Ajman (ANC)
Ajman
Government fee · plus my fee AED 600AED4,888
+ my feeAED 600
Free zone, where the zone you pick decides the price.
No office needed, faster to issue, and the cheapest way into the UAE. But the same licence costs AED 4,888 in Ajman and AED 23,785 in DMCC. Both numbers shown before you start.
Quote · Free zone
Ajman (ANC), total fromAED 5,488
- Government, you pay the zone
- AED 4,888
- My fee, you pay me
- AED 600
- Typical issue
- 3 to 5 days
The question most people arrive with
Neither one is better. It depends on who you sell to.
Pick if you wantFree zone
- Not neededOffice
- LowerGovernment fee
- FasterTime to licence
Pick if you wantMainland
- Anywhere in the UAEWhere you can trade
- DirectlySelling to UAE customers
- PossibleGovernment contracts
| Side by side | Free zoneThis page | Mainland |
|---|---|---|
| Where you can trade | Inside the zone and abroad | In its favour: Anywhere in the UAE |
| Selling to UAE customers | Through a distributor or branch | In its favour: Directly |
| Government contracts | Not directly | In its favour: Possible |
| Office | In its favour: Not needed | Required, with an Ejari |
| Government fee | In its favour: Lower | Higher |
| Time to licence | In its favour: Faster | 2 to 3 weeks |
| In its favour | 3 of 6 | 3 of 6 |
The zone decides your price
One structure. Six very different bills.
Same company, same licence, same rights. The spread between the cheapest and the most expensive is nearly five times. Here's what each actually costs.
RAKEZ
Ras Al Khaimah
Government fee · plus my fee AED 1,500AED6,000
+ my feeAED 1,500
SHAMS
Sharjah
Government fee · plus my fee AED 1,500AED6,885
+ my feeAED 1,500
Meydan
Dubai
Government fee · plus my fee AED 2,500AED12,520
+ my feeAED 2,500
IFZA
Dubai
Government fee · plus my fee AED 2,500AED12,900
+ my feeAED 2,500
DMCC
Dubai
Government fee · plus my fee AED 4,000AED23,785
+ my feeAED 4,000
Most people don't need the expensive zone. I'll tell you which one actually fits what you're doing, not which one pays me more.
The cost people miss
The licence is the cheap part. The visa isn't.
A free zone licence on its own is genuinely cheap. The moment you want to live here, the number roughly doubles. Meydan, worked through:
Meydan, worked through
- Trade licence
- AED 12,520
- Paid to Meydan
- Government
- My fee
- AED 2,500
- Paid to me
- Fixed
- Immigration card
- AED 2,000
- Paid to the authorities
- Visa
- Visa quota
- AED 1,850
- Paid to the authorities
- Visa
- Visa fee
- AED 3,520
- Paid to the authorities
- Visa
- Change of status
- AED 1,520
- Paid to the authorities
- Visa
- Medical + Emirates ID
- AED 800
- Paid to the authorities
- Visa
- Year one, all in
- AED 24,710
Nobody quotes you the second number upfront. Decide now whether you need the visa, because it changes which zone makes sense.
What the government fee covers
What's in the government fee, and what you pay on top.
Scope of work
Ajman or DMCC
Ajman costs a fifth of DMCC. Here's what the difference buys.
Free zone licenceANC
Ajman
Government fromAED 4,888My fee AED 600
- Gets you
- Cheapest route to a UAE licence and a UAE company.
- Suits
- Fine if you invoice clients abroad, work remotely, or are testing an idea. Some banks are slower with non-Dubai free zone companies.
AED 18,897more government fee for DMCC
Free zone licenceDMCC
DMCC
Government fromAED 23,785My fee AED 4,000
- Gets you
- A Dubai address and a name banks and corporate clients recognise immediately.
- Suits
- Worth it if you are raising money, signing enterprise contracts, or your clients will look you up.
If nobody is going to check your address, don't pay for one.
Who free zone is wrong for
If one of these is you, I'll send you to the mainland page.
- 01Your customers are in the UAE.Restaurants, retail, clinics, anything with walk-ins. You would need a distributor or a branch, which costs more than mainland would have.
- 02You want government contracts.Free zone companies cannot bid directly.
- 03You need a shop, site or warehouse in the city.Free zone premises stay inside the zone.
Free zone still fits if youInvoice clients abroadWork remotelyAre testing an idea
See the mainland pageFive steps
From name to licence in 3 to 5 working days. Visa adds 1 to 2 weeks.
- 01Name and activity approval1 dayI check the trade name and match your activity to the zone's list.
- 02Application and documents1 to 2 daysApplication filed with your documents. You pay the government fee to the zone.
- 03Licence issued2 to 3 daysThe zone issues the trade licence.
- 04Immigration card and visa quota3 to 5 daysOnly if you need a visa. The zone sets up the immigration card and your quota.
- 05Visa, medical, Emirates ID5 to 7 daysResidence visa, medical test and Emirates ID.
TypicalCan run toWorking days
Documents you'll need
Get these ready and the licence moves in days.
A general list. I confirm the exact set for your case before you start.
- 01Passport copyEvery shareholder. Valid for at least six months.
- 02Passport photoWhite background, recent.
- 03Proposed trade namesThree options in order of preference.
- 04Business activityWhat you will do, so I can match it to the zone's activity list.
- 05Visa or entry stampYour current UAE visa, or the entry stamp if you are in the UAE.
- 06Corporate shareholder papersOnly if a company is a shareholder.
Scans or clear phone photos are fine to start.Send me your documents on WhatsApp
Free zone questions
Asked before, by people choosing a free zone.
Why does the same licence cost AED 4,888 in Ajman and AED 23,785 in DMCC?
Each free zone sets its own government fee. What the extra buys in a zone like DMCC is the Dubai address and a name banks and corporate clients recognise. The licence rights are the same. My fee is separate either way.
Can I sell to customers inside the UAE?
Not directly. A free zone company trades inside its zone and abroad. To sell into the UAE you need a distributor or a mainland branch. If most of your customers are here, mainland usually works out cheaper.
Do I need to visit the UAE to set up?
For the licence, usually not. If you want a residence visa, you need to be in the UAE for the medical test and Emirates ID. I confirm the rules for your zone before you apply.
Will a bank open an account for an Ajman free zone company?
Yes, but some banks are slower with non-Dubai free zone companies. I tell you which banks are working with your zone before you choose it.
How many visas does my package allow?
It depends on the zone and the package. Each package comes with a visa quota, and more visas usually need a bigger package or office. I match the package to the number of visas you plan for.
Can I convert a free zone company to mainland later?
Usually not as a straight conversion. The common routes are a mainland branch of your free zone company, or a new mainland company. Some free zones allow a dual licence with DET. I tell you which route applies to your zone.
Rather talk it through
Not sure which zone you need? Tell me what you're doing.
I'll reply personally with the zone, both fees and whether mainland would suit you better.