UAE Setup, Explained.
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How to use this guide to set up a company in the UAE
Setting up a company in the UAE comes down to three decisions: where the business will be licensed, what legal form it will take, and how much it will cost to start and to keep running. CompanyFormationInUAE is an independent library of plain-language guides that walks through each of those decisions for mainland, free zone and offshore structures, with the costs, timelines and trade-offs written out rather than hidden behind a sales call.
- 1Comparison of mainland, free zone and offshore companiesStill choosing a structure? See cost, trading rights, tax and visas side by side.Compare structures
- 2UAE company setup cost calculatorRun your numbers for a first-year budget before you speak to anyone.Open the calculator
- 3Free zone finderNarrow the options by activity, budget and visa needs.Find a free zone
- 4Document checklist generatorSee exactly which papers to prepare before you apply.Build your checklist
What the guides cover
Our articles cover the questions founders ask after the first quote arrives: why banks reject new company accounts, what corporate tax and VAT registration actually require, how investor and employee visas are sponsored, and which changes in UAE company law affect businesses that were set up under older rules.
- Bank accounts
- Corporate tax and VAT
- Visas
- Company law changes
- Setup costs
- Licences
Kept current
Every guide is reviewed against official sources and updated when regulations move, so you can see what applies in 2026 rather than what applied a few years ago.
Browse the latest guides above, open the full article library to search by topic, or book a free consultation with the e.zone advisory team if you would rather talk your plan through with a specialist before committing to a licence.
Hand-picked
Featured guides
Setting up a company
7 guides- How Much Does It Really Cost to Set Up a Company in the UAE in 2026?
- Mainland vs Free Zone: Which UAE Business Setup Actually Costs Less in 2026?
- Free Zone Company Setup in the UAE: Real Costs, Steps & Mistakes (2026)
- Mainland Company Setup in the UAE: Real Cost, Steps & Ownership Rules (2026)
- Offshore Company Setup in the UAE: What It Can't Do, Real Cost & Process (2026)
- RAKEZ Company Setup Cost: Licence Types, Visas and What You Really Pay
- FZCO vs FZE vs FZ-LLC: Which Free Zone Entity Type Should You Choose?
Tax and VAT
5 guides- How UAE Corporate Tax Actually Applies to Free Zone Companies
- UAE Corporate Tax and VAT Registration: Deadlines, Thresholds and Who Actually Needs To (2026)
- UAE Corporate Tax and VAT Penalties: What Late Filing Actually Costs
- UAE Tax Groups and VAT Groups: When Grouping Saves Work and When It Adds Risk
- UAE Withholding Tax and Double Tax Treaties: What Founders Actually Pay
Banking and compliance
4 guidesVisas and licences
5 guides- UAE Golden Visa Requirements for Business Owners
- UAE Establishment Card: What It Is and Why Visas Wait for It
- UAE General Trading License: Requirements, Cost and What It Actually Covers
- UAE Healthcare Clinic Licence: DHA, DOH and MOHAP Routes, Costs and Timeline
- Dubai Holiday Home Permit: DET Fees, Rules and the 2026 Relief