Understand what the incorporation scope should include.
Business Setup
Company Formation Consultants in Dubai
Licence, structure and the first year of compliance planned together, so the cheap setup does not turn into the expensive year two.
Fixed fee, quoted in 24 hours — government charges passed through at cost, with the receipt
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- Mainland or free zone chosen from where your customers are, not from a brochure
- Corporate tax and VAT consequences priced in before the licence is issued
- Bank account introduction, which is where most setups actually stall
Key takeaways
- Most mainland activities have allowed 100% foreign ownership since 2021, under Federal Decree-Law No. 26 of 2020. A short list of strategic-impact activities still carries conditions, and those conditions are set emirate by emirate.
- The licence price is not the cost. Visa quota, establishment card and year-two renewal decide what you actually pay.
- Free zone does not mean tax free. The 0% rate applies to the qualifying income of a Qualifying Free Zone Person, not to everything the company earns.
- Small Business Relief now runs to tax periods ending on or before 31 December 2029, under Ministerial Decision No. 131 of 2026, at revenue up to AED 3 million. A free zone person who elects the 0% regime cannot claim it.
- Choose the jurisdiction from where your customers are. Not from a brochure.
Last updated 4 September 2026. Reviewed by the Exiloz tax and compliance team, Dubai.
Who this is for
- You are starting from scratchAnd the quotes you have been given all say something different.
- You are comparing free zonesThere are 33 in the UAE and the differences that matter are not the headline price.
- You already trade elsewhereAnd need a UAE entity for customers, banking or residency.
- You were quoted a cheap licenceWhich did not mention visa quota, establishment card, or year-two renewal.
What is included
- Jurisdiction advice: mainland versus free zone, against your actual customer base
- Trade name reservation and initial approval
- MOA drafting and notarisation
- Trade licence issue and establishment card
- Investor and employee visa processing
- Corporate bank account introduction and the application file
- VAT and corporate tax registration once the licence is live
Mainland or free zone: what changes for tax
| Obligation | Mainland company | Free zone company |
|---|---|---|
| Corporate tax registration | Within 3 months of incorporation | Within 3 months of incorporation |
| Corporate tax rate | 0% up to AED 375,000 of taxable income, 9% above | 0% on qualifying income if a Qualifying Free Zone Person, 9% on other taxable income |
| Small Business Relief (revenue up to AED 3 million, periods to 2029) | Available | Not available to a Qualifying Free Zone Person |
| Audited financial statements | Required above AED 50 million revenue | Always required for a Qualifying Free Zone Person |
| Beneficial owner (UBO) register | File within 60 days of the licence (Cabinet Decision No. 109 of 2023) | Commercial free zones: within 60 days of the licence. DIFC and ADGM run their own registers |
| VAT registration | Mandatory above AED 375,000 of taxable supplies | Same test; designated zones have their own rules for goods |
How it works
- Tell us who you sell toOnshore UAE, export, or online. It decides the jurisdiction.
- We price two optionsUsually one mainland and one free zone, with year-two costs shown.
- You pick, we fileApprovals, MOA, licence, establishment card.
- Compliance switched onCorporate tax registration, VAT if you need it, books from month one.
Company formation consultants in Dubai — questions we get asked
Mainland or free zone?
If you sell to UAE customers onshore, mainland avoids the agent or distributor workaround. If you export, serve clients abroad, or want a cheaper entry, free zone usually wins. The corporate tax question is separate and it is where free zone companies get caught: 0% applies to qualifying income, not to everything the company earns.
How much does it cost to set up in Dubai?
Our fee is fixed and quoted up front. Government and free zone charges sit on top and vary widely by activity and visa count, so we put both in one written quote. You see the real total, not the licence headline.
How long does it take?
A straightforward free zone licence can be days. Mainland with external approvals takes longer, and the bank account is almost always the slowest step regardless of jurisdiction.
Do I need a local partner?
For most mainland activities, no. 100% foreign ownership has been available on the great majority of commercial and industrial activities since 2021. A short list of strategic activities still has conditions.
Can you open the bank account?
We prepare and introduce the file. No consultant can guarantee an account; the bank decides, and it decides on substance, activity and source of funds. Being honest about that up front is why our files get through.
What do I owe in year two?
Licence renewal, establishment card, visa renewals, and now corporate tax registration and filing. This is the number that surprises people, so we show it in the original quote.
What does a company formation consultant in Dubai actually do?
Three things: choose the jurisdiction, get the file approved, and switch on the compliance that follows. The first is advice, the second is process, and the third is where most setups are let down. We do all three because we are a tax and accounting practice, not a licence desk.
Why use a consultant instead of applying to the free zone directly?
Go direct if you already know your activity code, your visa count and your year-two cost. Plenty of founders do, and we will tell you when that is the sensible answer. Come to us when the answer changes depending on who you ask, or when the zone quoting you cannot tell you what corporate tax you will owe on that structure.
Are you a licence broker?
No. We are a licensed Dubai tax and accounting firm, and formation is one service we run for clients whose books we then keep. A broker is paid to place you in a zone. We are paid to be right about which one.
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