Northern Emirates Free Zones: RAK, Umm Al Quwain and Fujairah
The northern emirates compete on cost and space. That works well when your operation genuinely sits where the licence does, and badly when your clients, staff and freight are all still in Dubai.
Trade & Logistics
Moving goods. Port access, bonded storage, air cargo and re-export.
Industry & Maritime
Making things, and the land and utilities that needs.
Finance & Holding
Common law jurisdictions, funds, and structuring vehicles.
Media & Creative
Production, publishing and the freelance routes into them.
General Business
Consultancy, trading and professional services.
Compare all 6 at a glance
Establishment dates and licensing authorities are taken from the Ministry of Economy & Tourism registrar records. Fees are not listed here because every authority changes them through the year — we confirm those in writing.
| Free zone | Est. | Licensing authority | Built for |
|---|---|---|---|
| RAKEZ | 2017 | RAKEZ | SMEs, plus non-free-zone entities |
| RAK ICC | — | RAK ICC | Offshore holding. No visas, no local trade |
| RAK Maritime City | 2009 | RAK Maritime City FZA | Port-side bulk handling |
| UAQ Free Trade Zone | 1987 | UAQ FTZA | Small trading and pay-per-day warehousing |
| Fujairah Free Zone | 1987 | FFZA | East-coast routing outside Hormuz |
| Creative City | 2007 | Fujairah Media FZ | Low-overhead creative licences |
Official sources
Every establishment date, founding law and licence type on these pages is taken from the licensing authority itself or from the Ministry of Economy & Tourism registrar record for that authority. Verify anything here against the source before acting on it.
- Authority records, establishment dates and legal forms → Ministry of Economy & Tourism, company registrars in free zones
- Designated Zones for VAT, and the four qualifying criteria → Article 51(1) of the Executive Regulations, and the Cabinet Decision list. FTA legislation register
- Qualifying Free Zone Person and 0% qualifying income → Cabinet Decision No. 100 of 2023 and Ministerial Decision No. 265 of 2023. Federal Tax Authority
- Corporate tax, 9% above AED 375,000 → Federal Decree-Law No. 47 of 2022. Federal Tax Authority
Package fees are set by each authority and change through the year, so they are confirmed to you in writing rather than published here.
Not sure which zone fits?
Tell us what the business does and who pays you. We come back with the right jurisdiction, the current authority fees in writing, and an honest read on whether your income will actually qualify for 0%.