There is no single answer to "how much does it cost to set up a company in Dubai", and any quote that gives you one number is hiding something. The published entry prices for 2026 look like this: RAKEZ's Biz Starter package (Ras Al Khaimah, for UAE-based founders) costs AED 6,000, Meydan's licence package starts at AED 12,500, and DMCC's schedule of charges adds up to AED 32,360 for application, registration, articles and the first-year licence, before the AED 1,825 establishment card and the AED 20 Knowledge and Innovation fee on each charge (RAKEZ; Meydan Free Zone, checked 10 November 2026; DMCC, checked 9 November 2026). Visas, deposits, insurance and provider, legal, audit and office costs come on top. This guide lists the fees each authority publishes and names the lines you must ask about in writing.
For the bigger picture on choosing a structure, see our pillar guide to Dubai company formation across mainland, free zone and offshore.
Key takeaways
- There is no defensible single "Dubai costs AED X" figure. Cost depends on free zone vs mainland, visas and office.
- Published free zone entry prices include AED 6,000 for RAKEZ Biz Starter (for UAE-based founders) and AED 12,500 for Meydan's licence package (RAKEZ; Meydan Free Zone, checked 10 November 2026).
- DMCC's schedule of charges adds up to AED 32,360 for application, registration, articles and the first-year licence, before the AED 1,825 establishment card and the AED 20 fee on each charge (DMCC, checked 9 November 2026).
- Ask Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) for a written fee statement for your activity.
- Corporate-tax registration is free yet mandatory even at 0% (UAE FTA, checked 13 June 2026).
What drives the cost of company formation in Dubai?
Four decisions drive almost your entire bill: the jurisdiction, the number of visas, the office type and ongoing compliance. The single biggest swing is free zone versus mainland, where the licence comes from Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism, so ask it for a written fee statement. Visas, offices and tax filing then stack on top.
Here is the trap that catches almost everyone. A licence "from AED 12,500" is a starting price for the licence package, not a year-one total (Meydan Free Zone, checked 10 November 2026). It excludes the establishment card, the visa fees and medical insurance. So the way to budget is to add each line yourself rather than trusting a single headline. The sections below list each published fee so you can add the lines yourself.
Why does Dubai price this way? Free zones bundle a flexi-desk and pre-approved activities into one package, which keeps the headline low and the admin light. Mainland is the opposite: name reservation, memorandum, approvals and premises are separate steps, so ask DET which apply to your activity. Each step is another invoice.
The cost of company formation in Dubai is driven by jurisdiction, visa count, office type and compliance, not by a single licence price. Dubai mainland licences come from the Department of Economy and Tourism; ask it for a written fee statement before you add visas, office and tax filing.
Free zone vs mainland: what does each line item cost?
Some free zones publish their entry prices, while mainland fees and premises rules come from DET case by case. Published free zone entry prices include AED 6,000 for RAKEZ Biz Starter (for UAE-based founders) and AED 12,500 for Meydan's licence package (RAKEZ; Meydan Free Zone, checked 10 November 2026). Ask DET in writing for the licence, approval and premises costs of your activity.
The table below itemises every cost line in dirhams. Free zone figures are the prices the authorities publish; where an authority publishes none, the table says to ask in writing (Meydan Free Zone; RAKEZ, checked 10 November 2026; DMCC, checked 9 November 2026). In the table, GDRFA is Dubai's General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs and ICP is the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security.
| Cost item | Free zone (AED) | Mainland Dubai DET (AED) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trade/business licence (annual) | From 12,500 (Meydan package); 6,000 (RAKEZ Biz Starter, UAE-based founders); 32,360 at DMCC before the card | Ask DET for a written statement | Free-zone figures from Meydan, RAKEZ and DMCC; mainland on request from DET |
| Registration/incorporation/MoA | Usually bundled in free-zone package | Ask DET in writing | Mainland LLC adds notarised memorandum |
| Name reservation | Bundled | Ask DET in writing | Mainland charged separately |
| Initial/activity approvals | Bundled (zone pre-approves listed activities) | Ask DET in writing (activity-dependent) | Mainland external approvals vary widely |
| Immigration establishment card | 1,825 at DMCC; from 2,000 at Meydan | Ask in writing | Required once to sponsor any visas |
| e-Channel/immigration deposit | Ask in writing | Ask in writing | Ask in writing whether a deposit applies |
| Visa: entry permit | Ask the GDRFA | Ask the GDRFA | Per applicant, applying from outside the UAE |
| Visa: change of status (in-country) | Ask the GDRFA | Ask the GDRFA | Replaces the entry permit if already in the UAE |
| Visa: medical fitness | 270 (24-hour test, incl. Knowledge and Innovation Dirham) | 270 (24-hour test, incl. Knowledge and Innovation Dirham) | DHA-approved centres |
| Visa: Emirates ID | Renewal: 100 for each year of residence + 100 application fee (ICP) | Same | Issued by ICP |
| Visa: residence stamping (GDRFA) | Ask the GDRFA; green visa for investors: 740 in country | Ask the GDRFA; green visa for investors: 740 in country | Final residence step |
| Visa: ICP/typing + medical insurance | Typing and insurance are provider costs; ask in writing | Same | Insurance mandatory in Dubai |
| Visa fees (1 investor visa) | No total published; add the lines above | Same | Route and visa length dependent |
| Office/workspace | Flexi-desk included at Meydan; DMCC flexi-desk 16,000-19,000 at start of tenancy | Ask DET which premises your activity needs | Premises rules by activity |
| Attestation (foreign documents) | Provider and ministry fees; ask in writing | Provider and ministry fees; ask in writing | UK/EU founders: home-country plus UAE MoFA attestation when activity requires |
| Corporate tax registration (FTA EmaraTax) | No FTA fee; mandatory even at 0% | No FTA fee; mandatory | Accountant filing fee is separate |
| VAT registration (turnover ≥ 375k) | No FTA reg fee; mandatory above threshold | Same | 5% VAT; mandatory at 375k, voluntary at 187,500 |
One note runs through this whole table. No single "Dubai company costs AED X" number is defensible. Among the zones checked, RAKEZ Biz Starter publishes AED 6,000 for UAE-based founders and Meydan's licence package starts at AED 12,500, and a year with visas costs more once the visa fees are added (RAKEZ; Meydan Free Zone, checked 10 November 2026). Read the three cases below before you budget. For one zone's full pricing, see our Meydan Free Zone setup guide, or the Sharjah zones in our Hamriyah and SHAMS guide.
For a deeper look at which zone fits which activity, see our guide to the best free zones in the UAE for 2026.
In Dubai for 2026, Meydan's licence package starts at AED 12,500 (Meydan Free Zone, checked 10 November 2026) and DMCC's set-up fees add up to AED 32,360 for application, registration, articles and the first-year licence, before the AED 1,825 establishment card and the AED 20 fee on each charge (DMCC, checked 9 November 2026). For a mainland licence, ask the Department of Economy and Tourism in writing for the licence, approval and premises costs of your activity; provider, legal, audit and office costs come on top.
How much does the visa stack add?
Each visa adds government fees on top of the zone's own visa charges. Published examples: the medical fitness test costs AED 270 with a 24-hour result under Dubai's fee resolution, renewing the Emirates ID costs AED 100 for each year of residence plus an AED 100 application fee, and GDRFA charges AED 740 inside the country for the green visa for investors and partners (Dubai Legislation Portal; ICP; GDRFA, 2021 to 2026, checked 10 November 2026). Zone visa charges come on top, such as Meydan's AED 1,850 visa allocation (Meydan Free Zone, checked 10 November 2026).
Entry permit versus change of status
Your starting location matters. Founders applying from outside the UAE need an entry permit, and founders already in the UAE pay for a change of status instead; ask the GDRFA or your free zone for the current fee of your route (GDRFA, checked 10 November 2026). Visa length and processing route move the figure.
The costs that make visas possible
Before any visa, you need an immigration establishment card: DMCC's schedule lists it at AED 1,825 (DMCC, checked 9 November 2026) and Meydan charges from AED 2,000 (Meydan Free Zone, checked 10 November 2026). Ask in writing whether an immigration deposit or e-channel fee applies.
A Dubai visa carries government fees such as the AED 270 medical test (Dubai fee resolution, 2021, checked 10 November 2026), and renewing the Emirates ID costs AED 100 for each year of residence plus an AED 100 application fee (ICP, checked 10 November 2026). The zone's visa charges and a one-off establishment card come on top: AED 1,825 at DMCC (DMCC, checked 9 November 2026) and from AED 2,000 at Meydan (Meydan Free Zone, checked 10 November 2026).
What are the hidden and recurring costs?
The costs that wreck budgets are the recurring ones, led by annual licence renewal and mandatory corporate-tax filing. Renewal runs close to the original licence at DMCC: its schedule lists the standard licence renewal at AED 20,265 against AED 20,285 for the first licence (DMCC, checked 9 November 2026). Corporate-tax registration is free but mandatory even at 0%.
Let's kill the most expensive myth directly. A free-zone company is not exempt from filing. Every taxable person, including free-zone persons, must register for UAE corporate tax and obtain a Registration Number, then file each year, even at 0% (UAE FTA, 2026). The registration costs nothing. The accountant who prepares and files the return charges a fee; ask for a written quote.
The other recurring items add up quietly. Medical insurance renews each year for every visa holder. Outsourced PRO or government-liaison services are provider fees, not government charges. A bank account may carry a minimum balance or maintenance cost. Dedicated office fit-out, where you take real space, is a one-off cost on top.
At DMCC, annual licence renewal runs close to the original: DMCC lists its standard licence renewal at AED 20,265 (DMCC, checked 9 November 2026). Corporate-tax registration is free but mandatory for every taxable person, including free-zone persons, even at a 0% rate (UAE FTA, 2026).
Three cases: which published fees apply
Three scenarios show which published fees apply and which lines you must ask about in writing (Meydan Free Zone, checked 10 November 2026; DMCC, checked 9 November 2026). Other costs come on top.
Case A: solo founder, free zone, no visa
This is the floor. You take a licence with a bundled flexi-desk and no residence visa, so there is no establishment card, no e-channel deposit and no visa stack. Published entry prices are AED 6,000 for RAKEZ Biz Starter (for UAE-based founders) and AED 12,500 for Meydan's licence package (RAKEZ; Meydan Free Zone, checked 10 November 2026), and corporate-tax registration costs nothing. Provider, legal, audit and office costs come on top. It suits founders who already hold UAE residence another way or do not need it.
Case B: solo founder, free zone, with one investor visa
Now the visa fees appear. At Meydan the licence package starts at AED 12,500 with a flexi-desk (Meydan Free Zone, checked 10 November 2026), a visa allocation costs AED 1,850 and an investor or partner visa about AED 4,000 (Meydan Free Zone, checked 10 November 2026), and the establishment card costs from AED 2,000 (Meydan Free Zone, checked 10 November 2026). The medical test costs AED 270 in Dubai (Dubai fee resolution, checked 10 November 2026), and renewing the Emirates ID costs AED 100 for each year of residence plus an AED 100 application fee (ICP, checked 10 November 2026). Ask the zone in writing for any deposit; provider, legal, audit and office costs come on top.
Case C: mainland LLC, one investor visa, small office
Mainland adds steps of its own. Ask Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism for a written fee statement covering the licence, name reservation, memorandum and approvals, and ask which premises your activity needs. The visa fees above apply on top, as do provider, legal, audit and office costs.
For 2026, published Dubai free zone entry prices include AED 6,000 for RAKEZ's Biz Starter package for UAE-based founders and AED 12,500 for Meydan's licence package (RAKEZ; Meydan Free Zone, checked 10 November 2026), and DMCC's set-up fees add up to AED 32,360 for application, registration, articles and the first-year licence (DMCC, checked 9 November 2026). DMCC adds the AED 1,825 establishment card and the AED 20 fee on each charge on top (DMCC, checked 9 November 2026). Visa fees and provider, legal, audit and office costs come on top.
What do tax registrations cost in 2026?
Tax registration itself is free, but it is mandatory, and ignoring it is the costliest mistake of all. Every taxable person, including free-zone persons, must register for UAE corporate tax and obtain a Registration Number, with 0% applying up to AED 375,000 of taxable income and 9% above it (UAE FTA, 2026). The FTA charges no registration fee.
Corporate tax: free to register, mandatory to file
The structure is simple and the obligation is not optional. Corporate tax has applied to financial years starting on or after 1 June 2023, and free-zone persons remain in scope even where a qualifying free-zone person pays 0% on qualifying income (UAE Ministry of Finance, 2026). You still register, you still file. The only real cost here is the accountant who prepares the return.
VAT: only above the threshold
VAT is a turnover question, not a setup cost. The UAE levies 5% VAT, with registration mandatory once taxable turnover reaches AED 375,000 and voluntary from AED 187,500 (UAE FTA, 2026). The FTA charges no registration fee. Below the mandatory threshold, a small new company usually has no VAT obligation at all in its first year.
The free zone and government fees on this page, apart from the tax registration points, were checked on 10 November 2026 against the official pages of RAKEZ, Meydan Free Zone, GDRFA and ICP and the Dubai Legislation Portal, and on 9 November 2026 against DMCC's schedule of charges.
Each authority will give you its current fees in writing. If the company will hold assets, you can talk to Ancova about foundations and holding companies before you set up the company.
UAE corporate-tax registration is free yet mandatory for every taxable person, including free-zone persons, with 0% up to AED 375,000 of taxable income and 9% above, for financial years from 1 June 2023 (UAE FTA; UAE Ministry of Finance, 2026). VAT registration is also free, becoming mandatory once taxable turnover reaches AED 375,000.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to set up a company in Dubai?
There is no single figure. Published entry prices include AED 6,000 for RAKEZ Biz Starter (for UAE-based founders), AED 12,500 for Meydan's licence package and AED 32,360 for application, registration, articles and the first-year licence at DMCC, before the AED 1,825 establishment card and the AED 20 fee on each charge, before visas and other costs (RAKEZ; Meydan Free Zone, checked 10 November 2026; DMCC, checked 9 November 2026). Provider, legal, audit and office costs come on top.
Is a free zone or mainland cheaper?
The published figures cannot settle that, because mainland fees come from DET case by case. Some free zones publish their entry prices: RAKEZ Biz Starter costs AED 6,000 for UAE-based founders, and Meydan's licence package starts at AED 12,500 (RAKEZ; Meydan Free Zone, checked 10 November 2026). For a mainland licence, ask DET in writing. Mainland lets you trade directly across the UAE market.
What are the hidden costs of a Dubai company?
The hidden costs are mostly recurring: annual licence renewal, any immigration deposit the authority asks for, medical insurance for each visa holder, and corporate-tax filing. At DMCC, renewal runs close to the original licence: DMCC lists its standard licence renewal at AED 20,265 (DMCC, checked 9 November 2026).
How much is a UAE investor visa?
Government fees include AED 270 for the medical test in Dubai and, for the green visa for investors and partners, AED 740 to GDRFA inside the country; renewing the Emirates ID costs AED 100 for each year of residence plus an AED 100 application fee; zone visa charges come on top (Dubai Legislation Portal; ICP; GDRFA, 2021 to 2026, checked 10 November 2026). A one-off establishment card comes on top: AED 1,825 at DMCC (DMCC, checked 9 November 2026) and from AED 2,000 at Meydan (Meydan Free Zone, checked 10 November 2026).
Do you pay tax on a Dubai company?
You must register for corporate tax even at 0%. The rate is 0% up to AED 375,000 of taxable income and 9% above, and every taxable person, including free-zone persons, must register and obtain a Registration Number (UAE FTA, 2026). Registration is free; an accountant's filing fee is separate. VAT applies only above AED 375,000 turnover.
Sources
- UAE Federal Tax Authority, "Corporate Tax," retrieved 2026-06-13, https://tax.gov.ae/en/taxes/corporate.tax.aspx
- UAE Ministry of Finance, "Corporate Tax," retrieved 2026-06-13, https://mof.gov.ae/corporate-tax/
- UAE Federal Tax Authority, "Registration for VAT," retrieved 2026-06-13, https://tax.gov.ae/en/taxes/Vat/vat.topics/registration.for.vat.aspx
- Meydan Free Zone (official), "Business setup packages," retrieved 2026-11-10, https://www.meydanfz.ae/
- Meydan Free Zone, "Dubai trade license AED 12,500", retrieved 2026-11-10, https://www.meydanfz.ae/dubai-trade-license-aed-12500
- Meydan Free Zone, "Meydan Free Zone company setup cost breakdown in Dubai", 17 March 2026, updated 30 June 2026, retrieved 2026-11-10, https://www.meydanfz.ae/blog/meydan-free-zone-company-setup-cost-breakdown
- Government of Dubai, Administrative Resolution No. 66 of 2021 approving the charges for medical fitness (Dubai Legislation Portal), retrieved 2026-11-10, https://dlp.dubai.gov.ae/Legislation%20Reference/2021/Administrative%20Resolution%20No.%20(66)%20of%202021%20Approving%20Charges%20for%20Medical%20Fitness.html
- GDRFA Dubai, "Green visa for partners and investors", retrieved 2026-11-10, https://gdrfad.gov.ae/en/services/f52024c6-b812-11ed-5210-4cd98f768936
- ICP, "Renew Emirates ID", retrieved 2026-11-10, https://icp.gov.ae/en/services-details/?serviceid=64afe3c1035448005bd52e5d
- DMCC, "Schedule of charges," retrieved 2026-11-09, https://dmcc.ae/members/support/schedule-charges
- RAKEZ, "Biz Starter package," retrieved 2026-11-10, https://rakez.com/en/promotions/biz-starter-package
Note on sourcing: UAE government anchors (FTA, Ministry of Finance) are statutory and stable since 2023. Fee figures are those published by Meydan, RAKEZ, DMCC, GDRFA, ICP and the Government of Dubai; where an authority publishes none, the text says to ask in writing. Provider, legal, audit and office costs come on top.
Written by
Amine Derag
Director of Strategy, Ancova Associates
Amine Derag is Director of Strategy at Ancova Associates, the Dubai advisory firm for company formation, residency, citizenship by investment, and cross-border tax structuring. He advises founders and private clients relocating to the UAE on how a UAE structure interacts with their home-country tax and reporting obligations.
Connect on LinkedInThis article is general information for educational purposes only and is not legal, tax, financial, or immigration advice. Investment thresholds, processing times, and program terms change — speak with a qualified Ancova adviser before acting.
