Starting a business in a free zone

This page provides information about the key steps to set up a business in a free zone from determining the type of legal entity and choosing a trade name.
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Authorities regulating free zone activities

Refer to the websites of free zones and the authorities in:

Abu Dhabi

 

Dubai

 

Sharjah

 

Ajman

 

Umm Al Quwain

 

Ras Al Khaimah

Fujairah


Key steps to start a business

Start by selecting the sector in which you would like to do business and then select the free zone where you would like to establish the business.

 

Free zones Gateway provides a feature to compare the provisions and facilities of free zones in Dubai. For example, if you want to start a business in the science sector or energy, you can use the feature to see which free zones allow/support that. You can also see which free zones offer facilities such as warehousing and plots of land.

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You can use the maps feature to filter by sector and see the locations of related free zones in Dubai.

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DMCC covers JLT and Uptown Dubai, and permits setting up businesses in the sectors of:

  • agro
  • tea
  • coffee
  • gold
  • diamonds
  • lab-grown diamonds
  • coloured gemstones
  • energy
  • water
  • tech
  • gaming
  • crypto
  • AI
  • eCommerce
  • financial services and many more.

 

Creative Media Authority in Abu Dhabi, offers licences in business activities relating to general media, gaming and eSports, and broadcast and publishing.

 

Determine the type of legal entity

Determine the type of legal entity your business would take up. In a free zone, you can set up one of the following types of companies:

  • Private Limited Liability Company (LLC)
  • Free Zone Company (FZ Co.)
  • Free Zone Establishment (FZE)
  • Public Limited Liability Company (PJSC)
  • branch of a local or international company.

 

The differences lie in the number of shareholders and whether the shareholder is a natural person or a legal person. All free zones might not register all types of companies. You need to check with individual free zone authorities about the type of company they can register.

 

Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC) allows establishing a 'family office'. These have the standard FZ LLC structure. They can provide services to a family member, family business, family entity (corporate structure) or a Company Limited by Guarantee (CLG). It can be owned by one or more individuals or a corporate entity where all shareholders are of the same family.

 

Setting up costs

DMCC offers a business setup wizard to help you find your ideal package tailored to your specific licensing requirements. You can apply, pay and even sign documents online through the DMCC portal, and then select the office solution that best fits your needs.

 

Invest in Dubai website provides a fair idea of the costs involved in setting up a business in the various free zones in Dubai.

 

Choose a trade name

While you are deciding upon the type of legal entity your business should take, you should choose a trade name.

 

In most cases, you should check either with the respective free zone authority or the respective with the Department of Economic Development about the permitted trade names and whether the intended name has already been registered.

 

Refer to DMCC's list of restricted trade names (PDF, 207 KB).

 

In general, for DED to approve the proposed trade name, the key requirements are that the trade name:

  • must not violate the public morals or the public order of the country
  • must be followed by the legal form of the company, for example (LLC, FZE, DMCC etc.)
  • has not been previously registered
  • is compatible with the required type of activity and legal status
  • should not contain names of any religion, or governing authority, nor names or logos of any external bodies.

 

Related links:

 

Apply for a business licence

You can apply online through the website of the respective free zone authority for a business licence. In most cases, you will have to provide basic company information and upload your documents. After review and approval, you will get a licence within 14 working days.

 

Resources

Find on the website of CMA:

  • Regulatory framework
  • Guidance and criteria
  • Federal laws.

Special cases

Apart from the respective free zone authorities, certain industries/sectors of businesses are additionally governed by other government entities. Some of them are mentioned below.

 

Media

The following entities govern media organisations in the UAE:

 

Food and beverage

The following entities govern food and beverage businesses in the UAE:

Updated on:

15 Apr 2026

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