Updated 12.08.2026
Company registration · UAE
Company registration in the UAEfreezone and mainland
We match the company form, zone and licence to your activity, register the business, arrange residence visas and run the banking process. First we calculate the full launch and upkeep budget — then we sign the engagement.
UAE Corporate Kit
Company · Licence · Residence · Banking
- 01Certificate of Incorporation
- 02Trade Licence
- 03Memorandum / Articles
- 04Share Register
- 05Establishment Card
- 06Emirates ID
and 3 more documents
The actual timing, cost and tax treatment depend on the zone, the licence, the activity and the structure of the company. Government fees are paid separately at the regulator tariffs.
Quick selection
Find the right UAE structure
Where will the clients be?
What will the company do?
What do you need?
How many owners?
Reply within one business day
Fit
Who the UAE suits
- Trade and services with Asia, Africa and the Middle East
- IT, consulting and online business with international clients
- The owner needs a residence visa, Emirates ID and a personal account
- You need a neutral hub between Europe and Asia with direct flights
- A holding for assets and shares in other companies
- Clients in the EU and you need an EU VAT number — look at Cyprus or Hungary
- A shelf company with no activity: UAE banks require a real business
- Budget for the first year only: UAE upkeep costs more than classic offshores
- The activity needs a regulator licence you are not prepared to obtain
Company types
What kind of company you can open in the UAE
The legal form, the platform (freezone or mainland) and the licence type are three different things. Below are the forms: what each is, who it suits, the upside and the limitation. Names differ between zones, so the exact wording is fixed once the zone is chosen.
A limited liability company registered in a free zone; several shareholders are allowed, individuals and companies alike.
- For whom
- International trade, IT, consulting, services, e-commerce.
- Advantage
- 100% foreign ownership, a clear procedure, visa quotas tied to the licence and office.
- Limit
- Direct work with the UAE market is restricted: retail and government contracts need mainland or a distributor.
The same free zone company, but with a single shareholder.
- For whom
- A single owner with no partners.
- Advantage
- Simple management and minimal corporate paperwork.
- Limit
- Adding a partner means converting the form — a zone procedure.
A company under emirate jurisdiction; 100% foreign ownership is available for most activities.
- For whom
- Retail, restaurants, clinics, contracting, tenders, government work.
- Advantage
- Access to the domestic market without intermediaries, wider visa quotas.
- Limit
- Stricter office requirements; some activities need approvals or local participation.
The same form is named differently across zones and carries different capital, office and visa requirements. There are no universal rules "for the whole UAE" — we verify against the specific zone.
Comparison
Freezone or mainland
The difference is not status but where the company may operate and what will be required of it. Rules depend on the zone, the emirate and the licence — the frame below is general, details are checked for your case.
| Freezone | Mainland | |
|---|---|---|
| Who it is for | International trade, IT, services, consulting | Working with clients and the public sector inside the UAE |
| UAE market | Direct access restricted: retail via a distributor or a mainland entity | No territorial restrictions |
| International business | The core scenario of a zone | Also available, no restrictions |
| Office | From a flexi-desk to a full office — per zone rules | Usually a physical office with an Ejari contract |
| Visas | Quota tied to the licence and office area | Wider quota, depends on area and activity |
| Bank account | Opened with real activity and clear counterparties | Banks are traditionally more comfortable with mainland |
| Launch cost | Usually lower, depends on zone and visa count | Usually higher because of office and approvals |
| Restrictions | Activities limited to the zone list | Certain activities require authority approvals |
Not sure which to choose? We first review the activity and the banking case, then propose two or three suitable options with a full calculation.
Where to register
How we choose the free zone
There are more than forty free zones in the UAE, and "the cheapest" almost never means "the right one". The zone follows the activity, the bank and the headcount plan — not the other way round.
What we check
- The activity and the specific zone list of activities
- Where clients and counterparties are, and payment currencies
- Whether residence visas are needed, and how many
- Headcount now and in a year
- Office requirements: flexi-desk, room, warehouse
- Expected turnover and the nature of payments
- The banking case: which bank will actually accept the profile
- Economic substance requirements
- First-year cost and later renewals
- The zone reputation with banks and counterparties
A catalogue of forty zones will not help: the order runs from the task to the zone. At the consultation we show two or three options with a calculation and explain why exactly those.
Licensing
The licence follows what the company will actually do
A licence is the permitted list of activities, not the company form. It drives cost, office requirements and the visa quota.
Consulting, services, expertise, bespoke IT development. Office requirements are usually light.
Trade in goods, import and export, distribution. The number of product groups affects the cost.
Online sales and marketplaces. Some zones have dedicated packages for this.
IT products, development, digital and media. Specialist zones keep their own activity lists.
Holding shares and assets without operating activity.
Manufacturing and assembly: a warehouse or premises and sector approvals are required.
What sets the licence
- How many activities are combined in one licence
- Whether the activity is regulated — finance, medicine, education
- Whether approvals from sector authorities are needed
- What office the zone requires for this activity
- How many visas are planned
- The chosen zone and emirate
Prices
Three ways to launch
The packages follow real scenarios. There is no single shop-window price and there cannot be: it is made up of the zone, the licence, the visa count and the office — so we calculate individually and fix the figure before the engagement.
A legal entity for contracts and payments — no relocation
5-10 working days once documents are collected
Included
- Zone and form selected for the activity
- Name check and reservation
- Licence and constitutional documents
- Registered address in the zone for the first year
- Full set of corporate documents
- A compliance calendar for the year ahead
Government fees, paid separately
- Zone registration fee
- Licence cost
- Registered address fee
Not included
- Residence visa
- Bank account — a separate stage
The owner gets residency and an Emirates ID
3-5 weeks
Included
- Everything in "Company"
- Company establishment card
- Owner residence visa
- Medical and biometrics — accompanied on site
- Emirates ID
- Preparation for a personal account
Government fees, paid separately
- Establishment card fees
- Visa fees
- Medical and Emirates ID
Not included
- Staff and family visas — priced per person
A working business: account, books and office from month one
6-10 weeks; the bank sets its own timing
Included
- Everything in "Company + visa"
- Banking profile, filing and interview support
- Family and key staff visas
- Office or flexi-desk matching bank requirements
- Bookkeeping set-up, FTA registration, VAT at the threshold
- A year of support: renewals, resolutions, compliance
Government fees, paid separately
- Zone and visa fees
- Office rent and Ejari where required
- Bank tariffs
Government zone fees, visa charges and bank tariffs appear in the quote as separate lines at official tariffs, without mark-up. The final figure is fixed before the engagement letter is signed.
Estimate
Preliminary estimate
Seven questions about the activity, visas and banking. In return — a preliminary budget range and two or three structure options. The exact quote follows a check of the activity.
A range is a guide, not an offer: the result depends on the zone, the licence and approvals. We do not show an "exact price" that does not exist before the zone is chosen.
Add-ons
Add-ons to any package
Added when the task calls for it — at once or later.
Bookkeeping, FTA registration, corporate tax return, VAT once the threshold is reached.
Where the zone requires it for licence renewal — we pick an auditor from the zone list.
Family and staff: counted against the licence quota and office area.
Retail banking on the residence visa: salary, rent, daily payments.
From a flexi-desk to a room — to match zone, bank and visa quota requirements.
A new shareholder, a change of activity, licence extension, moving to another zone.
Company documents for use outside the UAE.
They do not solve the problem in the UAE: the bank establishes the real beneficiary anyway. Hidden ownership schemes end with a declined account.
Banking
The bank account after incorporation
The account is a separate process with its own rules. A bank looks not at a pretty licence but at whether the business is clear: who pays, for what and where the money comes from. That is why we build the banking logic in before incorporation, not after.
The activity, counterparty countries, expected turnover, source of funds, the owner experience in this field.
The corporate set, passports and CVs of the owners, a business description, contracts or invoices, proof of address.
The zone, licence and office affect the bank decision. Changing them after incorporation costs more than choosing correctly at the start.
Build the banking profile, prepare you for the interview, file with suitable banks and run the correspondence to the result.
Nobody can guarantee an account: the bank decides. We design the structure around bank requirements and support you to the result — and we will say plainly if the profile is difficult.
Tax
Tax: 9% or 0%
Registering in a free zone does not by itself give a zero rate. The rate depends on the requirements the company meets and on the income it earns.
0% on profit up to AED 375,000 and 9% above that — the general rule for UAE companies.
The zero rate applies to qualifying income of a free zone company that meets the conditions, including no ordinary mainland activity. Applicability is checked against your model.
Every company must register with the tax authority and file a return — including those on a zero rate.
The rate is 5%. Registration is mandatory from AED 375,000 of taxable turnover and voluntary from AED 187,500.
Accounting records are mandatory; several zones require an audit for licence renewal.
Real presence matters for relief and for banks: office, staff, management from the UAE.
Rates and thresholds verified against the UAE government portal and the tax authority on 12 August 2026. This is not tax advice: the regime for your structure is assessed separately.
Residence
The company and UAE residence
The residence visa is obtained through the company: first the establishment card, then the status, the medical, biometrics and the Emirates ID.
- 01Company
- 02Establishment Card
- 03Status process
- 04Medical
- 05Biometrics
- 06Emirates ID
- 07Residence
The order and the timing depend on the zone and the type of structure and on the requirements in force at the date of filing. The decision is taken by the UAE authorities.
Documents
What we need from you
The basic set is collected remotely. Part of it depends on the zone, the bank and the activity — we flag that in advance.
- 01Passport valid for at least 6 months
- 02Passport-size photo
- 03Proof of address — a utility bill or bank statement
- 04A short description of the activity and counterparty countries
- 05Owner CV or profile — the bank will ask for it
For the visa additionally: medical and biometrics in the UAE — we accompany you on site.
Annual administration
What we handle every year
A company costs money beyond the opening. We show the cost calendar before the start so there are no surprises a year later.
Annually, at zone tariffs. Delay means fines and frozen visa quotas.
Renewed together with the licence; the area drives the visa quota.
Residence visas are renewed with medical and biometrics.
Records kept through the year — the basis for the return and the audit.
A return is filed even at a zero rate; tax registration is mandatory.
Above the threshold — registration and regular returns.
Required by the rules of several zones for licence renewal.
Periodic bank requests: turnover, contracts, document updates.
Cost of ownership
The cost of the company over three years
A UAE company is not a one-off payment for incorporation: licence renewal, office, accounting and visas repeat every year. We count ownership, not entry.
- Incorporation and licence
- Registered address or office
- Establishment card and visas
- Accounting setup and tax registration
- Banking profile preparation
- Licence renewal
- Registered address or office
- Accounting and reporting
- Corporate tax and VAT where applicable
- Audit where required
- Visa renewals as they fall due
- Licence renewal
- Registered address or office
- Accounting and reporting
- Corporate tax and VAT where applicable
- Audit where required
- KYC refresh at the bank
What falls into each year depends on the zone, the licence, the number of visas and the bank requirements. The three-year calculation comes together with the incorporation quote — before the engagement.
Process
How the work runs
Timing is split by responsibility: what depends on us, what on the authorities and what on the bank. Nobody guarantees the banking timeline — and neither will we.
Activity, visas, bank, upkeep budget. We propose two or three options with a calculation.
One meetingScope and total are fixed. Government fees are a separate line at zone tariffs.
1-2 daysWe assemble the set and pass the zone review. Fully remote.
3-5 daysFiling with the zone, licence and constitutional documents issued.
5-10 daysEstablishment card, entry, medical, biometrics, resident card.
2-4 weeksProfile, filing, interview, account opening and payment set-up.
The bank sets the timingThe outcome is not "the company is registered" but a working structure: licence and corporate documents, visas and Emirates ID where needed, an account with payments set up, bookkeeping and a compliance calendar for the year ahead.
Scenarios
A UAE company for a specific task
The structure follows the activity and the banking task, not the name of a zone.
BusinessDevelopment and subscriptions for clients outside the UAE.
DirectionA free zone for IT activity with the required visa quota.
LicenceTechnology / Media or professional — by the actual activity.
BankingThe profile is built on customer contracts and payment providers.
BusinessServices to companies in several countries, payment by invoice.
DirectionA free zone with a professional licence and an office that suits the bank.
LicenceProfessional / Consulting.
BankingThe bank looks at the owner profile, the clients and the turnover.
BusinessSales through marketplaces and own platforms.
DirectionA free zone with an e-commerce licence, or mainland when selling inside the UAE.
LicenceE-commerce; commercial with product codes where goods are imported.
BankingPayment gateways and a clear supply chain are required.
BusinessSupplies between regions, settlements in several currencies.
DirectionA free zone with a trading licence, or mainland for sales inside the UAE.
LicenceCommercial / Trading with the list of product groups.
BankingThe bank checks counterparties, routes and the origin of funds.
No scenario assigns a zone automatically: the actual zone and licence are checked against the regulator requirements in force at the date of filing.
Why BRIDGES
Who runs the incorporation and what we answer for
The difference shows in the order of work, not in promises.
We review the activity, counterparties and banking logic — and only then name a zone. The reverse order leads to transfers and wasted money.
We show alternatives with calculations and explain the difference, so the decision is yours.
We count not only the launch but years of upkeep: renewal, visas, bookkeeping, audit.
The profile is prepared in advance, not after a refusal. If the profile is difficult, we say so straight away.
Renewals, licence changes, reporting and compliance continue with us — the company is not left unattended.
No guaranteed accounts, no nominee ownership, no zero tax for everyone. Those promises cost the client the most.
FAQ
Questions and answers
A freezone suits international activity: simpler and cheaper. Mainland is for clients inside the UAE, retail or public sector work. The choice follows a review of the activity and the banking case.
There is no single price: it is made of the zone, the licence, the visa count and the office. We calculate individually and fix the total before the engagement, showing government fees as a separate line.
In a free zone usually 5-10 working days once documents are collected. With visas — 3-5 weeks. A bank account adds its own timeline, set by the bank.
Yes, incorporation is remote. Travel is needed for the visa: the medical and biometrics take place in the UAE.
Yes, the company is a basis for the owner visa, as well as staff and family — within the quota tied to the licence and office.
Yes. The visa is a separate stage and the company works without it. A personal account and some everyday services are harder without one.
Corporate tax: 0% on profit up to AED 375,000 and 9% above. Qualifying income of free zone companies enjoys a zero rate where the conditions are met.
When a free zone company meets the requirements and earns qualifying income without ordinary mainland activity. It is assessed against the actual business model, not granted automatically on registration.
Calculation
Get the structure and the full budget before you register
Tell us what the company will do, where the clients are, whether residence visas and a corporate account are needed. We will compare suitable freezone and mainland options, verify the licence and the banking logic, and prepare a launch and upkeep calculation.
The structure, budget and scope are fixed after the business and the owners are reviewed. Account opening and registration decisions are taken by banks and state authorities.