How to open a company in the UAE (Dubai) in 2026: free zones, costs, timelines

You can open a company in the UAE in a few days: choose the jurisdiction (free zone or mainland), the activity and the package, submit your passport and application form, get the licence, then arrange the owner's visa and Emirates ID. Online free zones issue the licence in hours or a day; the visa and Emirates ID take longer. Below are a comparison of zones, costs, timelines, taxes and the bank account.

Zone data is taken from their official websites, and tax and residence rules from the u.ae, FTA and GDRFA portals, checked on 29 October 2026. Parallax registration services are in the UAE business section. If you only need a visa without a company, see the UAE residence page.

Free zone or mainland: how to choose

A free zone is an area with its own regulator that issues licences. Mainland means a licence from the local department; in Dubai this is the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET). The main difference is where the company can do business.

If your clients are abroad and you need an address and a visa in the UAE, a free zone is usually enough. If you trade or provide services within the UAE, look at the mainland or a free zone with a branch. More on how the zones differ in practice in the free zone comparison.

The main free zones for registration

Below are four zones Parallax works with, with terms as stated by the zones themselves. The Parallax price is a service package, not the zone fee; the content is fixed in the estimate.

There are other zones too, such as DMCC, RAKEZ and DIFC. Each has its own prices and specialisation, published on its website and subject to change, so we do not quote figures without checking the zone's website.

How much it costs to open a company

The total is made up of several parts, and the "advertised" licence price usually does not equal the final cost.

• Licence and registration. Meydan quotes from AED 12,500, ANCFZ from AED 4,888; the IFZA and SHAMS pages we checked give no starting price, it is provided in a quote
• Company card (Establishment or Immigration Card). Without it, the company cannot issue any visa, not even the owner's. At Meydan, the card and the visa quota are paid separately
• Owner's visa, medical test, Emirates ID. Paid at the authorities' rates; the zones have their own fees
• Office or address. In some zones a workspace is included in the package, in others it is paid separately
• Annual renewal. A licence is usually valid for a year and is renewed. If it has expired, renewals and new visas are blocked (IFZA); at Meydan the maximum licence term is up to 10 years
• Tax registration, accounting, 5% VAT

Parallax prices: a company in SHAMS or Ajman NuVentures from €2,500, in IFZA €6,100, in Meydan €6,500, an investor visa for the owner €2,400, a corporate account €4,400, Corporate Tax registration €300. Prices in euros, excluding 5% VAT. The full list is on the UAE business page.

Step-by-step process and timelines

1. Choosing the zone and activity. The licence must cover your actual work: you cannot invoice for an activity that is not in the licence (IFZA). Some activities require approvals from authorities
2. Documents. Usually a passport copy, an application form with the beneficial owner (UBO) details, a digital photo, online KYC. The set is different for a corporate shareholder
3. Payment and licence. SHAMS states 60 minutes, ANCFZ 2 hours, Meydan usually up to 24 hours
4. Company card. Opens the immigration file. Meydan does this right after the licence is issued
5. Owner's visa. Entry permit, change of status, medical test, biometrics, stamping. Meydan estimates the whole cycle at 5 to 7 working days
6. Emirates ID. Issued after the visa; a visit to an ICP centre may be needed for biometrics
7. Bank account and tax registration. Timelines depend on the bank and the FTA

You can register a company remotely: Meydan and ANCFZ say you do not need to travel for the licence. The visa requires a medical test and biometrics, which means being in the UAE in person.

The owner's visa and Emirates ID

A company gives the right to arrange a residence visa for yourself and your family. Meydan says a visa through the company is usually valid for 2 years and renewable. For an investor or partner visa, Meydan requires a capital contribution of AED 50,000 or more; other zones have their own thresholds. The residence visa comes with a medical test for everyone aged 18 and over: HIV and tuberculosis screening (u.ae).

You can sponsor your family with a salary of AED 4,000, or AED 3,000 with housing (u.ae): a spouse, unmarried daughters, sons up to 25 and children with special needs. Documents issued abroad must be legalised for the UAE: the UAE is not a party to the Apostille Convention. On the route through a company and the Golden Visa, see the UAE residence: Golden Visa or Free Zone page and the article The UAE Golden Visa.

Taxes for a free zone company

• General rate. Corporate Tax is 0% on income up to AED 375,000 and 9% above (u.ae). It applies to financial years starting on or after 1 June 2023
• Free zone companies. They pay Corporate Tax, and the incentives remain for those who meet the requirements. Under Federal Decree-Law No. 47 of 2022, a Qualifying Free Zone Person (QFZP) gets 0% on qualifying income and 9% on the rest. The conditions of the status, including real presence, are described in the FTA guide
• Small Business Relief. A resident with revenue of no more than AED 3,000,000 in the current and all previous periods can choose a regime with no taxable income. It is not available to QFZPs or to members of groups with revenue above AED 3.15 billion. Check the term of the relief on tax.gov.ae
• Registration. A new company, including a free zone company, applies for Corporate Tax registration within three months of its registration date. Being late costs AED 10,000
• VAT. The rate is 5%; registration is mandatory when taxable supplies exceed AED 375,000 over 12 months
• Individuals. There is no personal income tax in the UAE

More on FTA registration and accounting: UAE taxes and accounting and the tax overview.

Bank account

The company account is opened by a bank, not by the zone, and the bank makes its own decision. For a digital application, Emirates NBD requires at least one signatory who is a UAE resident, as well as the licence, constitutional documents, shareholders' documents and a tenancy contract. That is why the owner's visa is usually arranged before applying for the account. Choosing a bank and preparing the package are described on the corporate account page, and the overall money picture is in the guide to finances in the UAE.

Common mistakes

• Choosing a zone on price alone. Compare the full package: company card, visa quota and costs, office, renewal, not just the licence price
• A licence that does not match the activity. The bank and the authorities check that the licence matches your work
• No plan for the bank. Think ahead about how the company will look to a bank: contracts, a website, sources of funds
• Expecting no taxes. The UAE does have Corporate Tax, and FTA registration is mandatory
• Working with an intermediary without a contract. Ask for an itemised estimate: zone and authority fees separately from the service