Meydan Free Zone is a 100%-digital Dubai free zone where a standard trade license starts from AED 12,500, and a Fawri instant license issues in under 60 minutes from AED 15,000 (Meydan FZ, 2026). It gives founders 100% foreign ownership, a premium Nad Al Sheba address and a fully online setup. It suits consultants, e-commerce sellers, trading firms and holding companies based in the GCC, the UK and Europe who want a Dubai company without a physical office. One caveat matters before you read the headline price. That "from AED 12,500" figure is license-only, with zero visas attached. So what does a realistic first year actually cost, and how does the process run? This guide breaks down the packages, the nine setup steps, visas, the 2026 cost picture and tax.
For the wider view on choosing a zone, see our guide to the best free zones in the UAE for 2026.
Key Takeaways
- Meydan is a 100%-digital Dubai free zone with 100% foreign ownership and full profit repatriation (Meydan FZ, 2026).
- A standard license starts from AED 12,500; the Fawri instant license issues in under 60 minutes from AED 15,000.
- You can hold up to 6 visas per license, though a flexi-desk caps the allocation at 3.
- The headline price is license-only. A realistic one-founder, one-visa first year lands around AED 18,000 to 24,500.
- Corporate tax is 9% above AED 375,000 profit; a Qualifying Free Zone Person can keep 0% on qualifying income.
What is Meydan Free Zone?
Meydan Free Zone is a 100%-digital Dubai free zone, headquartered at the Meydan Hotel and Grandstand in Nad Al Sheba, offering 100% foreign ownership and full profit and capital repatriation (Meydan FZ, 2026). It is popular with consultants, e-commerce sellers, trading firms and holding companies. The whole setup runs online, with no in-person visit required.
The zone leans on its address as a selling point. A Meydan registration carries a recognisable Dubai location that, in Meydan's words, "carries weight with banks". Whether that helps your account opening depends on your activity and source of funds, not on the postcode alone. Treat it as a presentation advantage, not a guarantee.
What can you actually do under a Meydan license? The zone markets 1,500+ business activities, and you can combine up to 3 activity groups under a single license at no extra cost.1 Additional activities beyond the first three cost AED 1,000 each. Three license families cover most needs: Commercial, Service or Consultancy, and Media. You can register a new FZ-LLC or a branch of an existing company.
Citation capsule: Meydan Free Zone is a 100%-digital Dubai free zone in Nad Al Sheba offering 100% foreign ownership, full profit repatriation and more than 1,500 business activities, with up to three activity groups combinable under one license (Meydan FZ, 2026). It suits consultants, e-commerce, trading and holding companies that want a Dubai presence without a physical office.
What do Meydan licence packages include?
A Meydan standard digital trade license starts from AED 12,500 and bundles the license, up to three activity groups, a flexi-desk and a lease agreement (Meydan FZ, 2026). The Fawri instant license starts from AED 15,000 and issues in under 60 minutes. Everything beyond that base, visas, offices and tax services, is priced as an add-on.
The table below lists Meydan's official 2026 components. Read it with one rule in mind: the base price is what you pay to hold a license, not to operate with staff or visas.
| Component | Official price (AED, 2026) | Included or add-on |
|---|---|---|
| Standard digital trade license (base) | from 12,500 | Core: license + up to 3 activity groups + flexi-desk + lease agreement |
| Fawri instant license (under 60 min) | from 15,000 | Core alternative |
| Additional activity (beyond first 3) | 1,000 each | Add-on |
| Visa allocation (the quota slot) | 1,850 | Add-on |
| Employment visa (processing) | 3,500 | Add-on |
| Investor or partner visa | ~4,000 | Add-on |
| Dependent visa | ~6,000 per person | Add-on |
| Establishment Card (one-time) | ~2,000 | Add-on |
| mResidency (medical + Emirates ID) | ~2,250 | Add-on |
| Flexi-desk | included | Core |
| Dedicated desk | 3,500 per month | Add-on |
| Shared office | 15,000 per year | Add-on |
| Dedicated office | 30,000 per year | Add-on |
| VAT registration (mAccounting) | 1,500 | Add-on |
| Corporate-tax starter | 1,200 | Add-on |
| Bookkeeping | 1,000 to 1,500 per month | Add-on |
| Bank-account assistance (mCore) | 1,500 | Add-on |
| Multi-year discount | up to 15% off | 2 to 3 year commitments |
Citation capsule: The Meydan standard digital trade license starts from AED 12,500 and bundles up to three activity groups, a flexi-desk and a lease agreement, while the Fawri instant license starts from AED 15,000 and issues in under 60 minutes (Meydan FZ, 2026). Visas, offices and tax registration are priced separately as add-ons.
How does the Meydan setup process work?
Setup at Meydan runs in nine digital steps, and the license itself can issue within 24 hours on the standard route or under 60 minutes via Fawri, with full end-to-end completion taking three to seven working days once name reservation is counted (Meydan FZ, 2026). The whole journey is online. Most founders never set foot in the zone.
The nine steps in order
The sequence is predictable. First, choose your activity and license type, keeping within the three free activity groups. Reserve your company name, which takes roughly one to two days. Prepare your documents: passports, shareholder details, proof of address and a business plan where the activity needs one. Submit through the Meydan portal or via an agent.
Then comes the money and the license. Pay the fees and receive the license, in under 60 minutes on Fawri or within 24 hours on the standard route. Obtain your Establishment Card for about AED 2,000. Process any visas, which covers the allocation slot, an entry permit, status change, medical and Emirates ID through mResidency. Open a corporate bank account with one of 26+ banking partners, usually around five days. Finally, register for corporate tax through EmaraTax, which is mandatory even at the 0% QFZP rate, and for VAT if your turnover passes AED 375,000.
Citation capsule: Meydan Free Zone company setup runs as a nine-step digital process, with the license issued within 24 hours on the standard route or under 60 minutes via the Fawri instant route, and full end-to-end completion in three to seven working days including name reservation (Meydan FZ, 2026). Bank-account opening typically follows in about five days.
How many visas and what office options does Meydan offer?
A Meydan license allows up to 6 visas, but a flexi-desk caps your allocation at 3, and office space scales the quota at roughly one visa per 9 square metres (Meydan FZ, 2026). So if you need more than three visas, you must move from the included flexi-desk to a paid office. Plan the office around the headcount, not the other way round.
Office choices run from the included flexi-desk up to dedicated space. A dedicated desk costs AED 3,500 per month, a shared office AED 15,000 per year, and a dedicated office AED 30,000 per year. Each visa carries its own costs on top: an allocation slot at AED 1,850, processing from AED 3,500 for employment or about AED 4,000 for an investor visa, plus the medical and Emirates ID through mResidency at about AED 2,250.
Citation capsule: A Meydan Free Zone license supports up to six visas, though the included flexi-desk caps the visa allocation at three, with office space granting roughly one visa per nine square metres (Meydan FZ, 2026). Office options range from the included flexi-desk to a dedicated office at AED 30,000 per year.
What does Meydan Free Zone cost in 2026?
A Meydan company costs from AED 12,500 for a license only, but a realistic one-founder setup with one visa lands around AED 18,000 to 24,500 in the first year (Meydan FZ, 2026; DBS, reseller/indicative, 2026). A full six-visa setup runs roughly AED 23,600 to 30,000 and up. Always separate the license-only figure from the all-in cost.
How does Meydan compare with rival Dubai zones on the base license? On a like-for-like license-only, single-activity, no-visa basis, IFZA starts from about AED 12,900 against Meydan's official AED 12,500, though one reseller quotes Meydan from AED 14,500 (Meydan FZ, 2026; DBS, reseller/indicative, 2026). The zones sit close enough that activity fit, visa quota and banking support usually matter more than the base price.
For a full cost model across visas, offices and multi-year discounts, see our breakdown of the cost to set up a company in Dubai in 2026.
Citation capsule: A Meydan Free Zone company costs from AED 12,500 for a license only, while a realistic one-founder, one-visa first year runs roughly AED 18,000 to 24,500 and a six-visa setup AED 23,600 to 30,000 and up (Meydan FZ; DBS reseller/indicative, 2026). The headline figure is license-only and excludes any visa.
How is a Meydan company taxed in 2026?
A Meydan company pays UAE corporate tax of 9% on taxable profit above AED 375,000 and 0% below it, while a Qualifying Free Zone Person can keep a 0% rate on qualifying income (Acclime UAE, citing Federal Decree-Law 47 of 2022, 2026). VAT applies at 5%. Free-zone status reduces tax, but it does not remove the obligation to register.
The QFZP relief is conditional, not automatic. A company must meet five annual conditions to keep the 0% rate on qualifying income, and failing any one of them means it loses the status and pays 9% on all its income (Acclime UAE, 2026). Here is the catch that catches e-commerce and consultancy founders. Income earned from mainland UAE customers is generally non-qualifying, so it is taxed at 9% above the threshold even for a free-zone company.
Registration is mandatory regardless. Every Meydan company must register for corporate tax through EmaraTax, even one sitting at the 0% QFZP rate (UAE Federal Tax Authority, 2026). For the full UAE corporate-tax landscape, see the FTA's corporate tax page. Meydan also offers a dual-license or mainland-access option for founders who expect to sell into the local market.
Citation capsule: A Meydan Free Zone company pays UAE corporate tax of 9% on profit above AED 375,000 and 0% below, while a Qualifying Free Zone Person can retain 0% on qualifying income subject to five annual conditions (Acclime UAE, citing Federal Decree-Law 47 of 2022, 2026). Income from mainland UAE customers is generally non-qualifying and taxed at 9% above the threshold.
Ready to register a Meydan company without the guesswork on visas, banking and tax? Talk to Ancova about your UAE company formation and get a costed plan matched to your activity and headcount.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Meydan free zone licence cost?
A Meydan free zone license starts from AED 12,500 for a license only, with no visa attached (Meydan FZ, 2026). A realistic one-founder, one-visa first year lands around AED 18,000 to 24,500 once you add the visa allocation, processing, establishment card and medical.
How long does Meydan free zone setup take?
A Meydan license can issue in under 60 minutes via the Fawri route or within 24 hours on the standard digital route (Meydan FZ, 2026). Full end-to-end setup, including name reservation and bank-account opening, typically takes three to seven working days.
How many visas can a Meydan company get?
A Meydan license supports up to 6 visas, but the included flexi-desk caps the allocation at 3 (Meydan FZ, 2026). To exceed three visas you must take a paid office, with the quota scaling at roughly one visa per nine square metres.
Does a Meydan company pay corporate tax?
A Meydan company pays 9% corporate tax on profit above AED 375,000 and 0% below it (Acclime UAE, 2026). A Qualifying Free Zone Person can keep 0% on qualifying income, but every company must still register for corporate tax through EmaraTax.
Can a Meydan company sell to the UAE mainland?
Yes, but the income usually loses the 0% free-zone rate. Mainland-customer income is generally non-qualifying for a Qualifying Free Zone Person, so it is taxed at 9% above the AED 375,000 threshold (Acclime UAE, 2026). Meydan offers a dual-license or mainland-access option for this.
What is the verdict on Meydan Free Zone?
Meydan works well for founders who want a digital Dubai company fast, with a recognisable address and a clear visa path up to six people. The base license from AED 12,500 is genuinely competitive, the Fawri route is quick, and 100% foreign ownership is standard. Just read the price for what it is. The headline is license-only, and a working one-person company with a visa realistically costs AED 18,000 to 24,500 in year one.
Match the zone to your plan, not the brochure. If most of your customers sit on the UAE mainland, factor in the 9% tax on that income and consider the dual-license option from the start. To compare Meydan against the alternatives, read our guide to the best free zones in the UAE for 2026 and our pillar on Dubai company formation across mainland, free zone and offshore.
1 Meydan's own pages quote different activity totals (1,500+, 1,800+ for Fawri, 2,500+ for standard). We use the conservative 1,500+ figure; the practical limit is the three activity groups combinable free under one license.
Sources
- Meydan Free Zone, "Meydan Free Zone Company Setup Cost Breakdown," retrieved 2026-06-13, https://www.meydanfz.ae/blog/meydan-free-zone-company-setup-cost-breakdown
- Meydan Free Zone, homepage and license packages, retrieved 2026-06-13, https://www.meydanfz.ae/
- Meydan Free Zone, "UAE Company Formation: Mainland vs Free Zone," retrieved 2026-06-13, https://www.meydanfz.ae/blog/uae-company-formation-mainland-vs-free-zone
- Acclime UAE, "Corporate Tax in UAE Free Zones" (citing Federal Decree-Law 47 of 2022), retrieved 2026-06-13, https://uae.acclime.com/guides/corporate-tax-free-zones/
- UAE Federal Tax Authority, "Corporate Tax," retrieved 2026-06-13, https://tax.gov.ae/en/taxes/corporate.tax.aspx
- DBS, "IFZA vs Meydan Free Zone in 2026: Real Costs, Visa Quotas and Who Should Pick Which" (reseller/indicative), retrieved 2026-06-13, https://aedbs.com/blogs/news/ifza-vs-meydan-free-zone-in-2026-real-costs-visa-quotas-and-who-should-pick-which
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.
