FREE ZONES · RAKEZ
RAKEZ: low cost, broad activities, audit often waived
Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone licences from around AED 6,000 with a wide activity list and warehouse options that the Dubai low-cost zones cannot match.
AT A GLANCE
The numbers that matter.
AED 6,000
Licence, 0 visas
Indicative
AED 16k to 22k
All-in year one, 2 visas
Indicative
Often waived
Audit
Zone requirement, not a corporate tax exemption
Industrial
Space options
Warehousing and light industrial available
| Line | Amount | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Licence, 0 visas | AED 6,000 | IndicativeIndicative | Commercial, service and industrial activities |
| Establishment card | AED 2,000 to 2,500 | IndicativeIndicative | Required before any visa |
| Per visa, all-in | AED 3,500 to 5,000 | IndicativeIndicative | RAK processing |
| Audit | Often waived by the zone | IndicativeIndicative | The QFZP 0 percent regime still requires audited statements |
Free zones change pricing frequently and run promotions. Confirm the current schedule before committing. Figures marked Indicative come from registered agents and consultancies and must be verified against the zone's current schedule.
Last updated 13 August 2026 Next review Q4 2026
THE READ
Who it suits, and when it does not.
It suits
Trading, light industrial and service businesses that want a low cost base with real physical space options.
Look elsewhere if
If you need a Dubai address for client perception, this is not it. If you want the QFZP 0 percent rate, you will need an audit whatever the zone waives.
QUESTIONS
Asked about this zone.
If RAKEZ waives audit, do I still need one?
For corporate tax purposes, yes, if you want the 0 percent Qualifying Free Zone Person rate. Audited financial statements are one of the seven conditions. The zone waiver is not a tax exemption.
Can RAKEZ take warehouse space?
Yes. It is one of the practical reasons to prefer it over a Dubai flexi-desk zone for anything that moves physical goods.
SIDE BY SIDE
The other five zones, priced the same way.
IFZA
Consultancies, agencies and holding-plus-service businesses that need a Dubai address at the lowest defensible cost, with a broad activity list and fast issuance.
Open FREE ZONEMEYDAN
Small consultancies and e-commerce operators who want a Dubai address, a simple flexi-desk and predictable per-visa pricing.
Open FREE ZONEDMCC
Commodities and trading businesses, companies that need to bank quickly with a tier-one bank, and any structure where counterparty perception matters more than the licence fee.
Open FREE ZONESHAMS
Freelancers, content and media businesses, and e-commerce operators whose clients are international and who do not need a Dubai address.
Open FREE ZONEDIFC
Funds, advisory firms, family offices and anyone who needs English common law with a Dubai footprint and a recognised financial regulator.
OpenGO DEEPER
The pages behind this one.
SHAMS
Sharjah media and e-commerce, the cheapest genuine entry.
OpenCorporate tax and the 0 percent myth
The seven QFZP conditions in full, Small Business Relief and how companies actually fail.
OpenWhat setup actually costs
The all-in year one number once a visa is attached, zone by zone, with an estimator.
OpenBanking
The step where UAE plans actually fail. Timelines, scrutiny and rejection reality.
OpenThe three-year cost model
Free zone against mainland Dubai and Abu Dhabi, across three full years.
OpenThe free zone directory
Which zone suits which business, and what each one really charges.
Open