JAFZA company setup, costs and visas
The port zone next to Jebel Ali, built for trading, logistics and manufacturing. AED 5,000 is the official trading licence fee alone (up to seven activities in one group); registration, the establishment card and a lease come on top, so a real first-year budget starts well above it. JAFZA Offshore is a separate, much cheaper vehicle for holding structures.
JAFZA in numbers
Last verified: 23 Sep 2026. Checked against the zone’s own published tariff.
Who JAFZA fits
JAFZA is a physical-goods free zone. It fits importers, re-exporters, distributors, logistics operators and light manufacturers that move containers through Jebel Ali Port (the largest port in the region) and need warehouses, yards or land plots next to the quay. With 1,500+ licensed activities and no fixed visa cap (allocation follows your facility), it scales with headcount and stock rather than boxing you into a desk.
It is the wrong zone for a solo consultant, a freelancer, a small agency or a digital startup. Those businesses need only a desk, and the JAFZA model (a mandatory physical facility on every licence) makes them overpay. A cost-led service company is better served by a flexi‑desk zone; see the free-zone index for desk-based options like IFZA or Meydan.
What the AED 5,000 licence really covers
Budget beyond the licence for: name reservation and registration, the establishment card, a lease you cannot skip (office suite, warehouse or land plot, priced per facility), immigration and medical for each visa, and annual renewal. Model the real number on the setup-cost calculator before you commit, the gap between the AED 5,000 line and a warehoused operation is large.
Visas, substance and the port
JAFZA does not publish a fixed visa limit: allocation follows the size of the facility you lease, so a large warehouse supports a large team while a compact office supports a few. That makes it well suited to staff-heavy logistics and manufacturing, and awkward for a one-person holding.
As a qualifying free zone, JAFZA companies can target the 0% qualifying-income rate under UAE corporate tax if they keep adequate substance: real premises, staff and activity in the zone. Because JAFZA tenants usually hold genuine warehouses and staff on site, that substance test is easier to meet here than in a flexi‑desk zone; see corporate tax for the qualifying conditions. For pure holding with no UAE operations, JAFZA Offshore is a separate, cheaper vehicle with no visas and no physical presence.
JAFZA vs DMCC vs Dubai South
The three overlap on trading but differ sharply on physicality.
| Zone | Base | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| JAFZA | Jebel Ali Port; warehouses & land at scale | Physical trade, logistics, manufacturing that moves its own cargo |
| DMCC | JLT towers; office space, no port-side warehousing | Commodity and general traders who trade on paper |
| Dubai South | Al Maktoum airport / logistics district | Aviation and e-commerce logistics at a lighter cost |
If your cargo physically passes through Jebel Ali, JAFZA is hard to beat and the premium is justified. If you trade commodities from an office rather than a warehouse, DMCC suits that model better; if you want logistics nearer the new airport at a lighter cost, look at Dubai South.
How to set up a company in JAFZA
Activities and trade name
Choose the licensed activities and reserve a trade name. The activities decide which approvals you need, how banks read your file and whether your income can qualify for the 0% QFZP rate.
Documents and KYC
Passports, application forms and a clear account of where the money comes from. Free zone companies can be 100% foreign-owned, so no local sponsor is needed.
Licence and establishment card
The zone issues the licence (typically 3–14 business days). The immigration establishment card comes next and opens visa processing.
Visas and bank account
Each visa holder needs an entry permit, a medical test and an Emirates ID. The corporate bank account is opened in parallel and is usually the slowest step.
JAFZA: questions founders ask
Is the AED 5,000 JAFZA licence the total cost to set up?
Does JAFZA have a visa limit?
What is the difference between JAFZA and JAFZA Offshore?
Is JAFZA worth it for a small service business?
Do I need JAFZA if I only trade through Jebel Ali port?
Is the “from AED 5,000” price the official tariff?
Can this company do business on the UAE mainland?
Does 0% corporate tax apply here?
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.