VERIFIED 2026 · SCENARIO COMPARISON · FORMENZO
Can you own 100% of a company in a UAE free zone?
Yes. Every UAE free zone allows 100% foreign ownership — no local partner or sponsor is required. You also get 0% personal income tax, full repatriation of profits and capital, and a residence visa for the owner. Published company scenarios start from AED 4,888 for a licence-only comparison, or AED 10,800 for a one-visa comparison. Final authority line items are confirmed in writing after review and before payment.
Every figure here is the published 2026 scenario — government/authority fee, our setup service and the residence-visa block — confirmed in writing, with no sales call. See the full Cost Index or the open price dataset (CC-BY).
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By the Formenzo Research Team · compare all 9 zones
What 100% ownership costs at each tier
Full foreign ownership applies at every price point in the 2026 dataset. A licence-only company at Ajman NuVentures Centre is AED 4,888; SRTIP in Sharjah is AED 5,500; Dubai entries run from Meydan at AED 12,500 to DMCC at AED 35,484. In every case the share register can be 100% foreign from day one — no Emirati partner, no nominee, no side agreement. Adding a residence visa changes the price, not the ownership: one visa takes Ajman NuVentures to AED 10,800 and Masdar City to AED 17,500. The visa cost comparison shows each tier.
Who picks this option
Whole-company ownership matters most to overseas consultants invoicing Gulf clients under their own name, e-commerce operators holding brand and stock in a single entity, and founders parking IP or shareholdings where they keep full control. The ranked zone list shows which authority fits which budget.
Two things founders ask
Does 100% ownership depend on nationality? No. Free zones apply identical shareholding rules to every nationality, and the AED figures above do not change with the owner's passport.
Can several foreign shareholders own the company together? Yes — a free-zone company can be split between multiple foreign shareholders in any proportion. Price a multi-shareholder setup with the calculator.
