- DMCC publishes a schedule of charges with a standard licence at AED 20,285 a year and a separate General Trading licence at AED 50,265 a year.
- JAFZA states that its licences start at AED 5,000 and lists trading, service, industrial and logistics licence types.
- JAFZA states it does not prescribe a minimum share capital for an FZE or FZCO, while DMCC share capital for trading companies should be confirmed with DMCC.
- DMCC states that a free zone licence does not by itself authorise business on the mainland, and points to a distributor or a DET permit.
- Neither zone publishes an all-in first-year total, so ask each for a written quote that names every fee.
For a trading company, DMCC and JAFZA are priced and built differently. DMCC publishes a schedule of charges that puts a standard licence at AED 20,285 a year and a General Trading licence at AED 50,265. JAFZA states that its licences start at AED 5,000 and offers trading, service, industrial and logistics types. Neither publishes an all-in first-year cost.
This comparison uses only figures each free zone publishes. We left out every number we could not match to an official page, including estimated totals, so you can see what is confirmed and what needs a written quote.
DMCC and JAFZA side by side
| DMCC | JAFZA | |
|---|---|---|
| Licence fee | AED 20,285 a year for a licence; General Trading licence AED 50,265 a year | “Start at AED 5,000” |
| One-off fees | Application AED 1,035 and registration AED 9,020 | Not confirmed on the pages checked |
| Establishment card | AED 1,825 a year | Not confirmed on the pages checked |
| Licence types | Trading and service licences, a separate General Trading licence and others | Trading, service, industrial and logistics |
| Share capital | Confirm with DMCC for a trading company | No minimum prescribed for an FZE or FZCO |
| Visa quota | Flexi desk up to 3 visas; serviced office 4 to 5; physical space about 1 visa per 9 square metres | Workstation 2; showroom 5; plot starts at 20; office and warehouse by area |
| Extra visa quota | AED 500 service fee per additional visa and AED 250 application per request | Requested through the Dubai Trade portal, no charge, 1 working day |
| Mainland access | Licence does not by itself authorise mainland business | Not confirmed on the pages checked |
DMCC’s schedule shows small inconsistencies between its own lines, for example a licence at AED 20,285 and a standard renewal line at AED 20,265, and an application fee shown as both AED 1,035 and AED 1,015. The page also says fees may change. Treat every figure as a quote to confirm.
What DMCC publishes
The DMCC schedule of charges lists a one-off application fee, a one-off registration fee, an annual licence fee and an annual establishment card fee. It lists the General Trading licence separately among special licences, at AED 50,265 a year. It also lists a share capital deposit service fee of AED 2,120. Flexi desk space, called a business centre, is listed at AED 16,000 to AED 19,000.
DMCC’s 25 August 2026 guide to free zone versus mainland says a flexi desk supports up to three visas, a serviced office four to five, and physical space about one visa per nine square metres. Our search found a DMCC company regulation reporting share capital of AED 50,000 per shareholder with different figures for General Trading, but we did not open that document, so we do not state a capital figure. Ask DMCC for the current requirement. The fee structure of DMCC packages is covered in DMCC company setup cost and the Jump Start package, and the licence categories in which DMCC licence type fits your business.
What JAFZA publishes
JAFZA states that its business licences start at AED 5,000 and lists four types: trading, service, industrial and logistics, although the same page refers to five licence types. It states that it does not prescribe a minimum share capital for an FZE or FZCO.
- Trading licence: a 2021 JAFZA guide says it covers storing inventory and trading physical goods, and that it cannot be used to manufacture goods in the UAE. It listed AED 5,000 a year for up to seven activities in one group, AED 8,500 for two groups and AED 15,000 for more than two, with AED 500 per extra activity. Because the guide is from 2021, confirm these prices.
- Service licence: the business does not trade in or hold stock of physical products.
- Industrial licence: JAFZA states that a core requirement is to have the production facility and warehouse inside the free zone.
On visas, a 2021 JAFZA guide gives a workstation two visas, a showroom five regardless of size, and a plot an initial 20 that can be raised with approval. A July 2024 guide says additional quota is requested on the Dubai Trade portal at no charge, with processing in one working day. The physical side of JAFZA, including warehouses, is compared with DAFZA in the warehouse and industrial licence guide.
Selling into the UAE mainland
DMCC states that its licence does not by itself authorise business on the mainland, and it describes two routes: selling through a local distributor, or a permit from the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism under Resolution No. 11 of 2025. DMCC does not call this a dual licence. We found no JAFZA page that describes a mainland operating permit, so we do not claim one. How the Dubai permit works across free zones is in the free zone mainland operating permit guide and the dual licence explainer.
Corporate tax: do not assume 0 percent
The Federal Tax Authority describes the Qualifying Free Zone Person regime as enabling a 0 percent corporate tax rate on qualifying income. It is a regime with conditions, not an automatic result of holding a free zone licence. A trading company that sells to mainland customers may earn income that does not qualify, and the FTA states that Small Business Relief is not available to a Qualifying Free Zone Person. Read the FTA’s free zone guide or take advice before you assume a rate. The tax side is explained in the free zone corporate tax guide.
How to choose between them
- Decide whether you will hold or move physical goods. If you will, check the JAFZA trading and logistics licences and the facility rules first.
- Decide whether you need a General Trading licence, which DMCC prices separately.
- Count the visas you need in the first year and match them to a desk, office or facility option in each zone.
- Decide where your customers are. If many are on the mainland, price the distributor or permit route before you choose.
- Ask both zones for a written quote that lists the licence, registration, establishment card, visa, facility and deposit fees by name.
Common mistakes when choosing between them
- Comparing a DMCC package price with a JAFZA licence fee, which are not the same thing.
- Using the licence fee alone as the cost of setup.
- Assuming that a free zone licence lets you sell on the mainland.
- Relying on a 2021 fee table without confirming it.
- Forgetting that visa quotas depend on the space you rent.
For a wider cost comparison across zones, see the cheapest free zones ranked for 2026.
When professional help is worth it
If you only need a service licence and a flexi desk, you can ask each zone for a quote yourself. Help is worth having when you will hold stock, sell on the mainland or need more than a few visas. e.zone’s free zone advisers can request comparable written quotes from both zones and flag the fees each leaves out.
Sources: the DMCC schedule of charges and the JAFZA business licence page. This guide is general information, not tax or legal advice.
Frequently asked questions
Is DMCC or JAFZA better for a trading company?
It depends on the goods. JAFZA publishes licences built around physical trading, storage and industrial use, while DMCC publishes a separate General Trading licence and a wider range of licence types. Compare written quotes for your own activity before choosing.
How much does a DMCC licence cost?
The DMCC schedule of charges lists a licence at AED 20,285 a year, with a General Trading licence at AED 50,265 a year. Application, registration and establishment card fees are listed separately, and the page says fees may change.
How much does a JAFZA licence cost?
JAFZA states that its licences start at AED 5,000. An older JAFZA guide from 2021 listed AED 5,000, AED 8,500 and AED 15,000 a year depending on the number of activity groups, so confirm the current figure with JAFZA.
Can a DMCC or JAFZA company sell to the UAE mainland?
DMCC states that its licence does not by itself authorise business on the mainland and points to selling through a local distributor or a Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism permit. JAFZA does not publish a mainland route on the pages we could check.
Does JAFZA require a minimum share capital?
JAFZA states that it does not prescribe a minimum share capital for an FZE or FZCO.
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