Smart Zones® - Your UAE Entry Partner
Business • Residency • Banking • Wealth • Investment
Smart Zones® - Your UAE Entry Partner
Business • Residency • Banking • Wealth • Investment
JAFZA Setup, Dubai, UAE
JAFZA is one of the UAE's largest, most established free zones, built around Jebel Ali Port, with five distinct legal-entity types to choose from. Here's how setup works.
Free, no-obligation consultation on entity type, licence and cost.
JAFZA (Jebel Ali Free Zone Authority) is one of the UAE's largest and most established free zones, built around Jebel Ali Port. You can register as a Free Zone Establishment (FZE), a Free Zone Company (FZCO), a Public Listed Company (PLC), a branch of an existing company, or an offshore company. Licence categories cover trading, service, industrial and logistics activities. Competitor-published pricing cites comprehensive setup from roughly $6,800-8,200 USD, with an enhanced tier from $13,000-25,000 USD. Companies get 100% foreign ownership, 0% personal income tax, and full repatriation of profits and capital.
Why It Matters
JAFZA supports five distinct legal-entity types, FZE, FZCO, PLC, Branch and Offshore, each with different shareholder, capital and compliance implications, alongside trading, service, industrial and logistics licences. For an offshore entity specifically, ongoing Ultimate Beneficial Ownership disclosure and Economic Substance Regulations compliance apply, requirements a general commercial free zone company doesn't carry, so confirm which entity type actually fits your business before committing.
The Case For JAFZA
Built around Jebel Ali Port, one of the world's largest man-made harbours, ideal for trading and logistics businesses.
FZE, FZCO, PLC, branch and offshore, giving you more structural flexibility than most free zones.
No local UAE sponsor or partner required for JAFZA companies.
Keep more of what your business earns, with no personal income tax in the UAE.
100% repatriation of capital and profits, with no currency restrictions.
Before You Apply
FZE, FZCO, PLC, branch or offshore, each carries different shareholder, capital and compliance implications.
Trading, service, industrial or logistics, confirm which category fits your activity.
Passport copies, business plan and shareholder documents, additional documents apply for branch or offshore structures.
Offshore entities carry Ultimate Beneficial Ownership disclosure and Economic Substance Regulations obligations.
Getting Started
Decide between an FZE, FZCO, PLC, branch or offshore company based on your needs.
Match your activity to a trading, service, industrial or logistics licence.
Submit your preferred company name for JAFZA approval.
File your licence application along with passport copies, business plan and shareholder documents.
Lease office, warehouse or land space depending on your licence category.
Settle registration, licensing and facility fees.
Collect your trade licence and open your corporate bank account.
Apply for visas and confirm any ongoing UBO or ESR compliance obligations.
Budgeting
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Comprehensive setup (from) | ~$6,800-8,200 USD* |
| Enhanced service tier | ~$13,000-25,000 USD* |
| Entity types available | FZE, FZCO, PLC, branch, offshore |
| Licence categories | Trading, service, industrial, logistics |
| Corporate tax | Standard UAE corporate tax rules apply |
| Nationality requirement | Open to any nationality |
*Indicative only, converted from a published competitor USD range at the time of writing. Confirm current pricing directly with JAFZA before budgeting a total.
Our Story
Smart Zones® UAE has helped more than 45,000 clients worldwide set up, relocate and protect their interests across the UAE, backed by 13+ years of experience in company formation, residency, banking and family trust formation.
Request Callback
The trust formation process was seamless from start to finish. Highly recommend Smart Zones UAE.
Professional, transparent, and fast. Exactly what I needed for my family's estate planning.
Clear guidance throughout and no hidden costs. Would use them again.
Responsive team and a genuinely smooth setup process from our first call to licence in hand.
Handled everything remotely for us with zero surprises on cost. Would use them again without hesitation.
Frequently Asked, and Ready When You Are
Send your details and our team will reply with next steps and a tailored quote.
Smart Zones® - Your UAE Entry Partner
Business • Residency • Banking • Wealth • Investment