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Not for crypto / Web3
→ Compare launch routesVirtual-asset activities need a VARA / FSRA / DIFC licence; this zone doesn't issue one.
Not for F&B
→ MainlandRestaurants, cafés, cloud kitchens need a mainland DED foodservice licence. Free zones don't issue these.
Not for clinics
→ DHCCDHA-regulated medical/clinical activity requires Dubai Healthcare City (DHCC).
Dubai · Free Zone
First-party verifiedDubai Airport Free Zone Authority
Terminal-2 adjacency. 24/7 on-site Dubai Customs. Dual Licence with Dubai DET.
10d est.
Licence pace
30
Visa quota
700+
Activities
8/10
Bank score
Established 1996 and adjacent to DXB Terminal 2, DAFZ hosts 3,300+ companies across 20+ sectors with ~20,000 employees on campus. Part of the Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority (DIEZ) alongside DSO and Dubai CommerCity. The air-freight anchor of Dubai: on-site Dubai Customs (24/7), Dedicated Government Centre (Customs / Police / GDRFA / DHA / Chamber / Post), Dubai CommerCity e-commerce sister zone, and the Dual Licence with Dubai DET that unlocks mainland trading on the same certificate. Trade Licence AED 15,000/yr, Talent Pass (freelance) AED 7,500/yr. 30-year anniversary in 2026.
Starting from
VerifiedAED 15,000
DAFZ Trade Licence · DXB Terminal 2 · 1 year
Includes: Trade / Service / Industrial / E-Commerce Licence — DXB Terminal 2 adjacency, 24/7 on-site Customs, Designated Free Zone status
Terminal-2 adjacency · AED 7,500 Talent Pass · Dual Licence with Dubai DET
3,300+ companies across 20+ sectors, ~20,000 on-campus workforce. Established 1996 by Government of Dubai — celebrating 30 years in 2026. On-site Dubai Customs (24/7), dedicated Government Centre (Customs / Police / GDRFA / DHA / Chamber / Post), Dubai CommerCity e-commerce sister zone (AED 3.2B investment), and 250+ services via the Service Portal. Every figure channel-partner verified.
DAFZ published licence fees · Terminal-2 adjacency
AED 15,000 Trade / Service / Industrial · AED 7,500 Talent Pass
DAFZ publishes four headline licence categories at a single flat fee — Trade, Service, Industrial, and E-Commerce at AED 15,000 per year. General Trading (multi-goods, unrestricted) is AED 50,000 per year. The Talent Pass freelance licence is AED 7,500 per year — the cheapest DAFZ entry point for solo founders in media / tech / education / arts. FZCO registration is AED 7,000 one-time. Every figure below is channel-partner verified.
What does DAFZ cost in 2026?
From AED 7,500
DAFZ publishes 9 licence types — Trade, Service, Industrial, E-Commerce, and General Trading for companies; Talent Pass for solo freelancers; SFO / MFO for private wealth; and the Dual Licence with Dubai DET for mainland access. Pick the shape that matches your operation.
Flagship
Trade Licence
Import, export, re-export, distribution, storage
AED 15,000
Published DAFZ annual rate
Trading activities
Service Licence
Service-oriented activities (consulting, professional)
AED 15,000
Published DAFZ annual rate
Service activities
DAFZ Industrial Park — 33 warehouses, 10 cold storage
Industrial Licence
Light manufacturing, packaging, assembling
AED 15,000
Published DAFZ annual rate
Industrial activities
Dubai CommerCity integration available
E-Commerce Licence
Online trade of goods and services
AED 15,000
Published DAFZ annual rate
E-commerce activities
Broadest activity scope
General Trading Licence
Multi-goods trading with unrestricted scope
AED 50,000
Published DAFZ annual rate
General trading — all categories
Cheapest DAFZ entry — solo founders
Talent Pass Licence
Freelance in media / tech / education / arts
AED 7,500
Published DAFZ annual rate
7 Talent Pass industries
Enquiry-based
Single-Family Office (SFO)
Private wealth management for one family
Contact DAFZ
Enquiry-based rate
Family office services
Enquiry-based
Multi-Family Office (MFO)
Shared wealth services for multiple families
Contact DAFZ
Enquiry-based rate
Multi-family advisory
Mainland without separate office
Dual Licence with Dubai DET
DAFZ + mainland trading on one certificate
Contact DAFZ
Enquiry-based rate
DAFZ + DET activities
Registration & visas
AED 7,000 one-time FZCO registration · AED 3,000–AED 5,000 per employment visa
FZCO registration is AED 7,000 one-time (minimum share capital AED 1 — if your share capital exceeds AED 150,000 DAFZ requires a bank share capital letter). Employment visas run AED 3,000–AED 5,000 each. Family sponsorship for directors, owners, and managers is enquiry-based and handled through DAFZ's Government Centre (GDRFA on-site).
Office rental · 6 package tiers + Industrial Park
AED 1,850–1,950 per sqm + 12.5% service charge
Six office tiers cover every founder shape: Smart Office (desk + 1 visa), Smart Office Plus (semi-private + 1 visa), Business Boutique (9–23 sqm + 2 visas, fully furnished), Premium (25 sqm + 3 visas, turnkey), Premium Plus (50 sqm + 6 visas, fitted), Standard Lease (25+ sqm custom, 1 visa per 8.33 sqm). Industrial tenants get DAFZ Industrial Park: 33 warehouses, 10 cold-storage enabled, 312 sqm avg, 9m min height, up to 200 kW power — 20 visas (≤350 sqm) or 30 visas (>350 sqm).
Invoice transparency · DAFZA
What lands on your invoice. Line by line.
Every fee, in the order it hits. No “admin” tax, no hidden markup — Formenzo's margin is the zone's channel-partner commission, not a line on your invoice.
0 visas · licence only
- DAFZA licenceAED 15,000
- Gov + authority adminBundled
- Formenzo partner supportIncluded
1 visa · founder
- DAFZA licenceAED 15,000
- Entry permit × 1AED 3,500
- Medical + EID × 1AED 690
- Gov + authority adminBundled
- Formenzo partner supportIncluded
2 visas · partners
- DAFZA licenceAED 15,000
- Entry permit × 2AED 7,000
- Medical + EID × 2AED 1,380
- Gov + authority adminBundled
- Formenzo partner supportIncluded
Visa bundle uses DAFZA-standard rates. Final visas stamped per applicant; typing-centre and translation fees are only added when they actually occur and billed at cost (usually AED 0 for English-passport applicants, AED 100–200 otherwise).
Banking reality · DAFZA
The real bank-approval picture for a DAFZA licence.
Channel-partner outcomes by passport bucket, over the last 90 days. “Limited” means the bank rarely approves this combo — we'll re-route you rather than waste your time.
| Bank | IN / UK / PH Low friction | PK / BD / NG Enhanced DD | RU / IR / SY Sanctions screen | US FATCA disclosure | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wio | Strong | Limited | Limited | Standard | 5–7 |
| Mashreq NeoBiz | Strong | Enhanced DD | Enhanced DD | Standard | 10–14 |
| Emirates NBD | Standard | Enhanced DD | Limited | Enhanced DD | 14–21 |
| RAKBANK | Strong | Enhanced DD | Limited | Standard | 12–18 |
| CBI | Standard | Enhanced DD | Enhanced DD | Enhanced DD | 14–25 |
| ADCB | Standard | Enhanced DD | Limited | Standard | 18–21 |
Outcomes are directional channel-partner patterns, not a guarantee for any specific applicant. “Days” = typical bank review time after licence issuance and clean KYC documents.
Banking partners
Banking routes commonly reviewed for DAFZA companies, with final decisions subject to each bank's KYC and risk review.
Banking-review estimate
14 days
after licence issuance; subject to KYC
Formenzo setup timeline
Day-by-day what we deliver end-to-end, from signed engagement to bank-file routing.
Initial approval
We file your application with the Free Zone authority.
~2 days
License issued
Trade license + Establishment Card in hand. You can sign contracts.
~8 days
Investor visa
Entry permit → medical → Emirates ID → stamping.
~5 days
Bank file routed
Clean KYC pack prepared and routed; final onboarding remains subject to bank review.
~-1 days
DAFZA — frequently asked questions
Quotable, answer-first, optimized for AI search (Perplexity, ChatGPT, Google AI Mode).
How much does a DAFZA license cost in 2026?
+
A Dubai Airport Free Zone Authority (DAFZA) starts from AED 15,000 in 2026. Trade / Service / Industrial / E-Commerce Licence — DXB Terminal 2 adjacency, 24/7 on-site Customs, Designated Free Zone status. Add one investor visa and the customer-facing 1-visa route is AED 19,190 before any case-specific authority extras.
How long does DAFZA company setup take?
+
DAFZA publishes a typical licence-issuance estimate of 10 business days after initial approval (2 days). A residency visa adds an additional immigration stage. Banking preparation and review add another case-specific stage. Timelines vary by authority, immigration, document readiness, and bank risk review.
How many visas can I get with DAFZA?
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DAFZA default package includes 2 visas, and the maximum allowed per license is 30. A 1-visa customer route is approximately AED 19,190 based on the current pricing schedule.
Which UAE banks open accounts for DAFZA companies?
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DAFZA companies primarily bank with Emirates NBD, Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, Mashreq, and FAB, HSBC. Formenzo prepares the KYC pack, identifies missing items, and routes the application to a suitable bank. Bank outcomes vary by nationality, activity, source of funds, and full risk review.
What business activities does DAFZA allow?
+
DAFZA permits approximately 700 business activities. It is best suited for logistics, aviation, trading, electronics. Activities not allowed include restaurant, retail physical, consulting unlicensed — these require a UAE Mainland license.
Can I form a DAFZA company without visiting the UAE?
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Yes — DAFZA formation is fully remote through Formenzo. We handle document collection, trade name reservation, MOA drafting, and submission without a UAE visit. You only come to the UAE for one day to complete the medical fitness test and Emirates ID biometrics — and only if you want a residency visa. The trade license itself can be issued with zero travel.
Is DAFZA eligible for 0% UAE Corporate Tax?
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Yes. DAFZA is a recognized UAE Free Zone, so companies qualifying as a Qualifying Free Zone Person (QFZP) can maintain a 0% Corporate Tax rate on qualifying income. Non-qualifying income is taxed at the standard 9% above AED 375,000. DAFZA companies must register with the Federal Tax Authority within 3 months of incorporation — Formenzo handles this filing.
Why choose DAFZA over other UAE Free Zones?
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Terminal-2 adjacency. 24/7 on-site Dubai Customs. Dual Licence with Dubai DET.. Trade / Service / Industrial / E-Commerce Licence AED 15,000/yr. General Trading Licence AED 50,000/yr — unrestricted scope. Banking readiness score: 8/10. Published licence pace: 10 days, subject to document and authority review. Starting cost: AED 15,000. Run Formenzo's 60-second match to compare DAFZA against indexed UAE formation options based on your nationality, budget, and business activity.
Other Dubai Free Zones
Compare DAFZA with other options in the same emirate.
Meydan FZ
Premium Dubai address with strong banking & ecommerce support
IFZA
Best balance of price, speed, and Dubai address
DHCC
Purpose-built medical free zone — clinics, pharma, wellness
SRTIP
R&D + innovation park — 5 activities per licence, free R&D grant available
Ready to form your DAFZA company?
Run the 60-second match. We'll prepare your docs, file with DAFZA, and track the case-specific licence timeline.