PUBLISHED 2026 · SCENARIO COMPARISON · FORMENZO

How long is a UAE free-zone licence valid?

A UAE free-zone trade licence is normally valid for one year and renewed annually. Some zones offer multi-year licences of two to five years, often at a discount. Residence visas issued under the licence are usually valid for two years. We confirm the exact term and renewal cost in writing before you commit.

Formenzo publishes real, published 2026 scenario figures, 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 Desk · compare all 9 zones

What renews each year — and what doesn't

A renewal is the annual licence plus the establishment card. Year one's one-off registration and immigration-file fees drop out, and each residence visa renews on its own two-year cycle, so a typical year-2 bill is the licence renewal plus small recurring items (establishment card, e-channel). See how much a renewal costs.

Which zones publish the renewal price

Of the six major zones we checked, only two publish it. Meydan Free Zone states AED 12,500 per year as an annual recurring cost (late fine AED 200/month). DMCC publishes a standard licence renewal of AED 20,265/yr plus an AED 1,825 establishment card. IFZA, SPC, RAKEZ and Masdar City quote renewals individually — RAKEZ emails the quotation about 60 days before expiry. Sources and dates are in our free-zone renewal costs guide.

Two things founders ask

Do visas expire with the licence? No — the licence renews annually while each residence visa keeps its own two-year validity, so budget visa renewals for year 3 rather than year 2.

What if I miss the renewal date? Zones charge late penalties — published examples range from AED 200/month (Meydan) to AED 50/day (RAKEZ) — plus knock-on immigration-file issues.