Last updated
Dubai CommerCity does not publish a licence price, so the Dubai CommerCity license cost you see online comes from setup agencies. Two of them publish a smart desk package at AED 27,545 to AED 28,000 a year, with visa allocations included and visa fees extra. The zone sits in Umm Ramool next to Dubai International Airport and calls itself the first free zone in the region built only for digital commerce. It suits online sellers, fulfilment and e-commerce service firms.
Dubai CommerCity license cost: what the zone says
The official FAQ answers the price question in one line: the zone offers "a flexible pricing model with various packages tailored to the nature, size, and activities of each business." No package names or amounts appear on the website. In practice four things set your price:
- The licence type. E-commerce, Trade, Service, General Trading, Industrial or a Dual Licence.
- The activity groups. The base licence covers three activities from one group. More groups cost more.
- The space. A smart desk at the bottom, a warehouse or fulfilment centre at the top.
- The visas. Each visa adds zone and government fees.
What do setup agencies charge for Dubai CommerCity?
Setup agencies publish Dubai CommerCity smart desk packages at about AED 27,545 to AED 28,000 a year (published prices of 2 agencies, checked ). The two figures sit close together, which is rare for a zone with no price list.
| What the agent lists | Lower end | Upper end |
|---|---|---|
| Licence and registration | Yes | Yes |
| Smart desk for one year | Yes | Yes |
| Visa allocations | 2 | Not stated, grows with visas |
| Establishment card and P.O. Box | Yes | Not stated |
| Visa fees | Extra | Extra |
Source: published smart desk packages of two setup agencies, checked .
A visa allocation is the right to sponsor a person. It is not the visa itself, so the entry permit, medical and Emirates ID still come on top for each person. Only one agent publishes a per visa figure, which is not enough for us to print it. Neither package is set by us or published by the zone. The upper figure is a "starts around" price that rises with the licence, visas and office you pick.
Many first year quotes leave out the same items. Our page on free zone hidden costs lists them.
Spaces you can lease
Dubai CommerCity is built around physical stock as well as desks. This is what the zone lists:
| Space | What it is for |
|---|---|
| Smart desk | The entry option for a new licence, a desk in a shared business club |
| Co-working | Shared space for a small team |
| Premium office, fitted office | A private office ready to use |
| Shell and core | An unfitted office you fit out yourself |
| Retail and kiosks | A customer facing unit inside the zone |
| Dedicated warehouse | Your own storage space |
| Third party warehouse | Storage run by an operator for you |
| Fulfilment centre | Storage, picking and packing for online orders |
Source: dubaicommercity.ae home page and FAQ, checked .
Press reports describe an incentive package with a monthly payment option for every space type except smart desks. We could not confirm the terms on the zone's own pages, so ask about it when you request a quote.
Which licence types and company forms does Dubai CommerCity offer?
The licence types page lists six licences:
- E-commerce, for selling goods or services online
- Trade, for buying and selling named goods
- General Trading, for a wider range of goods
- Service, for professional and support services
- Industrial, for light production and assembly
- Dual Licence with DET, which pairs your free zone licence with a mainland licence from the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism
The FAQ also lists a Freelance licence for individuals. You can add up to 20 activities from four industry groups to one licence. The base licence includes three activities from the same group. For a wider view of online selling licences, including the mainland route, read e-commerce license Dubai.
Company types and ownership
You can register a FZCO, a PLC or a Branch Office of an existing company. The rules from the FAQ:
- 1 to 50 shareholders
- 100% foreign ownership
- Minimum share capital of AED 1,000
That capital figure is low next to zones that ask for a large declared amount, which matters if you start with a small online shop.
What does a Dubai CommerCity visa cost?
Dubai CommerCity does not publish a visa quota per space or a visa fee. The cheaper agent smart desk package comes with 2 visa allocations, which gives you a starting point to ask about. Visa processing is step six of its setup process. The federal parts are fixed by ICP: the residence permit costs AED 100 per year plus AED 100 application and AED 100 smart service, and the Emirates ID costs AED 100 per year of residence. Zone charges and the medical test are extra. Ask how many visas your space allows before you choose between a smart desk and an office.
How do you set up a company in Dubai CommerCity?
The zone's set up a business page lists seven steps:
- Initial consultation
- Select licence type
- Document preparation
- Company registration
- Office space allocation
- Visa processing
- Bank account opening
The zone does not publish a setup time. One agency gives 12 to 15 days for its smart desk package.
How does Dubai CommerCity license renewal work?
Dubai CommerCity does not publish a renewal fee. The agency smart desk packages above are priced by the year, so expect the licence and the desk to renew together each year. If you took a space on monthly payments, check when the licence renewal falls due against the lease.
What documents does Dubai CommerCity ask for?
Dubai CommerCity lists these ultimate beneficial owner documents:
- UBO declaration form
- Certified passport or national ID copies, translated into English if needed
- Proof of residential address, a utility bill or lease no older than three months
- A chart showing the shareholding structure
- A certified copy of the shareholder register of the ultimate parent company
- The latest audited annual report listing senior management
The last two apply when a company, not a person, owns the shares. Our UBO register page explains the federal rule behind this.
Pros and cons of Dubai CommerCity
Pros:
- Warehouses, third party storage and fulfilment centres in the same zone as your licence
- An E-commerce licence and a Dual Licence with DET on the menu
- Share capital from AED 1,000 and up to 50 shareholders
- Up to 20 activities on one licence
- Next to Dubai International Airport
Cons:
- No published price list, visa quota or setup time
- Base licence covers only one activity group
- Agency smart desk prices leave out visa fees, so your first year costs more than the headline. Compare totals across the Dubai free zones list
- DIEZ dates the zone to , while media say it launched in , when construction began. Either way it is younger than Dubai Airport Freezone next door
If you sell software rather than goods, Dubai Silicon Oasis, also run by DIEZ, may fit better.
Get a Dubai CommerCity quote
Fill in the form with your products, activities and the space you want. We are UAEFreeZoneDirectory.com, a directory that works on its own and has no tie to DIEZ or Wasl. Your enquiry goes to Dubai CommerCity or a licensed setup partner, and the price comes from them.
Setup consultants that work with Dubai CommerCity
Setup consultants that list Dubai CommerCity among their zones include InZone - Business Setup in Dubai, UAE, EZONE Business Setup in Dubai, UAE Company Formation and Excellence Auditing, Accounting & Tax Consultants, the three highest ranked by weighted Google score. InZone - Business Setup in Dubai, UAE is based in Business Bay. Ask each for a quote with government fees and service fees on separate lines, then compare it with the price above. More firms are in the directory of Dubai setup consultants.
Sources
- https://www.dubaicommercity.ae/ : joint venture, digital commerce focus, space types
- https://www.dubaicommercity.ae/faq : location, pricing statement, share capital, shareholders, activities, entity types, Freelance licence
- https://www.dubaicommercity.ae/license-types : the six licence types
- https://www.dubaicommercity.ae/set-up-a-business : seven setup steps and UBO documents
- https://www.diez.ae/freezones : founding date and size
- https://icp.gov.ae/en/services-details/?serviceid=64afe3c1035448005bd52e5a : Emirates ID fee
- https://www.businessdubai.ae/blogs/dubai-commercity-ecommerce-free-zone : agency smart desk package, inclusions and visa allocations
- https://virtuzone.com/free-zone-locations/dubai-commercity-freezone/ : agency smart desk starting price
