Thinking of setting up in Jebel Ali Free Zone (JAFZA)? It is one of Dubai's best-known free zones for companies that move, store, make or sell physical goods, and it also works for service businesses. Below you will find the government fees in one table, a plain comparison of the legal structures, and the extra costs that catch new owners off guard.
The fees below were taken from the official JAFZA cost calculator in October 2026. JAFZA can change its fee schedule at any time, so treat the figures as a guide and ask us to confirm the current numbers before you commit.
JAFZA surrounds Jebel Ali Port and sits close to Al Maktoum International Airport, so it suits businesses where shipping time and handling cost matter. In our experience the zone attracts trading houses, distributors, factories and freight companies, mostly because they can rent storage and office space within the same gate.
A free zone licence also gives you full foreign ownership, and the zone offers offices, warehouses and other facilities on lease. The licence is designed for operating from inside the zone and dealing with customers abroad. Selling to buyers inside the UAE needs a separate route, covered further down. To sell directly into the mainland you need an additional route (a distributor, an agent or a separate mainland licence), which we explain further down.
The official calculator offers four licence categories. Choose by what your business actually does day to day:
Each licence names the activities you may carry out, and those activities sit in categories called groups. Fees climb as you add groups, which is why a simple one-line business pays less than a multi-activity trader. This is the main reason two companies in the same zone can pay different amounts.
All figures are in AED and cover one shareholder. Each total is the sum of the licence fee, the formation fee (AED 5,000) and the name plate fee (AED 500).
| Licence | Structure | Activities / groups | Licence fee | Formation | Name plate | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trading | FZE | Up to 7 / 1 group | 5,000 | 5,000 | 500 | 10,500 |
| Trading | FZE | Up to 12 / 2 groups | 8,500 | 5,000 | 500 | 14,000 |
| Logistics | Branch | Up to 7 / 1 group | 5,000 | 5,000 | 500 | 10,500 |
| Logistics | Branch | Up to 12 / 2 groups | 8,500 | 5,000 | 500 | 14,000 |
| Industrial | FZE | Up to 7 / 1 group | 5,000 | 5,000 | 500 | 10,500 |
| Industrial | FZE | Up to 12 / 2 groups | 8,500 | 5,000 | 500 | 14,000 |
| Industrial | Branch | Up to 7 / 1 group | 5,000 | 5,000 | 500 | 10,500 |
| Industrial | Branch | Up to 12 / 2 groups | 8,500 | 5,000 | 500 | 14,000 |
| Service | FZE | Up to 7 / 1 group | 5,000 | 5,000 | 500 | 10,500 |
| Service | FZE | Up to 12 / 2 groups | 8,500 | 5,000 | 500 | 14,000 |
| Service | Branch | Up to 7 / 1 group | 5,000 | 5,000 | 500 | 10,500 |
| Service | Branch | Up to 12 / 2 groups | 8,500 | 5,000 | 500 | 14,000 |
Source: JAFZA official cost calculator, October 2026. Fees are subject to change. Ask us to confirm before you apply. Combinations not listed above, such as a trading branch or a logistics FZE, can be quoted on request.
In practice the lease is usually the biggest line in a JAFZA budget, so decide how much space you really need before comparing zones on licence price alone.
FZE (Free Zone Establishment). A limited liability company with a single shareholder, who can be a person or a company. It is the simplest route for a founder going solo or a parent company creating a subsidiary.
FZCO (Free Zone Company). A limited liability company with two or more shareholders. Choose it when partners will share ownership. Its shareholders' liability is limited to their share capital.
Branch of an existing company. An extension of a company that is already registered elsewhere. It carries the parent's name and is not a separate legal entity, so the parent remains responsible for it. It suits established businesses that want a JAFZA presence for logistics or storage without building a new company.
The calculator figures above cover FZE and branch structures for one shareholder. If you need an FZCO with several partners, contact us and we will quote it from the current JAFZA schedule.
Document requirements and timing depend on your nationality, shareholder type and activity, so we confirm them for you case by case before you pay anything.
A free zone company is not automatically licensed to sell directly to local customers. Common routes are working through a mainland distributor or commercial agent, or obtaining a separate mainland licence for the retail or sales side. If most of your revenue will come from the UAE market, tell us early: it can change which licence and location make sense.
UAE Free Zones (GRG Corporate Services Provider) has helped businesses with business setup in Dubai since 2001. We handle document preparation, licence application, visa processing and bank account opening. If you are comparing JAFZA with Dubai Airport Free Zone or Dubai Industrial City, we can show the numbers side by side. Request your JAFZA quote.
How much does it cost to set up a company in JAFZA?
According to the official JAFZA calculator, licence, formation and name plate fees start at AED 10,500 for a licence with up to 7 activities in one group, and AED 14,000 for up to 12 activities in two groups. Visas, extra activities and facility lease are charged on top.
What is the difference between FZE and FZCO?
An FZE has one shareholder. An FZCO has two or more. Both are limited liability companies inside the free zone.
How much is a JAFZA visa?
Plan on AED 4,500 per visa. JAFZA's own calculator quotes that figure for a two-year visa.
Do I have to lease a facility?
Leasing is priced separately from the setup fees. Whether you need space depends on your activity. Warehouse and industrial businesses normally do. Ask us what applies to your licence.
Is there a deposit on the lease?
Yes. JAFZA requires 10% of the lease cost at signing, and a 2% Public Health Levy applies on the lease agreement.
Can a JAFZA company sell in the UAE mainland?
Not directly under the free zone licence alone. Companies usually go through a mainland distributor, an agent or a separate mainland licence.