The licence fee is about half of what you'll actually pay.
Answer five questions and watch the real year-one ledger build, line by line — including the items that don't appear on the packages advertised at AED 5,750.
This decides free zone versus mainland before anything else does.
Activity drives which zones will even license you.
Count yourself. Each visa carries three separate fees.
A flexi-desk satisfies most zones. Mainland needs a tenancy contract.
Changes the sequence, not the price — remote setup needs notarised documents.
- Your costs will itemise here as you answer.
Get the full breakdown and the two runner-up zones
A one-page PDF with every line item, the renewal schedule, and what each zone asks for before it opens a bank account.
One email with the PDF. No call unless you ask for one.
Check your inbox — the breakdown is on its way.
Six line items that turn a AED 12,500 licence into a AED 26,000 year
None of these are hidden in a dishonest sense. They're simply not in the number used to win the enquiry.
| Item | What it's for | Typical AED |
|---|---|---|
| Registration fee | One-off incorporation processing, separate from the licence | 1,500 – 3,000 |
| Establishment card | Immigration file — without it you cannot issue a single visa | 1,500 – 2,200 |
| Flexi-desk or office | Mandatory address. Zero-visa packages often exclude it | 6,000 – 14,000 |
| Medical & Emirates ID | Per visa, per person, every renewal cycle | 840 – 1,240 |
| Corporate tax registration | Required regardless of whether you owe tax | Admin cost |
| Bank account facilitation | Where most timelines actually slip | Varies widely |
What happens after the ledger
Most setup agencies stop at formation and re-acquire you as a stranger next year. The renewal, the tax filing and the visa cycle are the business.