DMCC Free Zone
Company Setup
DMCC is the address that opens bank accounts. It's also the free zone where founders get surprised by the second invoice.
We handle your DMCC company formation end to end — activity selection, name reservation, portal submission, office allocation, visas and bank introduction — and we tell you the full year-one number before you commit to anything.
Ownership
Activities
to License
What DMCC Actually Is
Dubai Multi Commodities Centre was set up by the Government of Dubai in 2002 to give commodities trade a regulated home. Two decades later it's the largest free zone in the UAE and a full district — 87 towers in Jumeirah Lakes Towers plus the Uptown Dubai development, with metro at both ends and Jebel Ali Port a short drive away.
What makes it different from a cheaper free zone isn't the paperwork. It's recognition. A DMCC license clears bank compliance faster than most alternatives, counterparties recognise the name, and the zone runs sector ecosystems — Crypto, AI, Gaming, Gold, Tea, Coffee, Energy, Maritime — that come with real infrastructure. You pay for that: DMCC is not the cheapest way to hold a UAE license, and this page will not pretend otherwise.
The Address That Opens Bank Accounts
DMCC is not the cheapest way to hold a UAE license — it's the one that carries the most recognition with banks, counterparties and sector ecosystems.
Bank-Recognised Name
Real Sector Ecosystems
1,000+ Business Activities
Largest Free Zone in the UAE
100% Foreign Ownership
Metro & Port Access
"0% Corporate Tax" Is Not the Whole Sentence
Almost every DMCC setup page still advertises a flat 0% corporate tax rate. That stopped being accurate when Federal Decree-Law No. 47 of 2022 came into force.
Here's the real position. DMCC is a designated free zone, so a DMCC company can qualify as a Qualifying Free Zone Person (QFZP) and pay 0% — but only on qualifying income. Income that doesn't qualify is taxed at 9%. Breach the de minimis thresholds and you can lose QFZP status entirely, for the current year and the following four.
The trap most founders walk into: mainland-sourced revenue is generally non-qualifying. So if your plan is "DMCC license, sell to Dubai clients, pay nothing" — that plan has a hole in it. See the dual license section below.
We map your revenue streams against the qualifying income rules before you pick a structure, not after your first tax return.
Not tax advice. Positions should be confirmed with a registered tax agent — we can introduce one.
License Types at DMCC
DMCC lists over 1,000 approved activities. Choosing the wrong one at application is the most common cause of an amendment fee three months later. We pick it with you.
Trading License
Import, export, distribution, storage and re-export of physical goods. The standard commercial license covers a small number of closely related activities; broader scope means a General Trading license.
Service License
Consultancy, marketing, IT services, management, professional services. Revenue from expertise rather than goods.
Industrial License
Light manufacturing, processing, assembly and packaging. Requires physical premises, not a desk.
E-Commerce License
Online retail and marketplace operations, with the customs and logistics setup that actually supports fulfilment.
Sector & Specialist Licenses
Crypto and blockchain (DMCC Crypto Centre), AI (AI Centre), gaming and e-sports (Gaming Centre), plus regulated commodity activities. Some carry additional approval requirements outside DMCC — a crypto exchange or custody business will still need VARA authorisation.
What DMCC Actually Charges
These are DMCC's published package prices, not estimates. The "offer" figures are the current Business Acceleration promotion — a limited-time discount that will not apply on renewal.
| Package | Best For | Price | Offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| AstroLabs | Tech founders joining the AstroLabs incubator | AED 1,925 | — |
| Nook | Health & fitness professionals (dedicated co-working) | AED 10,345 | — |
| JLT Resident | People already living in JLT | AED 29,205 | — |
| Uptown Homeowners | Uptown Dubai property owners | Free | — |
| Crypto / AI / Gaming Centre | Web3, AI and e-sports businesses | AED 31,000 | AED 27,900 |
| CLG (new) | Family offices, industry associations | AED 34,185 | — |
| Basic Biz | Solo founders, individual shareholders only | AED 35,484 | AED 31,936 |
| Prime Plus | Established and larger companies | AED 38,025 | AED 36,131 |
| Jump Start · 1yr flexi | Start-ups and SMEs, 1 visa included | AED 43,780 | AED 39,402 |
| Jump Start · 3yr | Committed multi-year setups | AED 120,000 | AED 96,000 |
All prices per DMCC's published business setup packages.
The AstroLabs line is not a typo. At AED 1,925 it is the cheapest documented route to a DMCC license. It requires joining the AstroLabs ecosystem and taking a desk there, so it doesn't suit everyone — but almost no setup consultancy will mention it exists.
What No Package Includes
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Share capital | AED 50,000 |
| Annual audit | Ask us |
| Visa costs per person | Ask us |
| Renewal at full rate | Ask us |
Share capital — AED 50,000. Your own money, held in the company. Standard is AED 50,000 with a minimum of AED 10,000 per shareholder. It sits outside every package price above.
Annual audit. DMCC requires audited financial statements every year from an approved auditor. Budget for it from year one, even at zero revenue.
Visa costs beyond what's bundled — medical, Emirates ID, stamping, per person.
Renewal at full rate. Year-one promotional pricing is year-one pricing. The exception is Prime Plus, which carries a guaranteed price freeze on license renewal.
There Is No Virtual Office in DMCC
Every DMCC company must hold real workspace inside the zone. No package, permit or activity type waives it — and your workspace also sets your visa ceiling.
-
Special Flexi Desk
1 visa — this is what sits inside Basic Biz and JLT Resident
-
Standard Flexi Desk / Co-Working
Up to 3 visas
-
Enclosed Office
Roughly 1 visa per 9 sq m
The failure pattern is predictable: founder takes the 1-visa package, wins two clients, needs to hire three people, and upgrades mid-term at a worse price than choosing correctly on day one. We size the desk against your 18-month hiring plan, not your launch-week budget.
Can a DMCC Company Sell in Mainland Dubai?
Not directly on the free zone license alone. You have three routes: appoint a mainland distributor or agent, open a separate mainland entity, or apply for the DMCC dual license with the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism.
Every competitor page mentions dual licensing. Almost none mention the conditions:
- ✕ You need a No Objection Certificate from DMCC before DET will look at you
- ✕ There is a minimum office size requirement inside DMCC — a flexi desk does not qualify
- ✕ Eligible activities are narrow, weighted toward general, non-regulated consultancy
- ✕ The general manager may be required to sit a consultancy examination
- ✕ No Ministry of Labour work permits are issued under it — staff remain employed by the free zone entity on free zone immigration files, which constrains placing employees on client sites onshore
And the tax interaction from above applies: mainland-sourced income earned through a dual license is generally non-qualifying, which can push you past the de minimis threshold and cost you QFZP status.
Do not confuse it with the Dual Licence Office Permit — a separate DMCC product allowing a DMCC company and a DET company to share one JLT office unit. Different application, different rules, retail and industrial excluded.
Dual licensing is a real tool. It is not a shortcut, and anyone selling it as one hasn't read the conditions.
Around 10 Working Days to License
One point of contact, from activity selection through to your bank account.
Activity & Structure
We confirm your activity list against DMCC's approved schedule, pick the license type, and set the entity form (FZCO, FZ Branch or CLG).
Name Reservation & Pre-Approval
Trade name submitted through the DMCC portal. New registrations since January 2025 carry the FZCO suffix.
Documentation
KYC for every shareholder, director and authorised signatory. Corporate shareholders need attested incorporation documents. UBO disclosure is mandatory for anyone holding 25% or more.
Payment & Signing
Fees settled and documents signed digitally through the portal — the whole setup can be completed remotely.
Office Allocation
Flexi desk, co-working or fitted office, sized to your visa requirement.
E-License Issued
Then: establishment card, immigration file, and visa processing. Visas require you in the UAE for medical testing and Emirates ID biometrics.
Bank Account
We prepare the file and make introductions.
Total: around 10 working days to license, assuming documentation is complete. Incomplete documents are the delay, every time.
Documents You'll Need
Individual Shareholders
Passport copy (6+ months validity), passport photograph, proof of residential address dated within 3 months (utility bill or bank statement), UAE visa and Emirates ID copy if applicable, and a CV or professional profile for regulated or specialised activities.
Corporate Shareholders
Certificate of incorporation, Memorandum and Articles of Association, register of directors and shareholders, board resolution approving the DMCC entity, and a certificate of good standing. Foreign corporate documents require attestation — plan for the lead time.
Is DMCC the Right Free Zone for Your Business?
We would rather move you to the right zone now than process a DMCC application you regret in month four.
DMCC fits you if...
- • You need a license name that banks and international counterparties recognise on sight
- • You're in commodities, crypto, AI, gaming, e-commerce or professional services with a sector ecosystem to plug into
- • You want a Dubai business address in a district your team will actually work in
- • You're planning to grow headcount and want office scalability in one place
- • Your revenue is international or B2B free zone — clean qualifying income
Look at another free zone if...
- • Your budget is the deciding factor. DMCC's mandatory JLT workspace makes it structurally more expensive than RAKEZ or Meydan — if the license is a formality and cost is the constraint, they're the better answer.
- • You need real warehousing or port-adjacent logistics. JAFZA is built for that; DMCC is a commercial district.
- • Most of your revenue will come from mainland UAE clients — read the tax and dual license sections above. A mainland license may simply be the right structure.
- • You want a paper address and no physical footprint. DMCC does not offer that.
Handled End to End
Activity & structure advisory
Chosen against your revenue model and tax position, not copied from a template.
Full application management
Name reservation through to e-license, handled on the DMCC portal.
Office allocation
Sized to your visa plan.
Visa processing
Establishment card, immigration file, medicals, Emirates ID, dependants.
Banking introduction
File prepared to survive compliance review.
Post-setup compliance
Audit coordination, license renewal, corporate tax and VAT registration, e-invoicing readiness.
Frequently Asked Questions
Get the Real Number Before You Commit
Send us your business activity and how many visas you need. We'll come back with the DMCC package that fits, the total year-one cost including everything the package doesn't cover, and an honest answer about whether DMCC is the right zone for you.
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