How much does Dubai CommerCity cost?

From roughly AED 20,000 for year one on a licence and small office, rising to AED 60,000 and beyond once warehousing is attached. It sits above the generic low-cost zones, so the question is whether you will use the fulfilment infrastructure. If you will not, you are paying for capability you do not need.

Is Dubai CommerCity worth it for a small online store?

Usually not at the very small end. If you hold no stock, drop-ship, or sell through a marketplace that handles fulfilment, an e-commerce licence from IFZA, Meydan, Ajman or Shams does the same job far more cheaply. CommerCity starts to make sense once you are holding inventory and shipping enough parcels that integrated warehousing saves you real money.

Dubai CommerCity or Dubai South for e-commerce?

CommerCity is purpose-built around parcel-level e-commerce with the retail and digital ecosystem attached. Dubai South is broader logistics built around air cargo and offers cheaper entry packages. If your volume is parcels to consumers, CommerCity. If you move freight at scale or want a lighter licence, Dubai South generally works out better.

Can I sell to customers in the UAE from Dubai CommerCity?

You can ship to UAE customers, but as a free zone company you cannot trade directly into the mainland market without a distributor, agent or branch arrangement. Note too that revenue from mainland UAE customers is generally non-qualifying for corporate tax, so it is taxed at 9% and counts against the de-minimis limit protecting your 0% rate.

Does Dubai CommerCity provide the fulfilment itself?

The zone provides the infrastructure and the logistics ecosystem; you either operate your own warehouse unit or contract a third-party fulfilment provider based there. It is not an automatic turnkey service, so confirm exactly what is included before you budget on the basis of it.

Dubai CommerCity

Dubai CommerCity is the region's first free zone built specifically for e-commerce, organised into business, logistics and social clusters so that offices, warehousing and fulfilment sit together. The proposition is that an online retailer can license, store stock and ship orders from one place. It is priced above the generic low-cost zones, so it earns its keep only if you actually use the fulfilment infrastructure.

Starting from: AED 20,000 - 60,000 for year one

Why choose Dubai CommerCity?

Purpose-built for e-commerce rather than adapted from a general trading zone
Integrated warehousing and fulfilment alongside office space
Three clusters: business offices, logistics units and a social retail zone
Customs and last-mile logistics designed around parcel volume, not containers
Part of the Dubai Integrated Economic Zones group alongside DAFZA and DSO
100% foreign ownership and full profit repatriation

How much does a Dubai CommerCity licence cost?

A licence here typically runs AED 20,000 - 60,000 for year one. The licence is normally issued in 7 - 21 working days once documents are ready, and entry package tiers carry 1 - 6 visas. The low end is a single-activity licence with no staff visas; the high end reflects extra activities, a dedicated office or a higher visa quota.

Purpose-built e-commerce free zone with integrated warehousing and fulfilment.

Estimate. Indicative market range for planning, not confirmed with the authority. Check current figures before you apply.

Indicative year-one cost — reviewed October 2026
Item	Indicative cost	Notes
Trade licence (year one)	AED 20,000 - 60,000	Varies with activity count and facility
Establishment / immigration card	AED 1,200 - 2,000	One-off per company, required before any visa
Investor or partner visa (2 years)	AED 3,500 - 5,500	Includes medical, Emirates ID and status change
Employee visa (2 years)	AED 4,000 - 6,500	Per employee
Annual licence renewal	85 - 100% of year-one fee	Excludes one-off formation items

Indicative ranges for planning, not a quote. Zone packages and government fees change — confirm current figures with the authority before you apply.

How many visas do you get?

Quota follows the facility you take, not the licence itself.

What you lease	Typical visa quota	Notes
Licence only (zero-visa)	0	Trade licence with no residency for anyone
Flexi desk / smart desk	1 - 6	Set by the package tier you buy, not by the activity
Dedicated office (15 - 25 sqm)	4 - 8	First step up when a flexi desk runs out of quota
Larger office or warehouse	about 1 per 9 sqm	Subject to the zone approving the allocation

Full detail, including how to increase your allocation: free zone visa quota explained.

Licence types available

E-commerce licence — online retail, marketplace selling and digital storefronts
Trading licence — import, distribution and resale of goods
Service licence — digital marketing, fulfilment support and related services
Logistics and fulfilment licence — third-party warehousing and order fulfilment

How to set up, step by step

Confirm whether you need fulfilment space or only an e-commerce licence
Reserve the trade name and obtain initial approval
Select the cluster and facility that matches your volume
Pay the licence and facility fees and sign the lease
Set up warehousing and integrate customs and courier arrangements
Open the immigration file, process visas and begin trading

Documents you need

Passport copy and recent photograph for each shareholder
Business activity description and expected order volume
Two or three preferred trade names
Parent company documents, attested, for a branch or subsidiary
Facility requirement specification if taking warehouse space
NOC from your current sponsor if you hold a UAE residence visa

Popular activities

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Last updated: October 2026

General information, not advice. Fees, packages and visa quotas are set by the free zone authority and change without notice — confirm current terms before applying.