Sharjah Free Zones

Sharjah offers affordable, business-friendly free zones spanning media, services, trading, and heavy industry. This guide covers license types, realistic setup costs, visa options, timelines, and which zone fits your activity.

Already licensed here? See Sharjah free zone licence renewal for how SAIF, Hamriyah, Shams and SPC differ at renewal.

Why choose Sharjah free zones

Competitive license pricing and flexible visa allocations
Media and services hubs (SHAMS, SPC Free Zone) plus industrial capacity (HFZA, SAIF)
Fast, mostly digital processes with simple documentation
Strategic location between Dubai and Northern Emirates
Banking familiarity and growing creative ecosystem

Typical setup costs

Trade / Professional License (from)

AED 5,500–12,500+

Establishment Card / Immigration services

AED 650–1,000

Visa (govt. fees per visa, approx.)

AED 3,800–5,500

Health check + Emirates ID (per person)

AED 1,200–1,600

Setup process & timeline

Name reservation & initial approval (1–3 working days)
License issuance & company documents (2–5 working days)
Establishment card / immigration setup (1–2 working days)
E-visa, medical test, Emirates ID (about 1–2 weeks after entry)

Required documents

Passport copy and recent photo
UAE entry stamp or e-visa (if applicable)
Proposed activities and company name options
CV/degree for regulated activities (if required by zone)
Desk/office agreement if higher visa quota is needed

Sharjah free zone licence cost compared

Cheapest entry licence first, so you can see which zone fits before reading the detail.

Entry licence is year one, cheapest package, excluding visas and office.
Free zone	Entry licence	Visas	Setup time	Best suited to
Shams	AED 6,000 - 18,000	0 - 6	1 - 5 working days	media, creative, services
SPC	AED 6,500 - 20,000	0 - 20	1 - 5 working days	services, ecommerce, publishing
SRTIP	AED 10,000 - 30,000	1 - 6	7 - 20 working days	r&d, technology, industry 4.0
SAIF	AED 10,500 - 30,000	1 - 6	5 - 15 working days	trading, light industrial, logistics
HFZA	AED 10,500 - 35,000	1 - 6	7 - 20 working days	industrial, manufacturing, oil & gas

Indicative ranges for planning, not quotes, and not confirmed with the authorities. The licence fee and the office fee are charged separately — ask for an itemised quote, and compare the two-year total, because renewal is typically 85 to 100% of the year-one fee.