FREE ZONE · DUBAI

JAFZA Business Activities

Jebel Ali — the world's largest free zone and gateway to global trade

5–7 daysSetup time100%Ownership2 (workstation) · 1 per 9 sqm officeVisas

5–7 daysSetup time
Trading · Service · Industrial · GT · HoldingLicence type
Workstation · Office · Warehouse · PlotOffice / facility
2 (workstation) · 1 per 9 sqm officeVisa eligibility
Standard · NOC for regulated goodsApprovals needed
From AED 46,310Renewal cost

About JAFZA

Why JAFZA

JAFZA is Jebel Ali — the world's largest free zone and gateway to global trade, and it has become one of the most practical choices for founders who want a UAE licence without a large upfront budget. Setting up a company in JAFZA gives you 100% ownership, a UAE trade licence and the option to sponsor residence visas for yourself and your family. If you are weighing up where to register in the UAE, JAFZA deserves a close look for its world's largest port-adjacent free zone and uncomplicated renewal process.

Jebel Ali Free Zone (JAFZA) is Dubai's flagship free zone, built around Jebel Ali Port and next to Al Maktoum International Airport. It is the natural home for trading, logistics, light industry and regional headquarters that move goods in and out of the UAE. Companies are formed as an FZE (one shareholder), an FZCO (two or more shareholders) or a Branch, with 100% foreign ownership. Facilities range from a 6 sqm workstation to offices from 27 sqm, warehouses from 313 sqm, showrooms and plots of land — the facility you lease decides your visa quota. GoldenKey handles the full JAFZA application for you: name, licence type, activity selection, facility choice, registration, Computer Immigration Card and visas.

Just as important, the authority permits Free Zone Establishment (FZE), Free Zone Company (FZCO), Branch and Public Company, which covers solo entrepreneurs, partnerships and overseas groups opening a UAE branch. Popular activities in JAFZA include import/export, logistics, manufacturing, commodities and retail, and most of them can be combined on a single licence. Unlike some zones, JAFZA does not require a large paid-up capital to be blocked in a bank account before the licence is issued.

Get my exact cost JAFZA overview

Key points

100% foreign ownership. Company types: FZE (one shareholder), FZCO (two or more shareholders) or a Branch of an existing company.
Licence types: Trading, General Trading, Service, Industrial, E-commerce, Logistics (only as a branch of a Dubai-based company) and Holding. Several licence types can be combined on one application.
A Trading licence covers up to 7 activities from one JAFZA activity group; a higher tier allows up to 12 activities from two groups. A General Trading licence requires a minimum 50 sqm office.
Facilities decide the visa quota: workstation (6 sqm) = 2 visas · office = 1 visa per 9 sqm leased (from 27 sqm) · warehouse 556 sqm = 25 visas. Warehouses start at 313 sqm (313 / 555 / 618 / 702 sqm), showrooms 772 and 890 sqm, plots of land also available. All subject to availability.
A Computer Immigration Card (CIC) is issued with the company and renewed every year; employment visas are valid 2 years and include Emirates ID and medical.
A 10% refundable security deposit on the annual rent is paid once, plus annual facility insurance; warehouses, showrooms and plots also pay a 2% Public Health Levy on the rent each year.
General Trading licence does NOT cover chemicals, scrap/waste or alcohol, nor industrial, service or maintenance activities, real estate, logistics, clearing or forwarding.
Regulated goods need a No Objection Certificate before trading: pharmaceutical/medical products (Ministry of Health), agriculture/fertilizers/pesticides (Ministry of Agriculture), publications/media (Ministry of Information), food stored or distributed in the UAE (Dubai Municipality / EHS).
A Holding licence requires a minimum share capital of AED 10,000,000. The 556 sqm warehouse has 60 kVA electrical power that cannot be upgraded.

Packages & cost

Pricing — choose the right package for your business

In short, all prices for choosing activities for JAFZA are indicative, shown in AED and confirmed in writing before you pay. As we tell every client, use the table below to compare packages for choosing activities for JAFZA; we will confirm the exact total for your case in a written quotation.

Workstation – 2 Visa Quota (6 Sqm, Licence + Registration + Cic)

2 residence visas · 1-year licence

AED 56,210

Trade licence & registration
Establishment card included
2 visa eligibilities
Flexi-desk / office options
GoldenKey PRO support

Get started

Most chosen

Office 27 Sqm – 3 Visa Quota (licence + Registration + Cic)

3 residence visas · 1-year licence

AED 95,535

Trade licence & registration
Establishment card included
3 visa eligibilities
Flexi-desk / office options
GoldenKey PRO support

Get started

Warehouse 556 Sqm – 25 Visa Quota (licence + Registration + Cic)

25 residence visas · 1-year licence

AED 390,258

Trade licence & registration
Establishment card included
25 visa eligibilities
Flexi-desk / office options
GoldenKey PRO support

Get started

Additional visaAED 4,950

Annual renewalAED 46,310

Bank account assistanceAED 1,650

Prices are indicative, in AED, exclusive of 5% VAT where applicable, and confirmed in writing before payment. Last updated 2026-10-24.

Business activities

Full list of JAFZA activities

JAFZA lets you combine related activities on one licence. Search by what your business does — in English or Arabic — or filter by licence type. Quote the GK code when you ask for a quotation.

Showing 60 of 1,429

GK codes are GoldenKey references — quote the code and we know exactly which licence activity you mean. Click a row for the full description, documents and other zones offering it. Availability and approvals are confirmed in writing before payment.

Required documents

Documents required

Here is what you will need for choosing activities for JAFZA; GoldenKey checks every item before submission.

Scanned colour copies are enough to start. We check every item before anything is submitted.

For individuals

Passport copy of every shareholder, manager and directorValid for at least 6 months
Applicant details: full name, mobile number, e-mail address and nationalityJAFZA sends the application link to this e-mail
Proposed company name (3 options), formation type (FZE / FZCO / Branch), licence type(s), main industry and facility type & sizeGoldenKey prepares this with you
Passport copy and passport-size photograph for each employment visaMedical and Emirates ID done after entry permit
UAE residence visa and Emirates ID copyOnly if already a UAE residentif applicable
No Objection Certificate from the relevant ministry or authority for regulated goods or servicesPharma, agriculture, media, food and similar activitiesif applicable
Signed General Trading licence conditions acknowledgementOnly for a General Trading licenceif applicable

For companies

Parent company trade licence / certificate of incorporation, Memorandum & Articles and board resolutionAttested as required by JAFZA

Frequently asked questions

Straight answers about JAFZA. Anything else — ask GK AI or message us.

View all FAQs

Do I need to visit the UAE to set up in JAFZA?

Most JAFZA licences can be issued remotely with scanned documents and a signed power of attorney. You will need to enter the UAE for the medical test and Emirates ID biometrics when your residency visa is processed.

Can a JAFZA company do business on the UAE mainland?

A JAFZA company can sell to mainland customers through a mainland distributor, invoice services to mainland customers in most cases, and apply for a dual-licence arrangement where the emirate offers one. Direct retail or on-site contracting on the mainland needs a mainland licence.

Can I add more activities to my JAFZA licence later?

Yes. JAFZA allows activity additions and changes through a licence amendment, which GoldenKey can process in a few business days for a small authority fee.

Is an audit required for a JAFZA company?

For most clients, requirements vary by zone and by company size. GoldenKey will confirm the current JAFZA rule when we prepare your quotation, and we provide bookkeeping if you need accounts in any case for corporate tax.

How many visas can I get with a JAFZA licence?

On the ground, visa quota is tied to the package and office you choose. JAFZA packages typically start from a zero-visa option and scale to five or more visas with a physical office, and additional visas can be added later for the per-visa fee shown in our pricing.

Get a free quote

Ready to start your business in JAFZA?

Call or WhatsApp GoldenKey today and an adviser will walk you through choosing activities for JAFZA step by step, with no obligation and no pressure.

Good to know

More about JAFZA

Adding activities later

Importantly, if your business changes direction, JAFZA allows an activity amendment at any time for a modest authority fee. We process the amendment and update your bank and tax records so every document stays consistent.

Activities that need extra approval

Healthcare, education, legal consultancy, financial services and food require approvals from regulators outside JAFZA. GoldenKey identifies these at the first consultation so the timeline and cost in your quotation already include them.

Why the UAE

Day to day, residence visas for owners and families come with the company, which makes choosing activities for JAFZA a route to relocation as well as a business decision. The dirham has been pegged to the US dollar since 1997, which removes currency risk for choosing activities for JAFZA and makes international pricing simple.

Why GoldenKey

GoldenKey's consultants have handled choosing activities for JAFZA for traders, consultants, tech founders and family offices, which gives us a realistic view of what each authority approves quickly. You deal with one named consultant from the first call until your JAFZA licence, visa and bank introduction are complete, and that consultant answers your WhatsApp messages personally. We will tell you plainly if JAFZA is not the right choice for your plan and point you to a better option, even when that option costs less.

Activity groups you can license

General TradingCommercial licence

E-commerceCommercial licence

IT & SoftwareProfessional licence

Business ConsultingProfessional licence

Marketing & Advertising AgencyProfessional licence

Real Estate BrokerageCommercial licence

Restaurant & CaféCommercial licence

Retail ShopCommercial licence

Logistics & Freight ForwardingCommercial licence

Import & ExportCommercial licence

Manufacturing & IndustrialIndustrial licence

Construction & ContractingCommercial licence

Healthcare ClinicProfessional licence

Education & TrainingProfessional licence

Media & Content ProductionProfessional licence

Recruitment & HR ServicesProfessional licence

Travel & Tourism AgencyCommercial licence

Event ManagementProfessional licence

Interior Design & Fit-outProfessional licence

Cleaning & Facilities ManagementCommercial licence

Beauty Salon & SpaCommercial licence

Fitness & SportsProfessional licence

Photography & VideographyProfessional licence

Legal ConsultancyProfessional licence

Accounting & BookkeepingProfessional licence

Automotive & Spare Parts TradingCommercial licence

Gold & Jewellery TradingCommercial licence

Crypto & BlockchainProfessional licence

Fintech & PaymentsProfessional licence

Tourism & HospitalityCommercial licence

Textile & Garments TradingCommercial licence

Perfume & Cosmetics TradingCommercial licence

Foodstuff TradingCommercial licence

Engineering ConsultancyProfessional licence

Architecture & DesignProfessional licence

Printing & PackagingIndustrial licence

Car Rental & LeasingCommercial licence

Pharmaceutical & Medical SuppliesCommercial licence

Oil & Gas ServicesCommercial licence

Maritime & Ship ServicesCommercial licence

Holding CompanyCommercial licence

Why JAFZA

Pricing — choose the right package for your business

Workstation – 2 Visa Quota (6 Sqm, Licence + Registration + Cic)

Office 27 Sqm – 3 Visa Quota (licence + Registration + Cic)

Warehouse 556 Sqm – 25 Visa Quota (licence + Registration + Cic)

Full list of JAFZA activities

Documents required

For individuals

For companies

Frequently asked questions

Ready to start your business in JAFZA?

More about JAFZA

Adding activities later

Activities that need extra approval

Why the UAE

Why GoldenKey

Activity groups you can license

Related pages