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Middle East · FZ-LLC / LLC

Cost to register a company in United Arab Emirates

UAE cost is the opposite of a fixed government fee: it is a bundled annual package whose size you partly choose. There is no flat incorporation charge and no minimum capital to deposit, but the free-zone package (trade license + registration + a flexi-desk address) runs roughly AED 12,500–30,000+ in year one depending on the zone, the number of activities and how many residence visas you take. Layer on visa costs (~AED 3,800–4,800 each), corporate-tax registration (free, but accounting and possibly an audit are not), and the recurring license renewal — which is comparable to the first-year package. The headline 'cheap to start' is true; the 'cheap to maintain' part has eroded since the corporate-tax regime arrived.

United Arab Emirates overview How we research
Country
United Arab Emirates
Topic
Cost breakdown
Reviewed
June 2026

By the Lanzamo Editorial Team · Reviewed June 2026 · How we research

Item One-time Recurring Notes
Free-zone license + registration package $3,400–$8,200 $2,700–$6,000 ~AED 12,500–30,000+ first year (Meydan/IFZA at the low end, DMCC and premium zones higher). Renewal is broadly similar, often a little lower.
Flexi-desk / registered office — Included A flexi-desk or smart-office address is bundled into most free-zone packages; a physical office is extra and only needed for more visa quota or onshore activity.
Residence visa (per person) $1,000–$1,400 Renews ~2–3 yrs ~AED 3,800–4,800 each: entry permit, medical, Emirates ID and stamping. Optional to incorporate, but most non-residents take at least one for banking.
Establishment / immigration card $300–$500 Annual Required before the company can sponsor any residence visa; renews with the license cycle.
Notary / attestation (if used) $0–$400 — Many zones accept e-signature/video KYC with no notary; some require notarised/attested passport copies or a notarised power of attorney if a local agent signs for you.
Resident director / local partner — — Not required — free zones never needed one and the mainland dropped it for most activities in 2021, so there is no nominee/sponsor cost.
Corporate-tax registration (FTA) $0 — Registration on EmaraTax is free and mandatory for every company; the cost is the accountant's time, not a government fee. Late registration penalty is AED 10,000.
Accounting / bookkeeping + corporate-tax return — $1,200–$4,000 Required record-keeping plus the annual corporate-tax return; cost scales with transaction volume and whether VAT returns are also filed.
Audit (if claiming QFZP 0%) — $1,500–$5,000 Audited financial statements are a condition of keeping the free-zone 0% rate; skip only if you accept the 9% regime or qualify for Small Business Relief.
VAT registration & returns $0 $0–$2,000 Registration on EmaraTax is free; ongoing cost is the accountant's fee for periodic VAT returns, only if you must or choose to register.

Realistic all-in first year

$4,000 – $16,000

Year one is the heaviest because it stacks the license package, the first visa and the establishment card. From year two the picture is mainly the license renewal (~$2,700–$6,000), visa renewals on their own cycle, and ongoing accounting (~$1,200–$4,000), plus an audit (~$1,500–$5,000) if you are pursuing the QFZP 0%. A lean single-shareholder IFZA/Meydan company that takes one visa and skips the audit might run ~$4,000–$7,000/yr ongoing; a DMCC company with multiple visas and an audit can run $12,000–$20,000+/yr. Over three years, budget roughly $14,000 at the very lean end to $50,000+ for a multi-visa, audited DMCC setup.

Frequently asked questions

What's the cheapest way for a non-resident to set up in the UAE?

A single-shareholder Free Zone Establishment in a low-cost general zone like IFZA or Meydan, with no residence visa, on a basic activity. That can start from roughly AED 12,500 (~$3,400) for the license package, with the flexi-desk address bundled in. But going visa-free limits banking, so most non-residents add at least one residence visa (~AED 3,800–4,800) — and once you trade, accounting becomes a real recurring cost.

Is there any minimum capital I must deposit?

No fixed statutory minimum for most free-zone FZ-LLCs/FZEs. Share capital is nominal and generally does not need to be paid into a blocked account before incorporation — a real advantage over jurisdictions like Germany (€25,000 GmbH). Some specific activities or zones may set a notional capital figure, but it is rarely cash you must wire up front.

Why is the cost a range instead of a fixed fee?

Because there is no national registry fee — each free zone (or the emirate's DED/DET) prices its own bundled package, and the total depends on the zone, the number of activities on the license, how many residence visas you take, and whether you need a physical office. Two non-residents forming 'the same' company can pay very different amounts depending on those choices, which is why you should compare zones, not just look for one number.

What recurring costs catch people out?

Three things. First, the license renews annually at a cost similar to year one — it is not a one-time setup fee. Second, the corporate-tax regime now means mandatory accounting and a return, plus an audit if you want to keep the free-zone 0% rate. Third, traditional bank accounts can carry monthly fees if you dip below the minimum balance. None of these existed in the old 'set and forget' UAE.

Sources

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