On this page 10 sections
Dubai Airport Freezone (DAFZ, often still called DAFZA) sits beside Dubai International Airport and is licensed by the Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority (DIEZ), together with Dubai Silicon Oasis and Dubai CommerCity. DAFZ describes its licences, company forms, office packages and visa quotas in detail, but it publishes no fee schedule and no package prices for an ordinary company. This page sets out everything DAFZ does publish, including the two products it prices, and marks what only a DAFZ quote will tell you, as checked on 4 October 2026.
DAFZ licence types
DAFZ issues trade licences (with an e-commerce option), service, industrial and general trading licences, licences for single-family and multi-family offices, a dual licence with the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), and the Talent Pass for freelancers. All trading activities are allowed as long as they are not hazardous or illegal. Its 2025 activity list is based on ISIC codes; we counted 2,041 activity codes in it, and DAFZ notes that the list may change and some activities need an NOC.
What DAFZ prices, and what it does not
| Item | Published figure | Source and date |
|---|---|---|
| Licence fee, standard company | Not published | No fee table on the DAFZ site |
| Registration fee, renewal fee | Not published | No fee table on the DAFZ site |
| Office, warehouse and industrial rents | Not published | Offices and industrial park pages |
| Talent Pass permit | AED 7,500 a year | Talent Pass brochure, March 2026 |
| Talent Pass with establishment card and two-year visa | AED 13,596 (7,500 + 2,000 + 4,096) | Talent Pass brochure, March 2026 |
| Talent Pass with a five-year golden visa | AED 58,580 (permit 50,000 paid upfront + card 2,000 + visa and NOC 6,580) | Talent Pass golden visa brochure |
| Scality Global setup (tech startups only) | AED 3,000: licence 1,000 + establishment card 2,000 | Scality page, August 2025 |
| Scality Global subscription | AED 2,850 a month | Scality page, August 2025 |
| Lease security deposit | 10% of the annual rent | Standard Leasing Terms and Conditions 2026 |
The Scality figures cover DAFZ fees only; external government fees such as VAT and the knowledge and innovation fees are extra, and the visa is charged separately at up to AED 4,200 for a sponsored visa or AED 1,000 for a non-sponsored work permit. Several older DAFZ landing pages still advertise “no registration fee” or free rent with no end date; they were last updated in 2024 and are no longer in the site menu, so do not count on them.
Office packages and visa quotas
The DAFZ setup process has three steps: choose the licence, choose the company type, choose the space, and it ends with signing a lease. Every package includes space:
| Package | Space | Employment visas |
|---|---|---|
| Smart Office / Smart Office Plus | Desk | 1 |
| Business Boutique | 9 to 23 square metres | 2 |
| Premium | 25 square metres, furnished | 3 |
| Premium Plus | 50 square metres, furnished | 6 |
| Standard office | Custom | 1 per 8.33 square metres |
| Warehouse or light industrial unit | Up to 350 / above 350 square metres | 20 / 30 |
The 2026 lease terms add a fine of AED 3,000 a month for payments more than 30 days late, AED 1,000 for a returned cheque, and three months’ rent if you leave without giving the non-renewal notice, because the lease renews automatically.
Company forms and capital
- Freezone Company (FZCO): 1 to 50 shareholders, individuals or companies, minimum share capital AED 1. A bank capital letter is needed only if the capital is above AED 150,000.
- PLC: public limited company.
- Branch of a UAE or foreign company: no share capital.
These forms come from the DAFZ implementing regulations that apply to entities set up after 14 March 2021. Every FZE and FZCO must have its annual financial statements audited by a DAFZ-approved auditor.
How to set up in DAFZ
- Choose the licence, the company type and the space with the DAFZ sales team.
- Get initial approval, then submit the notarised and attested legal documents and the ultimate beneficial owner declaration.
- Sign the lease and pay; the licence, registration and establishment card follow, then the visas through the DAFZ portal, which offers more than 250 services.
DAFZ does not publish a timeline for a company. For the Talent Pass it states 10 to 15 working days after approval.
Talent Pass: the freelance route
The Talent Pass is a permit in your own name, renewed every year. It does not allow you to hire or sponsor employees, needs no audit, and its fees are non-refundable. Extra activities cost AED 550 each, up to three. For other freelance options across the UAE, see the freelancer visa page.
Working on the Dubai mainland
DAFZ offers a dual licence with DET that lets a DAFZ company hold a DET licence without a mainland office, but it does not publish the fee. Under Dubai Executive Council Resolution No. 11 of 2025, DET charges AED 10,000 a year for a branch operating outside the free zone, or AED 5,000 for a temporary permit valid up to six months.
Corporate tax
DAFZ’s own 2026 guide gives the federal rates: 0% on taxable income up to AED 375,000 and 9% above it, with a qualifying free zone person able to pay 0% on qualifying income; see qualifying free zone person. A line in the DAFZ FAQ saying that no corporate tax is levied does not reflect the law in force since June 2023.
DAFZ against other Dubai zones
DAFZ suits companies that need an airport location or air-cargo access. If you mainly need a licence and a desk, zones that publish their prices are easier to budget: compare Dubai Silicon Oasis, which shares the same authority, JAFZA, Dubai South and the free zone comparison table.
What DAFZ does not publish
- The licence, registration and renewal fees for a standard company.
- Prices of the Smart, Business Boutique, Premium, Premium Plus and Standard packages, and all rents.
- The establishment card and visa fees for a standard company.
- The fee for the dual licence with DET.
- A setup timeline for companies.
Ask DAFZ for a written quote that lists each of these before you sign.
Other Dubai free zones we cover: DMCC, DIFC, IFZA, Meydan Free Zone, DWTC, Dubai Development Authority zones, Dubai Internet City, Dubai Media City, Dubai Design District and Dubai Healthcare City.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a DAFZA licence cost?
DAFZ does not publish the licence fee, registration fee or office rent for a standard company; its sales team quotes them. The figures it does publish are for the Talent Pass freelance permit, AED 7,500 a year, and the Scality Global tech startup scheme, where the licence is AED 1,000 and the establishment card AED 2,000.
What is the cheapest official way into DAFZ?
For an individual, the Talent Pass at AED 7,500 a year; with the establishment card and a two-year visa it totals AED 13,596 under the March 2026 brochure. It is a permit in your own name and does not allow you to hire staff.
Do I need an office in DAFZ?
Yes. The DAFZ setup process ends with signing a lease, and every package includes space, from a Smart Office desk to a 50 square metre Premium Plus office. A lease carries a security deposit of 10% of the annual rent.
How many visas does a DAFZ office give?
Smart Office 1, Business Boutique 2, Premium 3 and Premium Plus 6. A standard office gives one visa per 8.33 square metres, and warehouses 20 visas up to 350 square metres and 30 above.
What share capital does a DAFZ company need?
An FZCO needs a minimum of AED 1, with 1 to 50 shareholders, and a bank capital letter only above AED 150,000. A branch needs no capital. FZE and FZCO accounts must be audited every year by a DAFZ-approved auditor.
Can a DAFZ company work on the Dubai mainland?
Yes. DAFZ offers a dual licence with DET without a mainland office, but does not publish its fee. Under Resolution No. 11 of 2025, DET charges AED 10,000 a year for a branch operating outside the free zone, or AED 5,000 for a permit valid up to six months.
Official references used for context in this article.
Need help with this?
Submit a request and receive tailored offers from verified UAE business consultants. Free, no obligation.