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ADGM company set up starts at USD 5,800 for a Category B non-financial licence, paid to the ADGM Registration Authority. That fee includes registration and the first year's licence but no visa and no office, and the renewal is USD 5,300 a year. ADGM (Abu Dhabi Global Market) suits financial firms, funds, holding structures and tech start-ups that want English common law, not a cheap trading licence.
ADGM free zone basics
ADGM was inaugurated in October and covers Al Maryah Island and Al Reem Island in Abu Dhabi. It applies English common law directly and has its own courts. Two bodies matter for set up:
- The Registration Authority (RA) incorporates and licenses companies.
- The Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) must approve any regulated financial business before the RA will license it.
Abu Dhabi's Department of Economic Development lists ADGM as one of six free zones in the emirate. See how it compares with the other five on our Abu Dhabi free zones page.
How much does an ADGM license cost?
ADGM sets its fees in US dollars, not dirhams. The current Registration Authority schedule is dated January and took effect on 1 January . We found no newer schedule. The schedule converts at 3.6725 UAE dirhams per dollar.
| Licence category | At registration | Yearly renewal | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Category B, non-financial | USD 5,800 | USD 5,300 | Consultancy, trading, services and most operating companies |
| Category C, retail | USD 2,800 | USD 2,300 | Shops and retail outlets |
| Category A, financial | USD 17,000 | USD 16,500 | FSRA approval needed first |
| Specialised, such as SPVs | USD 1,900 | USD 1,400 | Holding and asset vehicles |
| Foundation | USD 1,000 | USD 500 | Wealth and succession structures |
| Tech Start-up | USD 1,500 | USD 1,500 for two renewals | Hub71 letter needed, data protection fee extra |
Source: ADGM Registration Authority Overview of Fees, version January , checked .
Each figure except the tech start-up row includes the USD 300 yearly data protection fee. For a non-financial company the USD 5,800 breaks down as:
- name reservation, USD 200
- application for incorporation, USD 300
- commercial licence, USD 200
- business activity fee, USD 4,800
- data protection, USD 300
A few other RA charges come up often. A Restricted Scope Company costs an extra USD 3,100. The yearly confirmation statement is USD 100, and so is a name change.
ADGM's own announcement of the new fees shows USD 5,500 for a non-financial licence. That is the same fee before data protection is added, so do not read it as a cheaper option.
What do setup agencies charge for ADGM?
The RA fee is only part of the first year bill. Setup agencies publish year one costs for a non-financial ADGM company at about AED 33,000 to AED 65,000 (published prices of 3 agencies, checked ). The low end is an estimate for a company on a virtual office with no visa. The high end adds a dedicated desk and one visa. One of the three agencies quotes government fees alone, before office rent and its own service fee.
Agencies list the same extras again and again: office lease, FSRA work for financial firms, bank account opening, audit and their own fee. This range is not our price, and a written quote for your activity is the only figure to plan around.
What does an ADGM visa cost?
ADGM does not publish one visa quota rule for all office types. The tech start-up page gives the only clear allowance: 3 visas for every dedicated desk.
The ADGM government services fee list gives these charges, VAT included:
- establishment card, new or renewal: AED 1,127.27
- new 2 year employment visa, applied from outside the UAE: AED 3,237.39
- applying from inside the UAE costs more, and 1 year visas cost less
Medical tests and Emirates ID are not on that list, so budget for them on top. Our establishment card guide explains what the card does.
What office options does ADGM offer?
You cannot run an ADGM company from a virtual address outside the zone. Every legal entity must keep a registered office in ADGM and pay the lease registration fee. The size of that lease drives both your rent and, for start-ups, your visa count. Ask for the office cost in the same quote as the licence, because it is often the largest line.
The Hub71 and Tech Start-up route
Hub71 is not a free zone. It is a tech ecosystem that operates from ADGM, with programmes such as the Access Programme and Hub71+ tracks for life sciences, climate tech, digital assets and AI. Its incentives include subsidised housing, office space and medical insurance.
The licence you get is the ADGM Tech Start-up licence:
- USD 1,500 at registration and at each of two renewals, so three years in total, plus the data protection fee
- you need a Hub71 eligibility letter; ADGM stopped accepting applications without one in July
- the business must be an innovative tech model with product fit and room to scale; technology service providers do not qualify
- after three years a tech start-up moves to Category B fees, and a fintech start-up to Category A
If you sell IT services rather than build a product, compare Dubai Silicon Oasis or read our free zone for IT companies guide.
Which licence types and company forms does ADGM offer?
ADGM offers more legal forms than most UAE free zones:
- private or public company limited by shares
- company limited by guarantee, and unlimited companies
- protected cell and incorporated cell companies
- investment company
- branch of a foreign company or foreign partnership
- LLP, general partnership and limited partnership
- foundation and DLT foundation
The foundation and SPV options make ADGM a common pick for family wealth and holding company structures.
How does ADGM company formation work?
ADGM company formation follows seven steps, from choosing a licence category to getting visas. The Registration Authority licenses the company, and the FSRA approves regulated financial firms first. Here is how to set up a company in ADGM.
- Pick your licence category. If the activity is regulated, start the FSRA application first.
- For a tech start-up, apply to Hub71 and get the eligibility letter.
- Reserve the company name through ADGM's online registry.
- Agree a registered office lease in ADGM.
- File the incorporation application and pay the RA fees.
- Receive the commercial licence, then apply for the establishment card.
- Apply for employment visas, medical tests and Emirates ID.
ADGM does not publish a standard setup time. One agency says 4 to 6 weeks for a non-financial company. FSRA approval adds time for financial firms.
What documents does ADGM ask for?
ADGM's fee pages do not list documents. Expect to provide:
- passport copies and photos of shareholders, directors and the company secretary if any
- a short business plan or activity description
- for a branch, the parent company's constitutional documents, translated and attested
- the Hub71 letter for the tech start-up licence
How do I log in to the ADGM portal or contact ADGM?
Existing ADGM companies sign in through the AccessADGM government services portal. It is the zone's own online channel for company requests after setup.
For a question only the zone can answer, such as the status of a file, use the official ADGM contact page. We are a directory, not the zone, so we cannot see your portal account.
Pros and cons of ADGM
Pros:
- English common law and ADGM Courts, which investors and lenders know
- many legal forms, including SPVs, foundations and cell companies
- a low USD 1,500 tech start-up fee for three years through Hub71
- published, itemised RA fees
Cons:
- the non-financial licence costs more than many Abu Dhabi packages, before rent
- a physical registered office in ADGM is required
- financial activities need FSRA approval before licensing
- visa fees and quotas are not bundled into a package
For the closest rival in Dubai, see DIFC company setup. For a cheaper Abu Dhabi desk with visas included, look at Masdar City Free Zone. Our free zone licence cost guide puts the numbers side by side.
Ask for an ADGM quote
Use the form on this page to say what your company will do and how many people need visas. UAEFreeZoneDirectory.com is an independent directory with no link to ADGM or its authorities. We hand your request to ADGM or to a licensed setup partner, who replies with a full quote.
Setup consultants that work with ADGM
If you would rather not handle the application yourself, KGRN Chartered Accountants, ADS Management Tax Consultancy LLC and Creative Zone are the highest ranked consultants that name ADGM on their own websites. KGRN Chartered Accountants is based in Business Bay. The full directory of Dubai setup consultants lets you filter by area and service.
Sources
- ADGM about page: opening date, location, common law and authorities
- ADGM Registration Authority Overview of Fees: licence categories, fees, entity types, registered office rule
- ADGM fee reduction announcement: new fees and effective date
- ADGM Tech Start-up overview: Hub71 letter, eligibility, visas per desk
- ADGM government services fee schedule: establishment card and visa fees
- Hub71: programmes and incentives
- ADDED free zone list: ADGM listed as an Abu Dhabi free zone
- https://www.adgm.com/operating-in-adgm/e-services/accessadgm-government-services-portal: portal, activity list or contact page, checked
- https://www.adgm.com/contact-us: portal, activity list or contact page, checked
