Business setup in Ajman

Ajman has three free zone authorities: Ajman Free Zone, Ajman Media City and Ajman NuVentures Centre (ANC). Their entry-tier licences cost about AED 5,555 (our market estimate, as Ajman Free Zone publishes no price list), AED 4,999 and AED 4,888 (published prices) respectively, and licences usually issue within a few working days. Each issues a full trade licence, and residence visas and tax rules are federal, the same as in Dubai. The cost of the lower price is slower bank onboarding and a less recognised address. An Ajman licence suits a one-person consultancy invoicing clients abroad; it suits a business that depends on large corporate or government tenders less well.

Ajman free zones: AFZ, Ajman Media City and ANC

Three authorities issue licences at the entry level, and the differences between them are small. Ajman Free Zone (AFZ), set up in 1988 next to the port, offers its services online and lists more than 3,500 activities. Ajman Media City is media-focused by name but covers a broad range of activities. ANC (Ajman NuVentures Centre) is newer, and its packages are priced in the same range.

The entry-tier licences are AED 4,888 (ANC) and AED 4,999 (Ajman Media City) on the zones' published prices, and about AED 5,555 at Ajman Free Zone, which is a market estimate because AFZ publishes no price list. Licences usually issue within a few working days. The entry tiers carry no visas, and visa packages are priced separately. Each authority issues a full trade licence and an establishment card and gives access to the federal residence-visa system. The choice between them depends on your activity and your banking plan.

At these prices, choose the authority whose activity list clearly covers what you do, rather than the package that is a few hundred dirhams cheaper. A licence that does not match your activity often needs a paid amendment later.

What an Ajman licence is used for

The typical uses are specific: solo services and consulting billed to clients abroad; a first company set up to test a market before investing more; a second licence to separate an activity from an existing group; and holding-type structures where the address does not need to attract customers. In these cases a Dubai licence costs more without adding anything the business uses.

Because the lower fee applies at every renewal, the saving grows over the years. You can compare Ajman and Dubai for your own case in the setup cost calculator; for a one-person consultancy, the difference over three years is several thousand dirhams.

Ajman is a poor fit if your revenue depends on large corporate tenders, regulated financial activity or an address that helps you win contracts. In those cases the saving is small compared with what you may lose. If you are still deciding on the structure, start with mainland vs free zone before choosing the emirate.

Opening a bank account with an Ajman licence

Bank onboarding is the main drawback. Companies from lower-cost zones usually wait longer for an account, and UAE banks look more closely at low-cost licences with little substance. This is a due diligence question rather than a legal one, and a consistent file usually gets through it.

The file makes the difference. A clear activity that matches your invoices, a plausible source of funds, a manager who holds a UAE residence visa and evidence of real operations will open an account for an Ajman company. A vague activity and no presence in the UAE will slow down an application from any zone. The bank account page explains what banks look for, and it is worth reading before you incorporate.

Renewal and second-year costs

Read the renewal terms. Some promotional entry tiers are priced for the first year and rise at the first renewal, so the entry price is not always what you pay every year. Ask for the renewal fee in writing before you sign, and compare licences on their three-year cost: first year, renewals, and the visa and establishment card renewals that come with them.

A first year with one residence visa in a budget zone usually costs about AED 13,000–15,000 once the immigration file, medical test, Emirates ID and establishment card are added to the licence. Use that total, not the licence fee alone, when you compare emirates. The calculator helps you work out the three-year figure.

Ajman, Sharjah or Ras Al Khaimah for a low-cost licence

Ajman is one of several low-cost options. Sharjah’s SHAMS and SPC zones cost a little more, and their fee depends on the activity; Ras Al Khaimah’s RAKEZ starts at AED 6,000 for a one-activity licence without a visa, and its packages with visas cost more. With price differences this small, the choice usually depends on banking and on how many visas you need.

If the address matters little and you need one or two visas, Ajman is usually the lower-cost choice. If you need several visas, compare the packages on the Ras Al Khaimah page and the Sharjah page.

Corporate tax, VAT and visas on an Ajman licence

Being in Ajman does not change federal rules. Corporate tax is 0% on taxable income up to AED 375,000 and 9% above it. An Ajman free zone company can become a Qualifying Free Zone Person, which pays 0% on qualifying income and 9% on other taxable income with no AED 375,000 band, provided it keeps adequate substance, files audited accounts and keeps non-qualifying revenue within the lower of 5% of revenue or AED 5 million. Small Business Relief is available if revenue is AED 3 million or less in each tax period, for tax periods ending on or before 31 December 2029. The rules are the same as in any other emirate; see corporate tax in the UAE.

VAT is also federal: registration is mandatory once taxable supplies and imports exceed AED 375,000 over the past 12 months and voluntary from AED 187,500. The residence visa sponsored by an Ajman company is the same federal visa as a Dubai one, so you can hold an Ajman licence and live anywhere in the UAE.

How we set up an Ajman company

We start from your activity and your banking plan, because a low-priced licence that needs an amendment or cannot get a bank account ends up costing more. We choose the authority whose activity list fits your invoices, get the renewal fee in writing, and prepare the bank file before incorporation so that the account is ready when the licence is.

If Ajman fits your case, we set the company up there. If the saving would cost you more with your clients, we tell you and point you to the free zone overview or the emirate that fits better.

Ajman licence fees and timings

Frequently asked questions

This is general information on UAE rules. It is not legal, tax or immigration advice for your situation. Rules and government fees change; we confirm the position for your facts in writing before you act.