There is no single Dubai company setup price. The current total is the selected authority's registration and licence fees plus the activity, legal documents, premises, immigration, visas, external approvals and professional services required for that specific company.
This is the main all-in cost guide. Use the UAE setup cost index to compare named jurisdictions, or the hidden-cost guide to check the recurring and easily omitted charges before accepting a quote.
The short answer. A complete Dubai business-setup budget should include the licence and registration, approved activity, legal form, office or flexi-desk, establishment card, visa-related charges, external approvals, professional fees and renewal obligations. Compare quotes only when they cover the same items.
Dubai's official business portal provides company setup options and a government cost calculator. Free-zone fees remain authority-specific.
The structure changes which authority fees, premises, immigration and renewal items apply. Use this table to compare like with like.
| Setup type | Core authority charges | Common additions | Renewal items |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free Zone | Registration, legal form, activity and licence package set by the zone | Workspace, establishment card, visas and external approvals where applicable | Zone licence, facility, immigration and visa items |
| Mainland | Trade name, initial approval, legal form, activity and licence charges | Premises and Ejari, legal documents, external approvals, immigration and visas | Licence, tenancy, immigration, visas and applicable approvals |
| Offshore | Incorporation and registered-agent charges set by the jurisdiction | Document attestation, legal work and optional services | Jurisdiction and registered-agent renewal charges |
| Residence visas | Not part of every licence package | Entry permit, status change, medical, Emirates ID, insurance and related services | Visa, identity document and insurance renewals when due |
Every Dubai setup quote can be checked against these components. Not every item applies to every company, so the quote should state what is included and excluded.
The licensing authority charges for the legal form, activity and licence. Some activities require approvals from another regulator, which creates a separate fee and document stage.
A visa-related quote may include immigration registration, an entry permit or status change, medical testing, Emirates ID, insurance and professional handling. Confirm each included item and validity period.
The facility requirement depends on the authority and activity. A free-zone package may include a workspace entitlement, while a mainland route may require suitable premises and Ejari.
A company that will sponsor residence visas normally needs the applicable immigration registration or establishment card after licensing. Confirm the issuing channel, fee and renewal separately.
Name reservation, initial approval, MOA notarisation, chamber of commerce and knowledge/innovation fees. We always show these separately from our fee so you can see exactly what goes to the government.
Licence, workspace, immigration registration, visas, insurance and professional services can renew on different dates. Ask for the known recurring components with the first quote.
For a solo founder considering a free-zone licence with one residence visa, the quote should separate the authority's licence package from immigration, identity, insurance and professional-service items.
Why this matters: two quotes cannot be compared when one includes only the licence and the other includes workspace, immigration and visa-related charges. Ask both providers to use the same checklist.
Ask which items are one-off and which recur. The licence, facility, immigration registration, visa and insurance may have different renewal dates and validity periods, so the Year-2 schedule should be stated alongside the first-year quote.
Use these checks before paying a deposit so the quoted scope and recurring obligations are clear.
Tell us the activity, customers, preferred emirate, visa count and workspace needs. We will prepare an itemised quote showing the selected authority, included services and known renewal components.