What forming the company costs
Go through Step 1 to 6 to start. Pick only what you need and watch your total build as you go.
STEP 1 OF 6
Trade License
A formation service that turns paperwork into a working company: trade license, MOA, registration and approvals, all handled end-to-end, so you’re legally trading and invoicing from day one, not chasing counters.
HOW MANY YEARS?
A longer term is discounted by the jurisdiction, not by us.
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What you actually get
The six documents you receive
The license is the first of six. The rest are what let you hire, open a bank account and get paid.
01Trade licenseMakes your business legal. It lists your approved activities and the company name, is issued by the jurisdiction, and renewed each year.
02Certificate of incorporationProves the company exists as a legal entity and carries its official registration number. Banks usually ask to see this one before the license.
03Memorandum / articlesSets out who owns what and who is allowed to sign for the company. It matters most the day you add a shareholder or sell.
04Establishment cardOpens the company's immigration file, which is the thing that lets it sponsor visas. Without it you cannot hire anyone, including yourself.
05Corporate tax registrationRequired for every company here, free zones included, whether or not you end up owing any tax. Included in every package we offer.
06Residence visa chainEntry permit, change of status, medical, Emirates ID, then stamping. Five steps in total, two of which need you there in person.
The complete guide
Everything about forming a UAE company, in one place
This overview is the top of the guide. Each chapter below answers one question in depth — read in order, or jump to what you need.
01.
Do you need a consultant
When to file it yourself, honestly.
Read guide
02.
License + Visa
What the visa adds, and how many you need.
Read guide
03.
Cost of setting up
Real figures, and how to pay less.
Read guide
04.
Not Dubai (Sharjah Freezone)
The cheapest legal route, ranked.
Read guide
05.
Multi-year licenses
Lock the rate and pay less over time.
Read guide
06.
Mainland vs free zone
When mainland is worth the extra.
Read guide
What makes us stand out
From setup to growth, backed by 5-star service.
Trustworthy reputation
Individualised solutions
All-around services
Hassle-free, fast and efficient
Excellence and professionalism
Dedicated support
R
Rami Haddad
3 reviews
Setting up my company was completely stress-free with Choose UAE. They picked the right free zone for my activity, handled the license and all the paperwork, and kept me updated at every stage. Everything was done faster than promised. Highly recommend.
P
Priya Nair
5 reviews · 2 photos
From the first call they explained every option clearly and gave me an honest recommendation on which jurisdiction actually fit my budget. The trade license and bank introduction were handled seamlessly. A genuinely reliable team for company formation.
M
Michael Okoro
2 reviews
I compared several agencies and Choose UAE stood out for being upfront about costs with no hidden fees. My mainland company was registered quickly and they even sorted my visa straight after. Professional, transparent and genuinely helpful throughout.
The timeline
What happens, day by day
Company formation
DAY 0Decide the routeOne conversationA Dubai free zone fits most activities, gives you 100% ownership, and lets you invoice worldwide. We confirm it suits your activity, visa count and who you sell to.
DAY 0Send the documents10 minutes, however you preferPassport copy and three trade name options. Three, because the first is often taken. No office visit needed to start.
DAY 1–10Approval and licenseWe handle itTrade license, registration documents, MOA and share certificates from the free zone authority. Dubai's process runs closer to ten working days, longer than some other emirates.
Immigration setup
DAY 11–15Establishment cardWe handle itOpens your immigration file with the free zone. Without it you cannot sponsor a single visa, including your own, which is why a zero visa headline price is half a company.
Visa setup
DAY 16–22Entry permit and status changeWe handle itE-visa in about five working days, plus the status change if you're already in the UAE, which happens without you leaving.
DAY 23–29Medical and Emirates IDTwo short visitsMedical test application and certificate, then Emirates ID application, usually across two visits. Health insurance is mandatory before approval and we arrange it in the background.
DAY 30–49Visa approved, card courieredWe handle itEmirates ID biometrics, then residence visa approval, and you can leave and re-enter from that point. The physical Emirates ID takes about seven working days and is couriered wherever you are, including abroad.
What we need
Documents required
Trade name, three options.
Passport copy, full spread and clear, valid at least six months.
Special page of passport, if applicable.
Contact details, email and mobile for all shareholders.
Residence address, UAE or home country.
Proof of address if required: EJARI or UAE utility bill, a home-country utility bill, or a national ID showing address and expiry.
For UAE residents: visa copy (residence, visit or entry stamp) and Emirates ID, front and back.
Products and services to be listed on the license.
Cost factors
What moves the price
A quote isn't one number, it's a stack of decisions. Here's what actually drives the difference.
Visas.
Adding your first visa costs far more than the license alone, since it triggers a whole new process: immigration file, establishment card, the works. Every visa after costs less.
Mainland reach.
A free zone license covers clients worldwide, except UAE mainland companies. Need those clients too? You'll need a mainland permit or a full mainland company on top of your setup.
Activity type.
Standard activities carry a predictable fee. Regulated ones, like finance, healthcare, and education, need authority-specific approval, quoted only after we review your file and confirm the requirements.
Activities and shareholders.
Most packages include a set number of each before extra fees apply. Add more activities or bring on more shareholders, and the cost adjusts accordingly, case by case.
Facility type.
A shared desk, a dedicated desk, and a physical office sit at different price points. Some activities or visa counts require a specific tier, so it's not always optional.
Contract length.
Committing to multiple years upfront usually costs less overall than renewing annually. If you're confident you'll stay, locking in the term early is worth considering seriously.
Audit needs.
Some structures need one, some don't, and where required, it's a recurring cost, not a one-time one. Worth confirming early, since it changes your ongoing costs.
Nationality rules.
A small number of nationalities require an extra pre-approval step before visa processing starts, adding time to the process. This is confirmed case by case, never assumed.
Mid-term changes.
Adding an activity, swapping a shareholder, or cancelling a visa after setup each carry their own fee, separate from renewal. Small individually, worth knowing about upfront.
Tax rules.
Corporate tax and VAT thresholds apply uniformly regardless of jurisdiction. This isn't a "which zone" decision, so don't let anyone suggest otherwise when comparing options.
Beyond the price
Same price, very different license
These rules decide whether a license fits you, and they vary far more than the prices do. We check each one against your plan before naming a jurisdiction.
Activities includedBetween 1 and 5 activities, depending on the jurisdiction. The difference is worth more than most price gaps.
Mixing typesSome jurisdictions let you combine professional, commercial and industrial on one license at no cost. Mainland does not allow it.
General tradingAdding general trading is free in some jurisdictions and a five-figure line in others.
Visas without officeVisa allocation without renting space ranges from three to six. Beyond that, you are renting square metres.
License termTerms run from five to ten years. The longer term is where the real multi-year discount sits.
Office spaceSome jurisdictions have no physical space at all; one has warehouses and factories. Mainland requires premises.
Issued inOne to seven working days, depending on the jurisdiction.
NationalityMost jurisdictions apply nationality checks. One does not.
Your presenceFree zone formation is remote. Mainland requires you in person.
ApprovalsRegulated activities need sign-off from an outside authority, and jurisdictions handle this very differently.
Legal structures
Your entity type
The letters on your license matter for banking, for adding shareholders, and for selling later.
Activities
Simple activities — no extra approval
These issue on the license alone. The price differences are what the authority charges, not packaging.
Regulated activities — approval first
The license is the easy part. The approval sets the price and the timeline, so we quote after reviewing your file.
Year two and beyond
What it costs to keep
A first-year price is easy to discount. What matters is the yearly cost, and how much of it can rise.
01.
License renewal
Annual, and on four of the eight jurisdictions we work with it is contractually locked for the life of the company. Ask any agent whether yours is one — most will not answer.
02.
Visa renewal
Every two years for most residence visas. On selected packages the visa fee is waived at every renewal, worth AED 3,750 a year for as long as you hold the license.
03.
Audited accounts
Most jurisdictions require audited statements to renew — roughly AED 5,000 and three weeks. At least one we work with does not require one at all.
04.
Accounting and tax filing
Corporate tax registration is mandatory from day one, and the first return is due nine months after your year-end. From AED 480 a month, with the penalty on us if we miss a deadline.
Avoidable
The five expensive mistakes we see most
Frequently asked
Company formation questions
It depends on the zone, the number of visas and your activity. A license on its own can start in the mid single-figure thousands of dirhams, while a package with a residence visa costs more because it adds the establishment card and the full visa process. The first visa is the biggest single cost, so a zero-visa price and a with-visa price look very different. We quote the exact figure once we know your activity and visa count.
For most free zones, the license is issued within one to seven working days once your documents are in. Adding a residence visa extends the full process to roughly two to three weeks, since it includes the establishment card, entry permit, medical, Emirates ID and stamping.
No. Free zone formation can be completed remotely, so the company and license can be issued while you are abroad. You only need to be in the country for the visa stage, which is two short appointments: the medical test and Emirates ID biometrics. Mainland formation usually requires you in person.
Yes. Free zones have always allowed full foreign ownership, and 100% ownership now applies to most mainland activities too. A small number of strategic-impact activities still require a UAE partner or a local service agent, and we will tell you upfront if yours is one of them.
A free zone company trades within its zone and internationally, with full foreign ownership and often no office required. A mainland company can trade directly with the UAE market, take on government contracts and open premises anywhere in the emirate, but it needs physical premises with a registered tenancy.
Not directly for most activities. To serve mainland customers, a free zone company usually needs a mainland operating permit, a distributor, or a separate mainland entity. Overseas and online sales are unaffected.
For most free zones, there is no paid-up capital you have to deposit, or only a nominal figure stated on paper. Requirements vary by zone and activity, so we confirm the exact position for your chosen setup rather than assuming there is none.
It is your company’s registered name. You submit a few options in order of preference, because the first choice is often already taken or falls foul of the naming rules. Names cannot contain offensive language, references to religion, or the names of ruling authorities, and abbreviations of personal names are not allowed.
UAE licenses cover a wide range, including e-commerce, consultancy, IT and software, media, general trading, logistics and holding companies. Your chosen activity determines which approvals you need and which banks will consider you, so it is worth getting right at the start.
Usually yes. Many zones let you list several related activities, and some allow you to combine professional, commercial and industrial activities on one license. Mainland licenses are generally stricter about mixing types, and the number of activities included varies by zone.
Common options include a free zone company with one shareholder (FZE) or several (FZ LLC/FZ CO), a branch of an existing foreign company, a mainland sole establishment, and freelance setups for individuals. The right one depends on ownership, liability and how you plan to grow.
It is your company’s immigration file. It is what allows the company to sponsor residence visas, including your own. Without it you cannot hire anyone, so a zero-visa license alone does not let you bring staff or yourself onto a residence visa.
It depends on the package and, in some setups, on your office space. Many free zones offer a fixed allocation without an office, commonly around three to six visas. Beyond that, capacity is usually tied to the size of the premises you lease. Some packages cap the total, so we check the limit against how many visas you actually need.
An allocation is the right or quota to sponsor a visa. An issued visa is one that has been processed and stamped. Some zones give you the allocation and charge for issuance separately, so a package that includes “visas” may mean the quota rather than the finished visa. We always confirm which one a price covers.
For most setups: a passport copy for every shareholder, a passport-size photo, a few trade name options, and proof of your residence address. UAE residents also provide a visa copy and Emirates ID. Clear phone photos are usually fine to begin.
Yes. Adding a shareholder, changing activities or increasing your visa allocation is handled as an amendment, not a new formation. Some zones let you make certain changes free of charge within a short window after issuance, and others charge an amendment fee. Either way it is worth planning ahead, since amendments take time.
Not always. Many free zones include a flexi-desk or allow a virtual address, which is enough for the license and a basic visa allocation. You need real space once your visa count grows or if you form on the mainland, where premises with a registered tenancy are required.
It gives you the right to sponsor one. Once your license and establishment card are issued, you apply for the entry permit, complete the medical and Emirates ID, and receive your residence visa. It is then typically valid for two years, renewable, though some visa types and zones offer longer terms.
Yes. Once you hold your own residence visa and meet the income conditions, you can usually sponsor a spouse, children and in some cases parents. Each dependent goes through their own permit, medical and Emirates ID process.
There is no personal income tax in the UAE. Corporate tax applies at 9% on taxable income above AED 375,000 and 0% below that, under Federal Decree Law No. 47 of 2022. A qualifying free zone company may access a 0% rate on qualifying income if it meets the substance and other conditions.
Yes. Every UAE business, mainland and free zone, must register for corporate tax, including companies expecting the 0% rate. Entities incorporated on or after 1 March 2024 generally register within three months, and late registration carries a fixed penalty, so registering on time matters even when no tax is due.
VAT registration is mandatory once taxable supplies and imports exceed AED 375,000 over a rolling 12 months, and voluntary from AED 187,500. Below the voluntary threshold, registration is not required. Once registered, you file returns for every tax period, including nil returns.
Within nine months of the end of your financial year. For a year ending 31 December, the return and any payment are due by the following 30 September. The FTA does not grant extensions, and the return and payment share the same deadline.
It depends on your zone and size. Some free zones require audited financial statements at renewal; others do not. Certain corporate tax positions also make an audit advisable. We check your specific zone’s requirement, as it is not universal.
After your license and establishment card are issued, you go through the bank’s onboarding: an introduction, a KYC meeting, then the bank’s own compliance review. Approval depends on your nationality, activity and documents, and the compliance stage is the one part nobody can put a fixed date on. Digital banks are often faster than traditional ones.
Corporate tax applies at 9% above AED 375,000 and 0% below, and every company must register regardless of what it owes. VAT is separate: mandatory once turnover passes AED 375,000 and voluntary from AED 187,500. A company can be registered for one and not the other, depending on its income and turnover.
That depends on your activity, how many visas you need, your budget and whether a specific emirate matters to you. Each zone has its own pricing, permitted activities and office rules, and no single one is best for everyone. We match you to the zone that fits your case rather than defaulting to one.
In many cases, yes. We accept Tabby, so you may be able to split the cost into instalments rather than paying upfront, depending on Tabby’s terms and approval. Some free zones also offer their own staged payment plans. We will confirm what is available for your setup before you commit.
Yes. You can own and manage a UAE company while living overseas, and receive documents like your Emirates ID by courier. Note that being a tax resident elsewhere may create obligations in your home country, and the 0% free zone rate depends on maintaining adequate substance in the UAE.
You go through a formal liquidation with the licensing authority, settle any liabilities, and deregister from VAT and corporate tax with the FTA. Cancelling the trade license on its own does not end your tax obligations, so the deregistration step matters. Closing properly avoids penalties building up on a company that technically still exists.