How much does a Dubai Silicon Oasis licence cost?

From around AED 13,500 for year one on an entry package, rising to roughly AED 35,000 with a dedicated office. That places it below DMCC and DIFC while keeping a recognised Dubai address, which is the main reason technology companies choose it over the cheaper northern zones.

Dubai Technology Entrepreneur Campus, the startup hub inside Dubai Silicon Oasis. It provides coworking desks, private offices, incubation programmes and access to investors and events. For an early-stage technology company it is the practical difference between a licence and an actual working environment with a community around it.

Is DSO cheaper than IFZA or Meydan?

They are broadly comparable at entry level, with DSO typically slightly higher. What DSO adds is the physical tech community and Dtec, which IFZA and Meydan do not have. If you need nothing but a licence, the cheaper zones win. If you want desks, peers and an ecosystem, DSO earns the difference.

Can I get a freelance permit in Dubai Silicon Oasis?

Yes, for individual technology professionals working under their own name rather than a company. It is a cheaper route than full company formation and still provides a residence visa, though it limits you to practising personally rather than building a team.

Does DSO suit non-technology businesses?

It can license trading, e-commerce and general services, but the ecosystem, community and positioning are built around technology. A non-tech business gets the licence without the benefit that justifies the price over a low-cost zone, so there is usually a better-matched option elsewhere.

Dubai Silicon Oasis (DSO)

Dubai Silicon Oasis is a technology park that combines a free zone with a residential and commercial community, and it houses Dtec, one of the larger startup campuses in the region. It is a sensible middle option: cheaper than the prime Dubai zones, with real coworking and incubation infrastructure that the low-cost northern zones cannot match. It is now administered within the Dubai Integrated Economic Zones group alongside DAFZA and Dubai CommerCity.

Starting from: AED 13,500 - 35,000 for year one

Why choose Dubai Silicon Oasis (DSO)?

Established technology park with a genuine startup and developer community
Dtec campus offers coworking, incubation and investor access
Cheaper than DIFC or DMCC while keeping a recognised Dubai address
Licence-only and coworking packages for companies with no office requirement
Mixed-use community, so staff can live where they work
Part of the Dubai Integrated Economic Zones group

How much does a Dubai Silicon Oasis (DSO) licence cost?

A licence here typically runs AED 13,500 - 35,000 for year one. The licence is normally issued in 5 - 15 working days once documents are ready, and entry package tiers carry 0 - 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.

Tech park with startup incubation; now administered within the DIEZ group.

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 13,500 - 35,000	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

Service licence — IT consultancy, software development and digital services
Trading licence — electronics, hardware and technology products
Industrial licence — light electronics assembly and manufacturing
E-commerce licence — online retail and digital platforms
Freelance permit — individual technology professionals working under their own name

How to set up, step by step

Choose the package: licence only, Dtec coworking, or a dedicated office
Reserve the trade name and obtain initial approval
Submit the application with passport copies and activity description
Pay the licence and facility fees and sign the agreement
Open the immigration file and collect the establishment card
Apply for visas, complete medical and Emirates ID, then begin operating

Documents you need

Passport copy and recent photograph for each shareholder
UAE entry stamp or visa page, if already in the country
Two or three preferred trade names
Business activity description and short company profile
Degree certificate or CV for regulated professional activities
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.