents, attested, with a board resolution | If a corporate shareholder | If a corporate shareholder, in Arabic and certified by the embassy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
| Signed application forms | RAKEZ application form | RAK DED forms |
Visas with a RAKEZ or RAK mainland licence
A rak free zone visa comes through your own company. RAKEZ holds the immigration file and the visa count follows the facility, which is why it is chosen at step 1. On the mainland the quota follows the office.
On rak free zone visa cost, the only figures here are RAKEZ’s own: the all-inclusive package includes one UAE residence visa and lists up to 3 additional visas at AED 4,000 each, with a 20% discount on dependent visas (RAKEZ published package, checked 21 September 2026). A rakez visa beyond those is quoted line by line.
The stages are the same on both routes:
- establishment card and immigration file for the company
- entry permit for each person
- status change if the applicant is inside the UAE
- medical fitness test and Emirates ID biometrics
- residence visa issued to the passport file
Send your business activity and visa count on WhatsApp and you get an itemised written quote.
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.
Standard and Premium are First Idea’s Meydan and IFZA packages; for a RAKEZ or RAK mainland company, corporate tax registration is itemised in your quote.
Timeline: from first WhatsApp message to licence in hand
| Stage | RAKEZ | RAK mainland |
|---|---|---|
| Activity check and trade name options | Against RAKEZ’s licence activity list | Against RAK DED’s schedule, rak.ae steps 1 to 3 |
| Document collection | Passport set, photos, MOA template | The same, plus the certified rent contract |
| Application and payment | Filed through RAKEZ’s online channels | Filed with RAK DED; approvals at rak.ae step 4 |
| Licence issue | Licence, registration set and bank letter (RAKEZ step 3) | Issued once the tenancy contract is certified |
| Establishment card and immigration file | Held by RAKEZ | Held with RAK DED and Residency |
| Residence visa | Entry permit, status change, medical, Emirates ID | The same stages |
What slows a file is predictable: an activity described in your own words rather than the authority’s, a trade name that breaks the rules, a missing no objection certificate, unattested corporate documents, an external approval, or a rent contract not yet certified.
Licence renewal in Ras Al Khaimah
RAKEZ licence renewal
No professional service fee on licence renewals; government and authority fees still apply.
Send your RAKEZ licence number and expiry date on WhatsApp and you get an itemised written quote.
What a rakez renewal involves, as RAKEZ publishes it:
- RAKEZ publishes a Licence Renewal Checklist (Free Zone) and one for Non-Free Zone on its licensing and renewals page, and asks customers to submit requests through Portal 360 (checked 21 September 2026).
- RAKEZ’s renewal support pages set out three steps for a rak free zone license renewal: initiate your request through RAKEZ Portal 360 or the mobile app, pay the renewal fees, and receive your e-licence.
- RAKEZ states the renewed licence is issued digitally with any applicable Immigration File e-card and Chamber of Commerce Certificate.
- RAKEZ offers renewal for 2, 3 or 5 years as well as year by year.
Neither RAKEZ renewal page printed a renewal fee or a late fee on 21 September 2026, so no rakez trade license renewal figure appears here. Any RAKEZ fee we quote is the figure on its own invoice.
Residence visas expiring in the same period are quoted separately.
Send your licence number and expiry date to Amir on WhatsApp
For the Dubai side of the same job, see trade license renewal Dubai.
RAK mainland licence renewal
A rak license renewal on the mainland is handled with RAK DED, and the rent contract has to be valid for the period being renewed, which is the most common reason a mainland renewal stalls.
Send your licence number and expiry date on WhatsApp and you get an itemised written quote.
Business setup consultants in Ras Al Khaimah
First Idea Consultant LLC has worked on UAE company formation since 2015, from Park Regis, ParkLane Tower, Office 812, Business Bay, Dubai, and prepares RAKEZ applications for filing through RAKEZ’s online channels and RAK mainland applications with the RAK Department of Economic Development. A mainland step needing someone in Ras Al Khaimah can be handled under a power of attorney.
Amir Aslam, Founder, reviews every RAK file before submission: the activity, the trade name options, the shareholder documents and the visa count against the facility. Call or WhatsApp him on +971 56 500 6694. Our reviews are on our Google Business Profile.
The licence is issued by RAKEZ or RAK DED, never by a consultant. Ask any consultant to show the authority’s fees separately from their own, and check them against rakez.com before you pay.
Related guides: RAK ICC offshore company formation and cost, free zone visa in Dubai and Sharjah free zone company formation.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a trade licence cost in Ras Al Khaimah?
RAKEZ publishes a Biz Starter package at AED 6,000 and an all-inclusive package with one UAE residence visa at AED 14,000 per year (RAKEZ published package, checked 21 September 2026). A RAK mainland licence is priced per activity by RAK DED, so it has no single figure. Send your business activity and visa count on WhatsApp and you get an itemised written quote.
What is the RAKEZ activity list and how many activities can one licence hold?
It is RAKEZ’s searchable list on rakez.com, filtered by zone, then licence type, then activity group, then keyword, with the code, name, licence type, group and description in each row. RAKEZ’s packages allow up to ten activities, mixed and matched, while the list page itself states no maximum. Send your activity and we check it against RAKEZ’s list before the name reservation.
How do I renew a RAKEZ licence online?
Per RAKEZ, a rakez license renewal is submitted through Portal 360 or the mobile app against RAKEZ’s published renewal checklists, the fees are paid, and the renewed licence is issued digitally with any applicable Immigration File e-card and Chamber of Commerce Certificate. RAKEZ also offers renewal for 2, 3 or 5 years.
No professional service fee on licence renewals; government and authority fees still apply.
Send your RAKEZ licence number and expiry date on WhatsApp and you get an itemised written quote.
Do I need to travel to Ras Al Khaimah or rent an office to set up a company?
For RAKEZ, no lease of your own is needed: its all-inclusive package page describes a fully digital registration and renewal process and includes access to the Compass Coworking Centre (rakez.com, checked 21 September 2026). A RAK mainland licence does need premises, with an original rent contract certified by the Municipality (rak.ae). We prepare the file from Business Bay in Dubai.
How long does business setup in Ras Al Khaimah take?
Neither RAKEZ nor RAK DED publishes a committed processing time, so the working days go in your written quote rather than on this page, and the stages run in the order of the timeline table above. What most often adds time is an activity reworded to match the authority’s list, a rejected trade name, or an external approval.
Can I get a residence visa with a RAKEZ licence, and what does it cost?
Yes, and with a RAK mainland licence too; the number follows the RAKEZ facility or the mainland office, and a RAK ICC offshore company cannot sponsor one at all. RAKEZ’s all-inclusive package includes one UAE residence visa and lists up to 3 additional visas at AED 4,000 each (RAKEZ published package, checked 21 September 2026). Beyond that the establishment card, entry permit, status change, medical test and Emirates ID are itemised. Send your business activity and visa count on WhatsApp and you get an itemised written quote.
Can I get a RAKEZ freelance visa?
RAKEZ’s freelancer permit is aimed at media and education professionals, with IT and analysts professionals named on its licence types page. It allows one activity per permit, the freelancer works under their own name, RAKEZ lists eligibility for a UAE residence visa, and it comes in 1 and 2 year packages. RAKEZ states a freelancer cannot open a corporate bank account, appoint staff or obtain an additional visa under it (rakez.com, checked 21 September 2026). Send your profession and visa count on WhatsApp and you get an itemised written quote.
Can I get a company, visa and bank account together in Ras Al Khaimah?
For a RAKEZ or RAK mainland company it is quoted in writing: send your business activity and visa count on WhatsApp and you get an itemised written quote. The bundle First Idea prices in writing is Premium in Dubai, which is company, one residence visa and business bank account opening assistance, at AED 28,136 in Meydan Free Zone or AED 28,436 in 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. See bank account opening assistance.
Send your business activity and how many visas you need. Amir comes back with RAKEZ and RAK mainland options and a written cost breakdown, and we reply on WhatsApp within a couple of hours.
WhatsApp Amir about a company in Ras Al Khaimah
First Idea Consultant LLC, Office 812, ParkLane Tower, Park Regis, Business Bay, Dubai. Call or WhatsApp +971 56 500 6694. Amir Aslam, Founder.
