Consulting0vSRTIP 5,500QUOTEStarter package · licence-only14m ago
IT / SaaS2vIFZA 23,400LICENCELicence issued · day 447m ago
Trading1vRAKEZ 10,500REROUTEDWio declined → Mashreq routed1h 12m ago
Consulting0vDIFC 5,500BANKINGCBI pack routed · KYC2h agoE-commerce0vSHAMS 5,750LICENCEMedia package · 4h express2h 44m ago
General Trading3vRAKEZ 18,500QUOTE3 visas bundled · Portal 3603h ago
Consulting1vIFZA 16,700REROUTEDRAKBANK declined → HSBC pending3h 18m agoFreelance1vAFZ 10,800BANKINGADCB pack ready · KYC4h ago
Marketing0vSPC 5,750LICENCE24-hour express issue5h ago
Fintech0vADGM 44,000QUOTERegLab application opened6h agoConsulting0vSRTIP 5,500BANKINGWio checklist ready8h ago
Freelance1vUAQ 11,000LICENCEUAQ START · day 29h ago
Trading2vANCFZ 15,200QUOTEUpgraded from zero-visa package11h agoCrypto / Web30vDMCC 31,000LICENCEVARA sandbox licence · day 813h agoIT / SaaS2vIFZA 23,400EIDEID issued · founder + partner14h ago
Marketing0vSHAMS 5,750QUOTEInstallment · 12 × 57316h ago
Consulting1vSRTIP 9,690LICENCEStarter · day 518h agoGeneral Trading4vDMCC 51,684REROUTEDWio declined → Mashreq routed20h ago
Consulting0vDIFC 5,500BANKINGEmirates NBD pack readyyesterdayE-commerce1vANCFZ 10,800LICENCE15-min registration · same-dayyesterdayLogistics3vJAFZA 25,000QUOTEFZE Type 1 + warehouse leaseyesterday
Consulting0vIFZA 12,200BANKINGMashreq pack routed2d agoIndustrial4vKIZAD 145,000LICENCEIndustrial + 2,000 sqm plot2d agoInnovation0vInnovation City 6,600LICENCEIdea package · on-chain issuejust nowConsulting0vSRTIP 5,500QUOTEStarter package · licence-only14m agoIT / SaaS2vIFZA 23,400LICENCELicence issued · day 447m agoTrading1vRAKEZ 10,500REROUTEDWio declined → Mashreq routed1h 12m agoConsulting0vDIFC 5,500BANKINGCBI pack routed · KYC2h agoE-commerce0vSHAMS 5,750LICENCEMedia package · 4h express2h 44m agoGeneral Trading3vRAKEZ 18,500QUOTE3 visas bundled · Portal 3603h agoConsulting1vIFZA 16,700REROUTEDRAKBANK declined → HSBC pending3h 18m agoFreelance1vAFZ 10,800BANKINGADCB pack ready · KYC4h agoMarketing0vSPC 5,750LICENCE24-hour express issue5h agoFintech0vADGM 44,000QUOTERegLab application opened6h agoConsulting0vSRTIP 5,500BANKINGWio checklist ready8h agoFreelance1vUAQ 11,000LICENCEUAQ START · day 29h agoTrading2vANCFZ 15,200QUOTEUpgraded from zero-visa package11h agoCrypto / Web30vDMCC 31,000LICENCEVARA sandbox licence · day 813h agoIT / SaaS2vIFZA 23,400EIDEID issued · founder + partner14h agoMarketing0vSHAMS 5,750QUOTEInstallment · 12 × 57316h agoConsulting1vSRTIP 9,690LICENCEStarter · day 518h agoGeneral Trading4vDMCC 51,684REROUTEDWio declined → Mashreq routed20h agoConsulting0vDIFC 5,500BANKINGEmirates NBD pack readyyesterdayE-commerce1vANCFZ 10,800LICENCE15-min registration · same-dayyesterdayLogistics3vJAFZA 25,000QUOTEFZE Type 1 + warehouse leaseyesterdayConsulting0vIFZA 12,200BANKINGMashreq pack routed2d agoIndustrial4vKIZAD 145,000LICENCEIndustrial + 2,000 sqm plot2d agoInnovation0vInnovation City 6,600LICENCEIdea package · on-chain issuePricing · Updated 2026-05-13 - The True Cost of UAE Company Formation (2026)
Every UAE formation provider quotes a single AED number on their homepage. It covers maybe 60% of what you actually pay in year 1. The other 40% lives in 12 line items that providers either bury in the fine print, charge as add-ons, or skip entirely until you ask. This piece names every line item with a real dirham range, so you can budget honestly before you sign.
Balmiki Kumar · Founder · 10 years UAE corporate services
Last updated · Reviewed against 2026 UAE regulations
The 12-line view
The table below is universal across UAE free zones — every line item applies to every formation route, even if some zones bundle line items together into a single quote line. Ranges are 2026 channel-partner figures sourced from IFZA, Meydan, DMCC, DIFC, JAFZA, SHAMS, RAKEZ, SRTIP, and ANCFZ published rate cards plus the GDRFA + ICA + DHA public fee schedules.
| Line item | Who charges | AED range |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Free Zone trade licence (year 1) | Free Zone authority | AED 2,500 – 35,484 |
| 2. Establishment Card | GDRFA / authority | AED 1,650 – 2,200 |
| 3. Investor visa (entry permit + change of status) | GDRFA | AED 1,200 – 2,800 |
| 4. Medical fitness test | DHA / SEHA | AED 320 – 750 |
| 5. Emirates ID | ICA | AED 370 – 1,070 |
| 6. Banking introduction + KYC pack prep | Service provider | AED 1,500 – 5,000 |
| 7. Trade name reservation | Free Zone authority | AED 250 – 600 |
| 8. Document attestation (overseas docs) | Embassies + MOFA | AED 500 – 3,000 |
| 9. NOC (when required) | Sponsor employer | AED 0 – 2,000 |
| 10. Share capital (paid up vs declared) | Bank (if paid-up) | AED 0 – 50,000+ |
| 11. Year-2 renewal (annual cost) | Free Zone + GDRFA | AED 5,000 – 32,000 |
| 12. Exit / liquidation cost | Free Zone authority | AED 1,500 – 8,000 |
Ranges reflect 2026 channel-partner observations and public authority rate cards. Update cycle: every 6 months.
Line by line
What each line item covers, why it varies, and how to keep it from blowing up your year-1 total.
1. Free Zone trade licence (year 1)
Free Zone authority · AED 2,500 – 35,484
The headline number everyone quotes. FFZA AED 2,500 (zero-visa, restricted activity) at the floor; DMCC AED 35,484 at the prestige end. IFZA AED 12,200 and Meydan AED 12,500 are the Dubai-address mid-market.
2. Establishment Card
GDRFA / authority · AED 1,650 – 2,200
Required before any visa application. One per company. Some zones bundle this into the licence quote (read the small print); most charge separately. Valid 1 year, renews with the licence.
3. Investor visa (entry permit + change of status)
GDRFA · AED 1,200 – 2,800
Per visa. Standard 2-year residency for the company shareholder/manager. Cost varies by application path (in-country change of status vs out-of-country entry permit).
4. Medical fitness test
DHA / SEHA · AED 320 – 750
Per applicant. Mandatory for residence visa. Standard test ~AED 320; VIP/express test up to AED 750. Done at any DHA-licensed centre across the UAE.
5. Emirates ID
ICA · AED 370 – 1,070
Per applicant. 2-year EID ~AED 370 government fee + typing centre fee. 3-year EID ~AED 1,070. Biometrics in-person, one-time per renewal cycle.
6. Banking introduction + KYC pack prep
Service provider · AED 1,500 – 5,000
The service-provider step that opens the most doors. Includes pre-screening 2–3 banks against your nationality + activity profile, building the KYC pack, repackaging if declined. Formenzo bundles this into the standard service fee; many provider quotes treat it as a paid add-on.
7. Trade name reservation
Free Zone authority · AED 250 – 600
First-line check before licence application. Most zones fold this into the licence fee; some charge separately. Re-submission fee if the name fails (~AED 100).
8. Document attestation (overseas docs)
Embassies + MOFA · AED 500 – 3,000
If you're using degree certificates, marriage certificates, prior corporate documents from outside the UAE — each needs attestation at the home-country embassy plus the UAE MOFA. AED 500–800 per document. Compounding fast if your file has multiple originals.
9. NOC (when required)
Sponsor employer · AED 0 – 2,000
If you currently hold a UAE residency under a different sponsor (employer or family), a No-Objection Certificate is required. Many sponsors charge AED 1,500–2,000 to issue. Skipping the NOC step is the #1 reason a visa application gets returned in week 2.
10. Share capital (paid up vs declared)
Bank (if paid-up) · AED 0 – 50,000+
Most UAE free zones accept DECLARED share capital — no cash deposit required. A few (DIFC, ADGM, JAFZA premium tracks) require PAID-UP capital deposited into a UAE corporate account before licence issuance. Confirm before signing — accidentally picking a paid-up-capital zone surprises a lot of founders.
11. Year-2 renewal (annual cost)
Free Zone + GDRFA · AED 5,000 – 32,000
Roughly 85–90% of year-1 government fees + the service-provider renewal. Renewal is the line item providers DON'T put in the year-1 quote, and the line where surprise bills hit at month 11. Budget it from the start.
12. Exit / liquidation cost
Free Zone authority · AED 1,500 – 8,000
If you ever wind down the company, the exit isn't free. Free zones charge a deregistration fee plus advertising costs (gazette notice for creditor claims). Worth knowing on day one — keeps the year-3 decision honest if the business doesn't pan out.
How to stop hidden costs from biting you
1. Ask for an itemised quote, not a bundled number. If a provider can't separate the authority fee from their service fee from the visa-and-EID stack, the bundle is hiding markup somewhere. Every legitimate provider should be able to show you each line.
2. Get the year-2 number on day one. The renewal is the most-forgotten line item. A quote without it is incomplete. Year-2 is roughly 85–90% of year-1 government fees plus the service-provider renewal fee.
3. Confirm declared vs paid-up capital. Almost every free zone accepts declared capital. The few that require paid-up (DIFC, ADGM regulated, JAFZA premium trading) need a cash deposit before licence issuance — know which zone you're in before you wire.
4. Audit attestation needs before quoting. If your origin documents need home-country embassy + UAE MOFA attestation, that compounds fast. Three documents × AED 800 each = AED 2,400 nobody mentioned in the headline quote.
5. Confirm the NOC step early. If you currently hold a UAE residency under an employer or family sponsor, you need their No-Objection Certificate before applying for the investor visa. Sponsors often charge AED 1,500–2,000 and can take 2–3 weeks. Plan ahead.
FAQ
What's the realistic total cost of UAE company formation in 2026?
For a typical UAE free-zone setup with one investor visa, banking intro, and standard documentation, expect AED 18,000–30,000 all-in for year 1 across IFZA, Meydan, SHAMS, RAKEZ. Premium zones (DMCC, DIFC, JAFZA) run AED 40,000–60,000+. Year-2 renewal drops to AED 12,000–20,000 for mid-market zones. This includes all 12 line items in the table — not just the headline licence fee.
Why does every UAE formation provider's quote look different?
Three reasons: (1) some bundle establishment card + visa + medical + EID into one number, others itemise; (2) some quote the zone's published rate, others mark it up 15–30%; (3) some quote a year-1 number while excluding banking-intro work and year-2 renewal, which together can add AED 5,000–10,000 you didn't see coming. The Formenzo quote always itemises every line — read /pricing for the live calculator.
Which UAE free zone has the lowest true cost over 3 years?
Over a 3-year horizon (year 1 setup + year 2 + year 3 renewals + one investor visa), the lowest all-in totals as of 2026: FFZA roughly AED 18,000, ANCFZ AED 25,000, SRTIP/UAQ AED 28,000, SHAMS AED 30,000. IFZA lands at AED 42,000, Meydan AED 44,000, DMCC AED 120,000+. The cheapest year-1 zone isn't always the cheapest 3-year-total zone — renewal economics shift the answer.
Do I need to deposit share capital in a UAE corporate bank?
Almost never. UAE free zones overwhelmingly accept DECLARED share capital — no cash deposit required before licence issuance. The exceptions: DIFC, ADGM (for certain regulated activities), and JAFZA premium tracks for trading licences. Most founders pick a zone with declared capital so the bank step can wait until after the licence is in hand.
What's the cost of UAE company formation if I don't need a visa?
Without a visa, year 1 drops dramatically. FFZA zero-visa packages start at AED 2,500. SHAMS, SRTIP, UAQ FTZ zero-visa packages run AED 5,500–6,000. The savings come from skipping the establishment card (AED 1,650–2,200) + visa (AED 1,200–2,800) + medical (AED 320–750) + EID (AED 370–1,070). Realistic year-1 all-in for a zero-visa licence: AED 4,000–8,000.
What are the hidden costs that most providers don't mention?
Six commonly hidden line items: (1) document attestation if your origin docs are non-UAE (AED 500–3,000 compound); (2) NOC fee from current sponsor if you already live in the UAE (AED 0–2,000); (3) banking-intro work as a separate line (AED 1,500–5,000); (4) year-2 renewal economics not in the year-1 quote; (5) name-reservation re-submission fees on first-choice declines; (6) exit/liquidation costs if you ever wind the company down (AED 1,500–8,000). The /pricing calculator at Formenzo includes all of these.
Related reading
Deeper into UAE formation cost + banking
- → Live UAE free zone pricing calculator (2026)
- → Cheapest UAE free zones (from AED 2,500)
- → UAE bank approval rates by nationality (2026)
- → UAE business banking readiness primer
- → Compare UAE banks by passport
- → The 4-phase UAE formation process
- → Compare 11 verified UAE free zones
- → UAE company formation documents required
- → UAE formation timeline (5-day to 60-day routes)
- → All Formenzo guides