UAE Business Datasets
UAE Free Zones Dataset
Explore a structured dataset of UAE free zones, including emirate, authority, business fit, official source and related Emirae resources.
Free download · CSV, JSON · 15 rows · Version 1.0 · Updated 2026-07-09
Key figures
Figures are computed directly from the current dataset rows and update automatically on every regeneration.
About this dataset
Free zones are one of the main routes for company formation in the UAE, alongside mainland licensing. Each zone is run by its own authority, sets its own licensing rules and tends to serve particular business profiles - from commodity trading and heavy logistics to media, technology, publishing and financial services. Choosing between them usually comes down to activity fit, office and visa needs, and how the zone's profile matches the company's banking story.
This dataset lists major UAE free zones with their emirate, regulating authority (where confirmed on official sources), main business fit, common use cases and the zone's official website. Every official URL in this dataset was verified against the zone's live official site - nothing here is aggregated from third-party directories or consultant listings.
The dataset intentionally avoids pricing and licence-package details: free zone fees and packages change frequently and should always be confirmed with the zone directly. Where a regulating authority's name could not be confirmed on the official site itself, the field is left blank and the row is flagged for manual review instead of being filled with a plausible guess.
Dataset details
- Publisher
- Emirae.Pro
- Version
- 1.0
- Rows
- 15
- Last updated
- 2026-07-09
- Update frequency
- quarterly
- Coverage
- United Arab Emirates
- License
- CC BY 4.0 (Emirae.Pro editorial dataset)
- Formats
- CSV, JSON
Data preview
| free_zone_name | slug | emirate | authority_name | main_business_fit | common_use_cases | office_options | visa_relevance | banking_consideration | official_website | official_source_url | related_emirae_url | notes | last_reviewed | manual_review_required |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMCC | dmcc | Dubai | DMCC Authority (Government of Dubai) | Commodity trading (gold, diamonds, coffee, tea, cocoa) and general business licensing. | Commodity trade exchanges; general trading and professional licences. | unknown | unknown | unknown | https://dmcc.ae/ | https://dmcc.ae/ | Established 2002, based in Jumeirah Lake Towers. | 2026-07-09 | no | |
| IFZA | ifza | Dubai | Broad range of professional, commercial and industrial licensing. | General trading, professional services, industrial licences. | unknown | unknown | unknown | https://ifza.com/en/ | https://ifza.com/en/ | https://emirae.pro/guides/ifza-cost-license-guide/ | Regulating authority name is not explicitly stated on the official site; left blank pending manual review. | 2026-07-09 | yes | |
| Meydan Free Zone | meydan-free-zone | Dubai | Company formation across a wide range of activities with a fast-track licensing option. | General trading, professional and commercial licences. | unknown | unknown | unknown | https://www.meydanfz.ae/ | https://www.meydanfz.ae/ | https://emirae.pro/guides/meydan-free-zone-guide/ | Established 2009, within Meydan City. Regulating authority name not explicitly stated on-site; left blank pending manual review. | 2026-07-09 | yes | |
| Dubai South | dubai-south | Dubai | Dubai Aviation City Corporation (DACC) | Logistics, aviation/aerospace and commercial property near Al Maktoum International Airport. | Logistics and aviation-linked businesses; commercial property. | unknown | unknown | unknown | https://www.dubaisouth.ae/en | https://www.dubaisouth.ae/en | Regulating authority sourced from a secondary legal reference (citing Dubai Law No. 10/2015), not stated directly on the official site — flagged for manual review. | 2026-07-09 | yes | |
| RAKEZ | rakez | Ras Al Khaimah | Government of Ras Al Khaimah | Free zone and non-free-zone company formation across trade, industrial/manufacturing, media and academic sectors. | Trading, manufacturing, media, education-linked licences. | unknown | unknown | unknown | https://rakez.com/en/ | https://rakez.com/en/ | https://emirae.pro/guides/rakez-cost-license-guide/ | Established 2017. | 2026-07-09 | no |
| SPC Free Zone | spc-free-zone | Sharjah | SPC Free Zone Authority (SPCFZ) | Print/publishing origin, also licenses trading, e-commerce, IT and consultancy. | Publishing, media, trading, e-commerce, IT, consultancy. | unknown | unknown | unknown | https://www.spcfz.ae/ | https://www.spcfz.ae/ | https://emirae.pro/guides/spc-free-zone-guide/ | Established 2017. | 2026-07-09 | no |
| SHAMS (Sharjah Media City) | shams | Sharjah | Sharjah Media City (Shams) Free Zone Authority | Media, content creation and creative industries. | Media, creative and content businesses; startups and freelancers. | unknown | unknown | unknown | https://www.shams.ae/en/about-shams | https://www.shams.ae/en/about-shams | https://emirae.pro/guides/shams-license-cost/ | Established 2017 by Emiri Decree. | 2026-07-09 | no |
| JAFZA | jafza | Dubai | Jebel Ali Free Zone Authority (JAFZA), part of DP World UAE | Large-scale industrial and logistics operations adjacent to Jebel Ali Port. | Logistics, petrochemicals, oil and gas, food/agriculture, manufacturing. | unknown | unknown | unknown | https://www.jafza.ae/ | https://www.jafza.ae/ | 2026-07-09 | no | ||
| ADGM | adgm | Abu Dhabi | ADGM Registration Authority / Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) | International financial centre operating under an independent common-law framework. | Financial services, fintech, and broader non-financial institutions. | unknown | unknown | unknown | https://www.adgm.com/ | https://www.adgm.com/ | Located on Al Maryah / Al Reem Island. | 2026-07-09 | no | |
| Dubai Silicon Oasis | dubai-silicon-oasis | Dubai | Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority (DSOA), under the Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority (DIEZ) | Technology and innovation-focused free zone and mixed-use district. | AI/IoT, robotics, future mobility, 3D printing, cybersecurity; R&D. | unknown | unknown | unknown | https://www.dso.ae/ | https://www.dso.ae/ | Current live domain is dso.ae; the older dsoa.ae has been superseded. | 2026-07-09 | no | |
| Dubai World Trade Centre Free Zone | dubai-world-trade-centre-free-zone | Dubai | Dubai World Trade Centre Authority (DWTCA) | Broad business licensing in Dubai's central business district with commercial office/co-working space. | General trading and professional licences; office and co-working space. | unknown | unknown | unknown | https://www.dwtc.com/en/free-zone/ | https://www.dwtc.com/en/free-zone/ | Authority confirmed via the official e-services portal dwtcauthority.com. | 2026-07-09 | no | |
| Dubai Internet City | dubai-internet-city | Dubai | TECOM Group | Technology-sector business community. | Tech companies, startups and technology professionals. | unknown | unknown | unknown | https://www.dic.ae/ | https://www.dic.ae/ | 2026-07-09 | no | ||
| Dubai Media City | dubai-media-city | Dubai | TECOM Group | Media, content and creative-industries business community. | Media, content and creative businesses. | unknown | unknown | unknown | https://dmc.ae/ | https://dmc.ae/ | 2026-07-09 | no | ||
| Ajman Free Zone | ajman-free-zone | Ajman | Free Zones Authority of Ajman (FZA) | Multi-sector free zone licensing. | Trading, food and beverage, automotive, health and beauty, construction, technology. | unknown | unknown | unknown | https://afz.gov.ae/ | https://afz.gov.ae/ | Parent authority confirmed via fza.ae. | 2026-07-09 | no | |
| Fujairah Creative City | fujairah-creative-city | Fujairah | Media and creative-industries free zone, described on-site as the UAE's oldest media free zone. | Media and creative-industry setup, visa, office and studio services. | unknown | unknown | unknown | https://creativecity.gov.ae/ | https://creativecity.gov.ae/ | Established 2007. No distinctly named authority entity stated on the fetched homepage beyond general UAE Ministry of Economy compliance references; left blank pending manual review. Distinguished from the unofficial aggregator domain creativecityfujairah.com, which is not used here. | 2026-07-09 | yes |
How to use this dataset
Group by emirate to compare zones by location - Dubai hosts the largest number in this list.
main_business_fit and common_use_cases give a quick sense of what each zone is known for.
official_website is the zone's own verified domain - use it for current licence types, visa quotas and costs.
related_emirae_url links to detailed Emirae.Pro cost and licensing guides where they exist.
Rows with manual_review_required = yes have an unconfirmed authority-name field; the website itself is verified.
Methodology
Each free zone's official website was verified directly against the live official site. Descriptive fields are based on what the zone states publicly. Regulating authority names are included only where confirmed on official sources; otherwise the field is left blank and the row is flagged for manual review.
Sources & verification
Primary sources: each free zone authority's official website, fetched and verified individually. No third-party directories or consultant listings were used.
This dataset is provided for informational purposes only. Free zone licence options, visa rules, office requirements and fees may change. Users should confirm details with the relevant free zone authority or advisor.
Related resources
Frequently asked questions
- How often is the UAE Free Zones Dataset updated?
- This dataset is reviewed and updated quarterly. The exact last-updated date is shown on this page.
- In what formats can I download this dataset?
- The dataset is available as CSV and JSON downloads. Both formats use the same underlying rows.
- What license applies to this data?
- This dataset is published under CC BY 4.0 (Emirae.Pro editorial dataset). See the license link on this page for full terms.
- Is this dataset independently verified?
- Rows are sourced from official information where available. Any row not yet independently verified is flagged for manual review rather than presented as confirmed.
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