DIFC Foundation: Cost, Setup and Who Must Be Involved

A DIFC foundation is a separate legal entity set up under the DIFC Foundations Law, DIFC Law No. 3 of 2018, to hold assets for a family, a charity or other stated purposes. It is one of the cheapest structures in DIFC to keep. This page sets out what it costs, who has to be involved and what stays private, using the Foundations Law, the DIFC Registrar’s table of fees (DIFC-CS-GL-03 Rev. 16, updated 30 July 2026) and the DIFC Foundations Handbook (30 March 2026), read on 4 October 2026.

DIFC foundation fees

So DIFC’s own fees for the first year come to USD 350 plus AED 20, and from the second year USD 650 a year (licence and confirmation statement). Only one DIFC document, the Operating Regulations, still lists a USD 200 foundation licence; the Foundations Law and the current fee table both say USD 350, and the fee table states that the law prevails. The fees of a registered agent or corporate service provider are private prices and are not published.

Who has to be involved

• Founder: at least one, an individual aged 18 or over, a company or a government entity.
• Council: at least two members, who run the foundation. A founder or a company can sit on the council.
• Guardian: required if the foundation has a charitable object or a specified non-charitable object, optional otherwise. A guardian cannot also be a council member.
• Beneficiaries: the law calls them qualified recipients. Their only right is to payments under the by-laws, not to the foundation’s property.
• Registered agent: optional. If you appoint one, it must be licensed by DIFCA and registered with the DFSA.

A founder can reserve powers in the charter, but only for the founder’s lifetime, or for 50 years if the founder is a company.

Charter, by-laws and name

The charter must be in English and state the name, the objects, a description of the initial capital, the duration and a declaration by each founder. The by-laws set how the council works and what happens to the assets if the foundation is dissolved; they do not have to be filed with the Registrar when a registered agent is appointed. The name must end with the word “Foundation”. Founders who are individuals provide six months of bank statements, and corporate founders two years of audited accounts.

Office, trading and assets

• Office: the foundation needs a registered office in DIFC, which can be a leased office, space shared with an affiliate in DIFC, or a registered agent.
• No trading: a foundation may not carry out commercial activities except those needed for, and ancillary to, its objects.
• Assets: it can hold shares, keeping their voting rights, and movable or immovable property. The charter can set conditions for property that UAE law allows only nationals to hold.
• Accounts: it must keep accounts signed by two council members and file them with the Registrar, or give them to its registered agent if it has one.

What is public

The public register shows the foundation’s name, registered office, founders, council members and registered agent, without nationalities or addresses. Beneficiaries are not among the registered items. Only a person with sufficient interest can get a certified copy of the charter, and the charter or by-laws can restrict what information the foundation gives out unless a court orders it. Ultimate beneficial owners, meaning people with significant control, are still disclosed to DIFC.

How long it takes

DIFC publishes only the first step: an initial approval email, typically within 3 to 5 working days of applying. It gives no total time to licence. DIFC also publishes no minimum asset amount; the law says the initial capital may comprise any property.

Foundation or holding company

If the aim is to hold shares in operating companies rather than to provide for a family or a cause, compare a DIFC Prescribed Company, which costs USD 100 to incorporate and USD 1,000 a year. A full DIFC company for trading or services costs far more; see DIFC company setup.