How to Set Up a DMCC Foundation: A Step-by-Step Guide for 2026

DMCC now has rules for foundations, but it hasn't opened the door yet. As of 28 September 2026, its Foundations Regulations are in force. What's missing is the practical part: no onboarding guide, no application portal, no fee, no document checklist and no model charter.

DMCC said on 23 September 2026 that guidance and "a streamlined digital onboarding experience" would follow "in the coming weeks". You can still prepare today. The rules already say what an application must contain, who can sit on the council and what the charter must say.

This guide takes those steps in order. Where DMCC is silent, we show what DIFC asks for in practice, because DMCC's setup rules share DIFC's basic building blocks: a founder, a council of at least two, an optional guardian and an optional registered agent. Treat that as a reference point, not a promise that DMCC will do the same. If you're still deciding whether a foundation fits you, start with our DMCC foundation guide or our overview of UAE wealth structuring in 2026.

Key TakeawaysYou can prepare a DMCC foundation now, but you can't register one yet. DMCC hasn't published its onboarding guide, portal, fee or document checklist.The rules set the basics: at least one founder, a council of at least two, starting assets worth at least USD 100, a DMCC registered office and a name ending "Foundation FZCO".Every founder signs the application. It includes the signed charter, a declaration of compliance, confidential details of the people involved and a statement of who really owns and controls the foundation.DIFC's published process asks for certified passports, CVs, bank statements and a fit-and-proper questionnaire (on whether each person is honest and competent enough for the role). It's a sensible list to gather early, but DMCC hasn't said whether it will ask for the same.DMCC hasn't published its government fee. Legal drafting, registered agent or service provider, administration, accounting and audit fees come on top and usually cost more.

In this article:

• What has DMCC published so far?
• What do you need before you start?
• How do you set up a DMCC foundation, step by step?
• How does DMCC setup compare with DIFC?
• What does a setup look like in practice?
• What happens after registration?
• Frequently asked questions
• Next steps
• Sources and legal references

What has DMCC published so far?

The rules, a short web page and a press release. Nothing yet on how to apply.

The DMCCA Foundations Regulations 2026 are in force, in a version dated 11 September 2026. DMCC's foundations page confirms that starting assets begin at USD 100 and that certain powers can be reserved to the founder. It also has a form to register your interest.

The same page lists service firms you can contact, with their details. It doesn't say what role DMCC gives them, so ask each firm what it can and can't do for you.

As of 28 September 2026, DMCC hadn't published:

• an onboarding guide or an application portal;
• a fee for foundations (its schedule of charges has no foundation line);
• a document checklist or an FAQ;
• the model charter its rules allow it to issue.

So any timeline, document list or fee you hear today is someone's estimate, not DMCC's. Ask where it comes from. Any DMCC fee will be the government fee only; legal drafting, registered agent or service provider, administration, accounting and audit fees come on top and usually cost more.

What do you need before you start?

A clear purpose, the right people for each role, a draft charter and an address in DMCC.

Before anything is filed, you'll want these in hand:

• a written purpose: what the foundation is for and who should benefit;
• starting assets worth at least USD 100, plus a list of what you'll add later;
• at least one founder and at least two council members (the council is the board that runs the foundation);
• a draft charter, and by-laws if the council's rules won't sit in the charter;
• a registered office in the DMCC Free Zone, which can be a registered agent's address;
• identity and background papers for everyone involved.

The last item is where DMCC is quiet. DIFC, whose setup rules share those building blocks, asks for certified passport copies, a CV or LinkedIn profile for each person, and evidence of where the money comes from. DMCC hasn't said yet whether it will ask for the same. Gathering it early does no harm and avoids a rush later.

How do you set up a DMCC foundation, step by step?

Six steps, most of which you can finish before DMCC opens applications. Only the last two need DMCC.

Step 1: Decide the purpose and the assets

Start with why, because the charter must say it.

The charter must set out the foundation's objects, meaning its purposes. DMCC allows any lawful objects, including holding, managing and distributing assets. Common aims are succession, holding family company shares and keeping a business together; our DMCC foundation guide covers those uses.

Two limits apply. A foundation can't pursue unlawful activity. It also can't take on the objects of a non-profit organisation unless the Registrar (the DMCC official who keeps the register) agrees in writing.

The starting assets must be worth at least USD 100, and you can add more later. If you promise to transfer assets, and that promise is recorded in the charter or another binding document, the foundation can enforce it against you. Only write in promises you mean to keep.

Step 2: Choose the founders, council and guardian

You need at least one founder and two council members. A guardian is optional while you're alive.

Founder. Any person or company that signs the charter and puts in the starting assets. Several founders can apply together. The rules set no age or nationality condition for founders.

Council. At least two members. You can sit on it, and so can a company. An individual can't serve if they're under 18, have a dishonesty conviction in the last ten years, are disqualified or are an undischarged bankrupt (someone still bankrupt).

The Registrar can also reject someone it considers unsuitable, and councillors must be fit and proper, meaning honest and competent enough for the role. We found no rule requiring them to live in the UAE.

Think hard about the second seat. With only two councillors, every decision needs both to agree.

Guardian. A supervisor who attends council meetings but has no vote. A guardian is optional while any founder is alive and required once none is. The guardian can't also sit on the council or be the only beneficiary.

What DIFC asks for in practice. DIFC wants a certified passport and a CV or LinkedIn profile for each founder, council member and guardian. Company founders provide certified incorporation papers, no older than six months unless certified electronically. Each council member signs an appointment declaration. DMCC hasn't said whether it will ask for the same.

Step 3: Draft the charter and by-laws

The charter is the core document. The by-laws hold the private detail.

The charter must be in English, or another language the Registrar approves. It must state:

• the foundation's name and objects;
• a description of the starting assets;
• the name and address of each founder;
• its registered office in DMCC;
• how long it lasts, or what event ends it, if either applies.

It can also cover the council's rules, the first council members, beneficiaries, a guardian, powers reserved to you, an auditor and how the charter can be changed.

By-laws are optional, with one exception. If the council's rules aren't in the charter, they must be in by-laws. By-laws are kept at the registered office and shown to the Registrar on request. We found no rule requiring you to file them.

DMCC may publish a model charter, but it hasn't yet. DIFC's portal generates a standard charter, which you can use as it is or modify. DIFC also asks for by-laws to be filed with the charter unless a registered agent is appointed. DMCC hasn't said whether it will do either.

Step 4: Arrange a registered office and, if you want one, a registered agent

A DMCC address is required. A registered agent is optional.

The foundation must keep a registered office in the DMCC Free Zone. That office can be the address of a registered agent: a firm registered in the DMCC Free Zone that provides the address and receives official notices for the foundation. You can have one registered agent at most. DMCC's rules say only that the agent must be registered in the DMCC Free Zone and follow DMCC's policies; we haven't found those policies yet.

For a family with no office in DMCC, using an agent's address looks like the simplest route. The agent's name and address go into the application and onto the register.

What DIFC asks for in practice. In DIFC, the registered office can come from a lease, an office shared with an affiliated DIFC entity, or a registered agent. The agent must be registered with the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA), DIFC's financial regulator.

Step 5: Apply to the DMCC Registrar

The application is short on paper but heavy on disclosure.

Every founder signs it. It must include:

• the written charter, signed by each founder;
• a declaration by each founder that the registration requirements are met;
• confidential details: names and addresses of the council members, the guardian, any named beneficiaries and the real owners behind any company acting as founder;
• a statement of initial beneficial ownership and control, meaning the real people behind the foundation;
• the registered agent's name, address and date of appointment, if you have one.

The Registrar may ask for more information before registering the foundation. The application also carries a fee set by the Registrar, which DMCC hasn't published. That's the government fee only. Legal drafting, registered agent or service provider, administration, accounting and audit fees come on top and usually cost more.

What DIFC asks for in practice. DIFC runs setup through an online portal in stages. First comes initial approval: you pick the entity type and objects, reserve a name for 90 days, add the people and show the source of funds. That means six months of bank statements for an individual funder, or two years of financial statements for a company. You also complete a fit-and-proper questionnaire, and a relationship manager reviews the file.

Later stages cover the charter, the address, signatories and contacts. Company founders add a founders' resolution, and non-English documents need a certified translation. DMCC has promised a digital onboarding process. It's likely to feel similar, but DMCC hasn't said so.

Step 6: Registration and the licence

The foundation exists once the Registrar issues a certificate of registration. It then needs a licence.

On registration, the Registrar registers the charter, assigns a DMCC entity number and adds the foundation to the Register of Foundations. The register shows the name and number, each council member's name and address, the registration date, a record of annual fees and any registered agent.

Beneficiaries aren't on the register. Named beneficiaries go into the confidential information, which the Registrar may share with the authorities. Founders aren't on the register either, but the charter must give each founder's name and address, and the Registrar registers the charter. The rules don't say who can see it, so don't assume your name stays private.

Our DMCC foundation guide explains who sees what.

The foundation must hold a valid licence as a foundation. Its name must end in "Foundation FZCO".