Quick Answer: Every cost figure on UAE Free Zone Finder is an indicative estimate built from published free zone authority fee schedules and UAE government sources, cross-checked during our regular guide reviews and always confirmed against a written authority quote before you commit. This page explains exactly where our numbers come from, how often they are refreshed, and what they deliberately exclude.
Last reviewed: October 2026. Reviewed by: UAE Free Zone Finder setup team.
Where Our Cost Figures Come From
We do not operate a free zone and we do not set any authority’s fees. Our estimates are assembled from:
- Free zone authority published fees — official rate cards and package pricing published by each authority (for example DMCC, IFZA, Meydan Free Zone, SHAMS, RAKEZ and SRTIP), which our individual zone guides cite on their Sources sections.
- UAE government and regulatory sources — where a page references federal requirements we prefer UAE government, ministry, tax authority (Federal Tax Authority), immigration authority and Central Bank of the UAE sources, consistent with our content review policy.
- Quote-stage verification — before any client commits, the shortlisted package and its renewal path are re-confirmed in writing with the authority, because promotional packages and fee cycles change during the year.
How Figures Are Presented
- Costs are shown as ranges in UAE dirhams (AED), usually as a first-year total and, where the authority publishes it, an annual renewal figure.
- Where a package includes several components (licence, establishment card, visa allocation, flexi-desk), our 3-year cost examples break the first year down and then apply the published renewal logic for years 2–3.
- Visa figures on our guides typically bundle medical testing, Emirates ID and visa stamping, and we say so on each guide where that applies.
Update Cadence
- Each guide carries its own “Last reviewed” / “Updated” date, so you can see the freshness of the specific figure you are reading.
- Our team re-checks published figures during the regular review cycle and after any announced fee change, package withdrawal or new promotion from an authority.
- Monthly newsroom updates flag material pricing changes across major UAE free zones (see the blog and newsroom posts).
What Our Estimates Exclude
Our headline estimates are deliberately conservative starting points. Unless a guide states otherwise, the following are not included:
- Banking costs — corporate bank minimum-balance deposits (commonly AED 10,000–50,000 at traditional banks), monthly fall-below fees (typically AED 200–250) and trade-finance pricing. See our banking readiness checklist and UAE bank account guide.
- Add-ons beyond the quoted package — extra visa allocations (commonly AED 2,000–3,000 each at zones such as IFZA), activity amendments, office upgrades, warehouses or additional desks.
- Mainland market access arrangements — distributor margins, dual-licence fees or mainland branch costs where you plan to sell directly into the UAE mainland.
- Taxes — UAE Corporate Tax (9% on taxable income above AED 375,000; qualifying free zone income may remain 0%) and VAT registration (mandatory above AED 375,000 of taxable revenue) are separate from setup fees. Small Business Relief may apply under AED 3M revenue.
- Third-party and personal costs — document attestation or translation where not included in a package, medical insurance, and personal living costs.
- Fines and penalties — late renewal, visa overstays or compliance penalties are avoidable and therefore excluded.
How to Use These Estimates
Treat every figure as a planning benchmark, then request a written quote for your exact activity, visa plan and office need. Our advisors shortlist zones against transparent criteria — activity fit, total cost, visa eligibility, office requirements, banking readiness and renewal obligations — and handle the setup end-to-end. Start with a free quote, or cross-check any package on our companion site’s independent cost comparison engine.
All figures are indicative estimates drawn from UAE Free Zone Finder published guides and official free zone authority fee schedules. Authority fees, packages and requirements can change without notice — always confirm your exact quote with the authority before committing. This page is general guidance, not tax or legal advice.