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Set Up Your Dubai Free Zone Company, Licensed and Trading Faster

Dubai's Free Zones give international founders a fast, well-regulated route into the UAE market. You get 100% foreign ownership where the zone permits it, a clear licensing process, modern offices and infrastructure, and a UAE trade licence that partners, platforms and banks recognise.

We handle the whole setup: choosing the right Free Zone and licence for what you actually do, reserving your name, filing your incorporation, arranging your office or flexi-desk, and supporting your establishment card, visas and bank account applications. You get a straight assessment of costs and obligations up front, and honest guidance on whether a Free Zone, a mainland licence or an offshore structure fits your plans best.

What Is a Free Zone Company?

A Free Zone is a designated economic area within the UAE that operates under its own licensing authority and its own business setup rules. Each zone issues its own trade licences, maintains its own company registry, sets its own office and visa requirements, and approves its own list of permitted business activities.

A Free Zone company is a company incorporated with one of these authorities. It is a UAE legal entity with a UAE trade licence, its own corporate documents and, in most cases, the ability to sponsor residence visas for owners and staff.

Free Zone companies are commonly used for trading and general trading, professional and consultancy services, technology and software, e-commerce, media and creative services, marketing and advertising, logistics and freight, manufacturing and light industry in the relevant zones, education and training, healthcare in specialist zones, financial and professional services in the financial zones, and holding companies for shares, property or intellectual property.

Which of these you can do depends on the zone you choose and the licence you hold. Zones specialise: a media zone will not licence freight forwarding, and a commodities zone is not the natural home for a healthcare clinic. Matching activity to zone correctly at the start avoids re-licensing later.

Why Set Up in a Free Zone?

Foreign Ownership
Free Zones generally allow 100% foreign ownership with no requirement for a UAE national partner. Mainland UAE now also permits full foreign ownership for most activities, so ownership alone is no longer the only reason to choose a Free Zone.
Streamlined Setup
Free Zone authorities are built for speed. Name reservation, licensing, office allocation and immigration are typically handled through a single authority, often largely online.
Flexible Office Options
Most zones offer a range from flexi-desk and shared workspace through to private offices, warehouses and light industrial units, so you can start small and scale.
Visa Eligibility
Most Free Zone companies can sponsor UAE residence visas for shareholders, employees and dependants, subject to the zone's rules and the facility package chosen.
Customs Benefits in Relevant Cases
Goods held in a Free Zone can generally be imported and re-exported without UAE customs duty applying while they remain in the zone. Certain zones are treated as Designated Zones for VAT purposes.
Profit and Capital Repatriation
Free Zones generally permit full repatriation of profits and capital, subject to applicable banking, exchange and reporting requirements.
International Credibility and Market Access
A UAE trade licence, a corporate bank account and a Dubai address carry real weight with international clients, suppliers and platforms.

Company Structures & Ownership

How Free Zone companies are owned and structured

100% Foreign Ownership

Free Zones generally allow full foreign ownership with no requirement for a UAE national partner, though some specialist zones and regulated activities carry additional conditions.

Free Zone Establishment (FZE)

A single-shareholder company structure.

Free Zone Company (FZCO / FZ-LLC)

Two or more shareholders, individual or corporate.

Branch of an Existing Company

A UAE presence for a company already registered elsewhere.

Licence Types Available

Matched to what your business actually does

Commercial / Trading Licence Covers trading and general trading activity.
Professional / Service Licence Covers consultancy, technology, marketing and other service-based activity.
Industrial Licence Covers manufacturing and light industrial activity in the relevant zones.
E-commerce Licence Covers online retail and digital commerce activity.
Freelance Permit For individual professionals operating on their own.
Holding Licence For companies holding shares, intellectual property or permitted real estate.

Flexible Office Options, Scaled to Your Visa Needs

Most Free Zone authorities offer a range of facility options: flexi-desk and shared workspace through to private offices, warehouses and light industrial units. You can start small and scale as the business grows.

Your visa allocation is usually linked to the facility you take — a flexi-desk supports a small number of visas, while a leased physical office or warehouse supports more. Warehouse and industrial activity always requires physical space, and substance requirements for tax purposes may also be relevant to how much presence you maintain. We match the facility to your licence and visa needs rather than defaulting to the cheapest option.

Visa Eligibility and Allocation

What to expect on residency for you, your staff and your family

  • 100% Foreign Ownership Free Zones generally allow full foreign ownership with no requirement for a UAE national partner, though some specialist zones and regulated activities carry additional conditions.
  • Free Zone Establishment (FZE) A single-shareholder company structure.
  • Free Zone Company (FZCO / FZ-LLC) Two or more shareholders, individual or corporate.
  • Branch of an Existing Company A UAE presence for a company already registered elsewhere.

How the Free Zone Registration Process Works

Nine steps, from consultation to ongoing compliance

  • 1
    1. Initial Consultation and Business Activity Review

    We map what your business actually does to the activity lists of the relevant authorities, and confirm which zones can licence it, flagging any activities needing external regulator approval.

  • 2
    2. Select the Suitable Free Zone and Licence

    We compare the realistic options on cost, visa allocation, office rules, banking suitability, audit requirements and market access, then recommend a zone, a licence type and a company structure.

  • 3
    3. Choose and Reserve a Company Name

    We check availability against the authority's naming rules and reserve your approved name.

  • 4
    4. Submit Shareholder, Director and Business Documents

    We prepare and file the application with passport copies, proof of address, shareholder and director details, business activity description and any attested corporate documents for corporate shareholders.

  • 5
    5. Initial Approval and Incorporation Forms

    We complete the incorporation pack, including the memorandum and articles of association, board and shareholder resolutions, specimen signatures and registers of shareholders, directors and beneficial owners.

  • 6
    6. Select Your Office, Flexi-Desk or Facility Package

    We arrange the facility your licence and visa allocation require and complete the lease documentation with the authority.

  • 7
    7. Receive Your Trade Licence and Incorporation Documents

    The authority issues your trade licence, certificate of incorporation, share certificates and lease. Your company now legally exists and can contract, invoice and apply for banking.

  • 8
    8. Establishment Card, Visas and Banking Support

    We apply for your establishment card, process residence visas (entry permit, medical screening, Emirates ID, visa stamping), and prepare your corporate bank account application.

  • 9
    9. Ongoing Renewals and Compliance

    We manage annual licence, lease and establishment card renewals, visa renewals, bookkeeping, audited financial statements where required, corporate tax and VAT registration and filing, and economic substance and beneficial ownership filings where applicable.

Setup Your Business Now

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Documents You'll Need

We give you a precise checklist for your case up front

Passport copies and photographs, proof of residential address, UAE visa page and entry stamp if already in the country, a No Objection Certificate from a current UAE sponsor in some cases, and a CV or professional profile with attested qualifications for professional licences.

Attested or apostilled corporate documents where a company is a shareholder, plus bank reference or statements where the authority or bank requires them.

Plan six to eight weeks before you need to be operational

Realistic Timing, Start to Finish

Typically 5 to 15 working days for the trade licence and incorporation documents once your paperwork is complete and any external approvals are in place. Residence visas usually add 2 to 4 weeks after the establishment card is issued. Corporate bank account opening runs separately and commonly takes 3 to 8 weeks. Document attestation from outside the UAE can extend the front end of the timeline, so starting six to eight weeks before you need to be operational gives you room.

Budget across three layers, not just the headline licence fee

What a Free Zone Licence Costs

Costs vary widely by zone, licence type, facility and visa count. Budget for three separate layers: government and authority fees for the licence, lease and establishment card; visa costs per person including medical and Emirates ID; and professional fees for setup, accounting, audit and tax compliance. Renewal costs matter as much as year one. We provide a written, fixed-scope quotation covering first-year and recurring costs so you can compare zones on a like-for-like basis.

Why Choose Legacy Partners

Free Zone structuring done right, from setup to renewal

✔
Zone Matching, Not One-Size-Fits-All

We match your activity to the zone that will actually approve it and suit your banking and visa needs, not just the cheapest headline price.

✔
End-to-End Support

Licence, visas, establishment card, banking, accounting and tax handled under one roof.

✔
Transparent Pricing

A written, fixed-scope quotation covering first-year and renewal costs, provided before work begins.

✔
Honest Guidance

We tell you plainly when a mainland licence or an offshore structure would serve you better than a Free Zone.

Frequently Asked Questions

Direct answers to the questions we hear most often

It is a company incorporated with one of the UAE's Free Zone authorities. Each Free Zone is a designated economic area with its own registry, licensing rules, permitted activity list, office requirements and visa allocations. The company holds a UAE trade licence, is a UAE legal entity, and can usually sponsor residence visas for its owners and staff.

Yes, Free Zones generally allow 100% foreign ownership with no local partner requirement. Some specialist zones and regulated activities have additional conditions, so we confirm this for your chosen zone and activity. Mainland UAE also permits full foreign ownership for most activities now, so ownership need not be the deciding factor.

Not directly in most cases. Serving the UAE mainland market usually requires a mainland branch, a licensed mainland distributor or agent, a dual licence arrangement where the zone offers one, or a separate mainland company. If mainland customers are central to your plan, tell us at the consultation, because it can change the recommended structure.

Not to own a Free Zone company. You do need one if you intend to live in the UAE, work in the business day to day, sponsor family members, or in some cases to satisfy a bank's requirements for account opening and signatory access.

Typically 5 to 15 working days for the trade licence and incorporation documents once your paperwork is complete. Residence visas usually add 2 to 4 weeks after the establishment card is issued. Corporate bank account opening runs separately and commonly takes 3 to 8 weeks.

At minimum: passport copies and photographs for all shareholders, directors and managers, proof of address, and a description of the intended business activity. Depending on the zone and activity you may also need a business plan, attested educational or professional certificates, attested corporate documents for corporate shareholders, a No Objection Certificate from a current UAE sponsor, and bank references.

In most cases yes, though it is never automatic. UAE banks run their own compliance review and can decline any application. We prepare a strong application pack, introduce you to institutions we work with, and support you through their queries. We do not guarantee account opening.

It depends on the zone and on how many visas you need. Many Dubai Free Zones accept a flexi-desk or shared desk arrangement, sufficient for a licence and a small number of visas. Others require a leased physical office, and warehouse or industrial activity always requires physical space.

UAE corporate tax applies at 9% on taxable profits above AED 375,000, with a 0% rate on the first AED 375,000. Qualifying Free Zone businesses may access a 0% rate on qualifying income, but only if they meet specific conditions. VAT at 5% applies with mandatory registration above AED 375,000 of taxable supplies. Ongoing obligations also typically include annual licence, lease and establishment card renewal, visa renewals, proper accounting records, audited accounts where required, and beneficial ownership and economic substance filings where relevant.

Costs vary widely by zone, licence type, facility and visa count. Budget for three layers: government and authority fees, visa costs, and professional fees for setup, accounting, audit and tax compliance. Renewal costs matter as much as year one. We provide a written, fixed-scope quotation covering first-year and recurring costs.

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