How much does a Fujairah Free Zone trade license cost?

Budget AED 6,000 to 9,000 for a flexi desk licence with no visas, AED 9,000 to 13,000 once you add one or two visas, and AED 14,000 to 25,000 with a dedicated office. A warehouse or light industrial unit starts around AED 30,000 and is priced per square metre. Renewal runs at roughly 85 to 100% of the year-one licence fee. Always ask for an itemised quote, because the licence fee and the facility fee are charged separately.

How long does Fujairah Free Zone business setup take?

Four to seven working days for the licence itself once your documents are complete. Add one to two weeks after that for the establishment card, entry permit, medical test and Emirates ID before a visa is actually in hand.

How many visas can I get with a Fujairah Free Zone licence?

A flexi desk package carries one to six visas depending on the tier you buy. A dedicated office of 15 to 25 sqm typically gives four to eight, and above that FFZ moves to roughly one visa per 9 sqm of leased space. Note that your own investor visa usually counts as one of the allocation.

What activities are allowed in Fujairah Free Zone?

FFZ licences cover commercial and general trading, professional and consultancy services, industrial manufacturing and processing, logistics and warehousing, and e-commerce. Trading, import-export and storage activities are the most common, given the proximity to the Port of Fujairah. Some regulated activities need an additional approval beyond the trade licence.

How do I check a Fujairah trade license online?

Use the official Fujairah Free Zone portal or the Fujairah Municipality portal and search by trade name or licence number to see the status and registered details. Confirm anything commercially important directly with the registrar rather than relying on a third-party directory.

Is Fujairah cheaper than Dubai for company setup?

Yes, usually. A comparable Dubai free zone licence runs AED 12,500 to 35,000 against AED 6,000 to 16,000 in Fujairah. The trade-off is distance from the Dubai customer base and from Dubai airports, so it suits export, trading and warehousing businesses better than those selling face to face in Dubai.

Is there really free business setup in Fujairah?

No. Authorities charge licence and service fees in every case. Offers advertised as free are normally a discounted first-year package with the cost recovered at renewal, so compare the two-year total rather than the headline figure.

What is the difference between Fujairah Free Zone and FOIZ?

They are separate zones. Fujairah Free Zone (FFZ) is the general-purpose zone for trading, services, light industry and warehousing. Fujairah Oil Industry Zone (FOIZ) is a specialist zone for oil storage, bunkering and petroleum trading, with its own approvals and a much heavier compliance path.

Fujairah Free Zone (FFZ)

A Fujairah Free Zone (FFZ) trade licence typically costs AED 6,000 to 16,000 for year one, and the licence is usually issued in 4 to 7 working days once documents are in. FFZ sits beside the Port of Fujairah on the East Coast, which makes it a practical base for import-export, general trading, warehousing and light industrial work with direct access to Indian Ocean shipping lanes without passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

Starting from: AED 6,000 for year one

Why choose Fujairah Free Zone (FFZ)?

Direct access to the Port of Fujairah, the only UAE port on the Indian Ocean side of the Strait of Hormuz
Among the lower-cost UAE free zones for trading and warehousing licences
Scalable facilities, from a flexi desk through to office and warehouse units
Straightforward KYC and a mostly digital application process
100% foreign ownership, full profit repatriation and no personal income tax

How much does a Fujairah Free Zone (FFZ) licence cost?

A licence here typically runs AED 6,000 - 25,000 for year one. The licence is normally issued in 4 - 7 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.

Only UAE port on the Indian Ocean side of the Strait of Hormuz; trading and storage focus.

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, flexi desk, zero visas	AED 6,000 - 9,000	Cheapest entry point; no residency for anyone
Trade licence, flexi desk, 1-2 visas	AED 9,000 - 13,000	The usual starting package for a small company
Trade licence with dedicated office	AED 14,000 - 25,000	Moves you onto a space-based visa quota
Warehouse or light industrial unit	from AED 30,000	Priced per sqm; Civil Defence approval applies
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
Flexi desk package	1 - 6	Set by the package tier, not the activity
Dedicated office (15 - 25 sqm)	4 - 8	First step up when the flexi desk quota runs out
Warehouse or larger office	about 1 per 9 sqm	Subject to FFZ approving the allocation

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

Licence types available

Commercial / trading licence — buying, selling, importing and exporting goods
Professional / services licence — consultancy and service activities
Industrial licence — manufacturing, processing and assembly
Logistics and warehousing licence — storage, 3PL and distribution
E-commerce licence — online retail and marketplace selling

How to set up, step by step

Choose your activity and reserve the trade name (1 working day)
Submit the application with KYC documents and pay the initial fee (1 working day)
Licence issued and company documents released, then sign the facility lease (2-3 working days)
Open the immigration file and apply for the establishment card (1-2 working days)
Apply for visas, then complete medical and Emirates ID (1-2 weeks after entry)

Documents you need

Passport copy and recent photograph for every shareholder and manager
UAE entry stamp or visa page, if you are already in the country
NOC from your current sponsor, if you hold a UAE residence visa
Two or three preferred trade names
Completed KYC forms and a short business profile
Degree certificate or CV for regulated professional activities

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.