Licence package
Your right to trade. Driven by your activity group, the number of activities, the residency quota attached to the package and the licence period you choose.
Private business consulting firm · Business setup cost guide
Business setup in Dubai: understand every cost before you commit
Most founders compare licence packages. The real budget sits around them: registration, residency, workspace, insurance, banking and tax. This page explains each cost line. A senior BML advisor can then turn it into your own itemised breakdown in AED, with authority fees and our advisory fee on separate lines.
Private consulting firm, not a government entity. BML is not a government agency and does not issue trade licences, residence visas or any official document. Licences are issued only by each free zone authority and residence visas only by the UAE immigration authorities; founders can apply to them directly.
- Every cost family explained below, from licence to tax
- Your own breakdown: authority fees and BML fee on separate lines
- Banking profile reviewed before you commit to any free zone
Tarek Al AliGoogle reviewPublic review
“Outstanding company formation service in Dubai. Clear guidance on the best UAE Free Zones, transparent pricing, and no upfront costs. Perfect for entrepreneurs wanting a safe setup in the UAE.”
No obligation About 2 minutes Free of charge 5.0 Google rating
Six free zones compared side by side
- Meydan Free Zone
- IFZA
- SHAMS
- SPC Free Zone
- Ajman Free Zone
- RAKEZ
Each free zone is an authority in its own right: it reviews applications, issues its own licences, sets its own fees and accepts applications directly from founders. BML is a private consulting firm and is not part of any free zone authority. Zone names are used here for identification and comparison only.
Cost guide
The anatomy of a first-year business setup budget
A licence package is only one line of your budget. Here is every cost family a UAE free zone company typically meets in year one, who you pay, and what makes it go up or down. No prices on this page: authority tariffs change, and your mix is personal.
Registration and initial approvals
Company registration, name approval and incorporation documents. Varies with the legal form and with whether one of the shareholders is a company.
Establishment card
The registration that allows your company to sponsor residence visas. Not needed if nobody takes UAE residency through the company.
Residence visas
Entry permit, status change if you are already in the UAE, medical test and Emirates ID. Each family member you sponsor adds their own set of lines.
Workspace
From a flexi-desk to a private office or a warehouse. The number of residence visas often sets the minimum workspace you must hold.
Health insurance
Required for most residence visas, with minimum cover rules that differ by emirate. Each sponsored family member needs their own policy.
Corporate bank account
Not a government cost, but a real one: minimum average balance, monthly fees and transfer charges vary widely from one bank to another.
Accounting, audit and tax
Bookkeeping, corporate tax returns, VAT returns once registered, and audited accounts where your zone or your tax status requires them.
Attestation and translation
Only when a shareholder is a company or a document comes from abroad. Often the slowest line of the whole budget, so plan it first.
BML advisory fee
Shown on its own line, never blended into authority fees. You see what you pay us and what you pay everyone else.
General overview for free zone companies. Each authority publishes its own tariff and requirements; your advisor confirms what applies to your project.
Why founders choose BML
Business setup advice, with the numbers in plain sight
An itemised cost breakdown, a banking profile reviewed before you spend, and one senior advisor on your project from the first call. Here is what makes the difference.
The breakdown you can actually check, line by line
Every figure in your cost breakdown comes from the published tariff of each free zone authority, reviewed in October 2026. It includes only the licence, residency and workspace lines you need, and shows any BML advisory fee on its own line. Nothing blended, nothing “included”.
- 6free zones compared for every breakdown
- 5.0Google rating, public reviews
- 2 hto your itemised breakdown, in working hours
- 18 yrsof banking and risk advisory behind the founder
Maximise your chances of UAE bank account approval
Your bank is both a cost line and a decision you do not control. We check which banks are realistic for your activity before you pay any authority fee, so the budget you approve is one you can actually use.
- Profile pre-screened firstWe review your banking profile before you pay for anything.
- Straight talk, no “guarantee”The bank’s compliance team decides. We work on the quality of what it reads.
Emirates NBD
Mashreq
RAKBANK
ADCB
Wio
Recurring costs, budgeted from day one
Corporate tax, VAT, accounting and audit are recurring lines, not afterthoughts. We put them in your three-year budget and coordinate with licensed tax agents, who handle the filings. The fixed AED 10,000 penalty for late registration is the easiest line to remove.
Your timeline, clear before you commit
Before you commit, we explain what each authority publishes as its requirements and how long its review usually takes, so you can plan your move around it. One senior advisor stays your single point of contact from the first call onward.
Choose the route first
Free zone, mainland or offshore: a plain comparison
The route changes your cost structure more than any package does. Here are the differences that matter in practice.
| Free zone | Mainland | Offshore | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Licensed by | The free zone authority | The emirate’s economic department (DET in Dubai) | An offshore registry, with no trading licence |
| Foreign ownership | Full foreign ownership | Full foreign ownership for most activities since 2021; some strategic activities excepted | Full foreign ownership |
| Where you can sell | Abroad and within the zone; serving UAE mainland clients may need a permit, a distributor or a mainland presence, depending on the activity | Anywhere in the UAE, including public-sector contracts | No commercial activity in the UAE |
| Workspace | Flexi-desk often accepted | Physical office with a registered lease usually required | Registered agent address |
| UAE residency | Yes, quota linked to package and workspace | Yes, quota linked to office size | No |
| Corporate tax | 0% on qualifying income for a Qualifying Free Zone Person; standard rules otherwise | 0% up to AED 375,000 of taxable income, 9% above | In scope of UAE corporate tax; confirm with a tax agent |
| Typical fit | Consultants, tech, e-commerce, founders selling abroad | Shops, restaurants, contractors, UAE-facing services | Holding shares, intellectual property or assets |
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules depend on your activity and on the authority concerned.
Which lines apply to you
Three founder profiles, three very different budgets
Same city, same week, very different totals. The difference rarely comes from the licence itself: it comes from the lines that travel with it.
| Cost line | Solo consultant, resident abroad | Founder relocating with family | Trading company, foreign parent, small team |
|---|---|---|---|
| Licence package | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ larger quota |
| Registration and approvals | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ parent company review |
| Establishment card | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Investor residence visa | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Employee residence visas | — | — | ✓ per hire |
| Family residence visas | — | ✓ per family member | If relevant |
| Workspace | Flexi-desk | Flexi-desk or co-working | Office or warehouse |
| Health insurance | — | ✓ for each resident | ✓ for each resident |
| Attestation abroad | — | — | ✓ parent company documents |
| Corporate bank account | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ often a deeper review |
| Accounting and corporate tax | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| VAT registration | Only above the threshold | Only above the threshold | Likely |
Illustrative profiles, not quotes. Your own breakdown is built from your answers in the form above.
Control your budget
Six levers that move your total, and five mistakes that inflate it
The six levers
- Number of residence visasThe biggest lever. Each visa adds immigration costs, insurance and often a larger workspace requirement.
- Workspace typeA flexi-desk and a private office do not belong to the same budget, and your visa quota often decides which one you need.
- Licence periodMany zones price multi-year licences differently from a one-year licence. Compare totals over the period you will really stay.
- Activity mixCombining activities from different groups can change the package or trigger an extra approval.
- Shareholder typeA company shareholder means attested documents from abroad: time and money before anything can move.
- EmirateZones in Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman and Ras Al Khaimah differ on running costs, not only on set-up costs.
The five mistakes we see most
- Comparing package headlines instead of year-one totals
- Choosing the zone before checking which banks accept the activity
- Taking more visas than the workspace allows, then paying for an upgrade
- Forgetting the recurring lines: renewal, insurance, accounting, bank fees
- Registering late for corporate tax, a fixed AED 10,000 penalty
Client feedback
Founders who stopped guessing the numbers
Founders from 30+ countries who wanted the numbers before the pitch. Every review is public on Google, under the client’s own name.
“Outstanding company formation service in Dubai. Clear guidance on the best UAE Free Zones, transparent pricing, and no upfront costs. Perfect for entrepreneurs wanting a safe setup in the UAE.”
Tarek Al AliPublic Google review
“I wanted a consulting firm capable of explaining the overall strategy for setting up in Dubai. They analyzed the risks, the partners to avoid, and the best practices, and everything was transparent. It was genuine strategic guidance.”
Yanis BrueraPublic Google review
“Everything was clear, fast and efficient. I’m very satisfied with how my company setup and business setup were handled.”
Fabien BlondeauPublic Google review
Get my free cost breakdown
- No obligation
- Cost breakdown within 2 working hours
- Data never resold
What the breakdown is, and is not
Private advice on your numbers, never an official quote
Your cost breakdown is a consulting document prepared by BML. Authority fees are always set, invoiced and collected by the authority itself.
What we do
Turn published tariffs into your budget
- Collect each authority’s published tariff for your profile
- Lay out one-off and recurring lines over three years
- Flag the costs founders most often forget
- Show our own advisory fee on a separate line
What we never do
Speak or sign for an authority
- Issue licences, visas or any official document
- Present ourselves as a government entity or agency
- Hide authority fees inside a package price
- Promise a bank account or a faster approval
Stop guessing the numbers. See every cost line before you commit.
Two minutes to fill in. Your breakdown in AED from a senior advisor within two working hours. Free, no obligation.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to set up a business in the UAE?
It depends on four things: the free zone, your activity, the number of residence visas and the workspace you need. Licence packages differ sharply between zones, and one-off registration fees, the establishment card and each visa come on top of the licence. That is why we do not publish a single headline figure: the two-minute form above gets you your own itemised breakdown in AED within two working hours, with every cost on its own line and any BML advisory fee shown separately.
Why don’t you publish prices on this page?
Because a single headline figure would mislead you. Each authority sets and changes its own tariff, and your total depends on your activity, your visas, your workspace and your shareholders. A “from” price would hide most of the lines that matter. Instead, a senior advisor sends you a written breakdown for your own project, with every authority fee and our advisory fee on separate lines.
Which costs do founders most often forget?
The recurring ones: licence renewal, establishment card renewal, health insurance, the bank’s minimum balance and monthly fees, accounting and, where required, audit. Company shareholders also need their documents attested in their home country, which takes time and money before anything can be submitted.
Is BML a government entity?
No. BML Business Set Up Advisory LLC is a private business consulting firm licensed in SHAMS Free Zone, Sharjah. It is not a government entity or agency, and it does not issue trade licences, residence visas or any official document. Licences are issued by each free zone authority and visas by the UAE immigration authorities, and founders can apply to them directly. Clients come to BML for side-by-side comparison, cost planning and help preparing their decisions.
Is the cost breakdown really free?
Yes. The written breakdown and the 15-minute call are free and carry no obligation. If you then want ongoing advisory support, our fee is quoted in writing, on its own line, before any work starts.
Is a multi-year licence cheaper?
Often per year, yes: many free zones price two- or three-year licences differently from a one-year licence. But you commit more cash upfront, and the residency quota and workspace terms are tied in for the whole period. Compare the total over the time you will really stay, not the yearly headline.
Does a flexi-desk limit the number of visas I can take?
Often, yes. Many free zones link the number of residence visas a company can sponsor to the workspace it holds, so a growing team can force a move to a larger workspace. Your advisor checks the rule for each zone on your shortlist before you choose.
What about corporate tax and VAT?
Every UAE company must register for corporate tax with the Federal Tax Authority. The rate is 0% up to AED 375,000 of taxable income and 9% above. A Qualifying Free Zone Person can pay 0% on its qualifying income if it meets the legal conditions. VAT at 5% applies once your taxable supplies exceed AED 375,000 over twelve months; services billed to clients outside the UAE may qualify for zero-rating. A licensed tax agent should confirm your case.
Ready to know your real year-one budget?
Two minutes to fill in, an itemised cost breakdown in AED within two working hours, with authority fees and our advisory fee on separate lines. No commitment.
- No obligation
- About 2 minutes
- Data never resold
BML is a private consulting firm, not a government entity. Licences and visas are issued only by the competent authorities.