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Dubai Media City free zone charges AED 15,000 a year for most media licence segments and AED 20,000 for Advertising and Communication. The cheapest official workspace is a D/Quarters Open Quarters shared desk, listed from AED 1,200 a month with one work permit. Registration of AED 3,500 is paid once. DMC is for agencies, publishers, event firms, gaming studios and media consultants who want a Dubai media address.
DMC fees come from the Dubai Development Authority, the same regulator as Dubai Internet City. We explain how that fee decision works, segment by segment, on our Dubai Internet City page. Below we focus on what is different for media.
How much does a Dubai Media City license cost?
| Item | Official figure | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Registration | AED 3,500 | One time, new FZ-LLC or branch |
| Standard media segment | AED 15,000 a year | Most DMC segments |
| Advertising and Communication | AED 20,000 a year | The only higher DMC segment |
| Added segment | AED 10,000 a year | Second standard segment |
| Freelancer | AED 7,500 a year | Permit, one activity |
| FZ-LLC capital | AED 10,000 | Refundable, none for a branch |
Source: DDA Licence Categories Decision (fee table and capital article) and the DMC FAQ, read .
Which media segment you fall into
The DDA table has 11 DMC segments. Nine of them sit at the standard AED 15,000:
- Media and Marketing Services
- Media Support Services
- Event Management
- Event Support Services
- Media and Marketing Consultancy
- New Media
- Business Information
- Media Association
- Gaming and E-Sports
Advertising and Communication costs AED 20,000, and the Freelancer segment AED 7,500. An events company that also runs paid campaigns for clients would hold Event Management plus Advertising, which is worth pricing before you apply.
National Media Council registration
This is the extra step most other zones do not have. Under the DDA decision, these activities must also register with the National Media Council:
- Publishing and broadcasting
- Social media platforms and social media influencers
- E-services and interactive services
- News distribution
If you are an influencer or run a news site, budget time for this approval on top of the DDA licence. The NMC sets its own requirements, so ask about them when you request a quote.
D/Quarters co-working
D/Quarters is TECOM's own co-working brand, with sites in Dubai Media City and Dubai Science Park. It is the lowest-cost way into DMC with a work permit.
| D/Quarters plan | From | Work permits |
|---|---|---|
| Open Quarters (shared desk) | AED 1,200 a month | 1 |
| Desk Quarters (dedicated desk) | AED 2,500 a month | 2 |
| Office Quarters (private office) | AED 5,000 a month | 2 or more |
| Day Pass | AED 100 a day | None |
Source: dquarters.ae and the DMC co-working page, read .
The D/Quarters site does not say the licence is included, so add the DDA fees to these rents. One agency lists a D/Quarters hot desk at a yearly figure that does not match the live monthly price. Use the TECOM page.
For a full office, the DMC FAQ sets one visa per 80 sq ft leased. DMC also has studios and retail units, priced on request.
What does a Dubai Media City visa cost?
Nobody official prints this number. DMC, TECOM and the DDA bill company visas and the establishment card through the axs portal, and axs shows its fees only to logged-in clients. Our search of the DDA service cards, axs.ae, the dmc.ae axs services page and old archived axs pages turned up no company fee. Here is what you can work with instead.
Figures from setup agencies (company staff):
- Employment visa: about AED 2,500 to AED 7,500 per person, from 6 agencies
- Refundable security deposit: AED 2,500 per visa, from 2 agencies, paid back when the visa is cancelled
- Establishment card: AED 1,000 to AED 2,500, from 5 agencies
Official TECOM figures (GoFreelance permit holders only):
- Own visa: AED 4,600 for one year or AED 5,042 for two
- Establishment card: AED 2,000
Source: agency visa pages for DMC and the TECOM zones, and dic.ae GoFreelance, checked .
Why so wide a spread? Several DMC agency pages bundle the medical test, Emirates ID or their own visa service fee into one line, while others list the entry permit alone. A one-person DMC company on Open Quarters should still expect the deposit on top of whichever figure its agent quotes. The investor visa has no dependable price either; the two agencies that publish one are far apart.
What setup agencies quote for DMC
Setup agencies publish Dubai Media City prices of about AED 15,000 to AED 60,000 (published prices of 5 agencies, checked ). The bottom of that range is a licence alone, or a licence with a hot desk and one to three visas. The top is a first year with an office. One agency's dedicated desk estimate adds a refundable deposit and an establishment card, and prices one visa separately. Agency figures are not our prices.
Freelancing in Dubai Media City
DMC is covered by GoFreelance, together with Dubai Internet City, Dubai Knowledge Park and Dubai Design District. The package is AED 7,520 a year with a hot desk, Wi-Fi and meeting rooms. The visa is separate: TECOM lists AED 4,600 for one year or AED 5,042 for two, plus an establishment card of AED 2,000, and says these may change. Two agencies publish GoFreelance totals with a visa at AED 11,000 to AED 16,000 (published prices of 2 agencies, checked ). Freelancers cannot sponsor staff or trade under a brand. Our freelance visa Dubai page compares other permits.
Company setup steps in DMC
- Pick your segment and check whether your activity needs the National Media Council.
- Choose a D/Quarters plan or an office. Your work permits come from this choice.
- Submit the application on axs, TECOM's online portal, or through a Partner Relationship Manager.
- Pay AED 3,500 registration plus the segment fee and sign the lease.
- Receive the licence, Certificate of Incorporation and Articles of Association.
- Apply for the establishment card and visas.
The DMC FAQ quotes 7 working days after documents and payment. A DDA service page gives 10 working days for provisional approval and 2 more to register, so allow for the slower figure.
Documents for a new FZ-LLC owned by individuals: the DDA form, passport copies of members, directors and the general manager, an incorporation resolution, and an attested power of attorney if someone applies for you.
What does Dubai Media City license renewal cost?
DMC asks for AED 10,000 refundable capital for an FZ-LLC. Several agencies write AED 50,000 for DMC, which is not what the DMC FAQ or the DDA decision says.
The licence is valid one year and is renewed online. Paying late adds AED 2,500, AED 5,000 or AED 10,000 depending on how long you wait.
Pros and cons of Dubai Media City
Pros:
- Fixed, public DDA fees per media segment
- D/Quarters lets a one-person company start from AED 1,200 a month with a work permit
- GoFreelance permit available for media freelancers
- Gaming and E-Sports and New Media segments at the standard fee
Cons:
- Advertising costs AED 20,000, more than the other media segments
- NMC registration adds a second approval for publishing, broadcasting and influencer work
- One visa per 80 sq ft, against 60 sq ft in Dubai Internet City
- No official company package, and the company visa fee is only visible inside axs
If you produce film or TV, Dubai Studio City has stages and backlots. Outside Dubai, compare twofour54 in Abu Dhabi. Our best free zone for media guide and the Dubai free zones hub cover the rest.
Talk to DMC through us
The form on this page takes your activity, the plan or office size you want and your visa count. We are an independent directory, not DMC or TECOM. We pass what you send to the zone or to a licensed setup partner, who replies with the price.
Setup consultants that work with DMC
If you would rather not handle the application yourself, Flyingcolour Business Setup Services LLC, Elevate Business Solutions DMCC and KWS Middle East are the highest ranked consultants that name DMC on their own websites. Flyingcolour Business Setup Services LLC is based in Media City and Internet City. The full directory of Dubai setup consultants lets you filter by area and service.
Sources
- https://dda.gov.ae/-/media/67662280247F46F2B94A853943F014C4.pdf : DMC segment fees, capital, NMC rule, late penalties
- https://dda.gov.ae/registration-licensing/setting-up-a-business/free-zone-limited-liability-company/registration-fz-llc-with-natural-person : registration fee, documents, timing
- https://dmc.ae/connect/faqs : capital, 80 sq ft visa ratio, licence term, 7 day setup
- https://dquarters.ae and https://www.dmc.ae/offerings/coworking-space : D/Quarters plans and prices
- https://dic.ae/offerings/gofreelance : GoFreelance package and freelancer visa fees
- https://www.tecomgroup.ae/ : district list, DMC opened in
- Agency prices: five setup agency pages, checked
- https://axs.ae/ and the DDA service cards on https://dda.gov.ae/ : no public company visa or establishment card fee
- DMC visa and card figures from agents: UAE Consultants, Business Setup Consultants, UAE Free Zone Finder, Emirabiz DMC page, Dubai Business Zone cost article, Noble Core Ventures, Pro Deskk, Dubai Business Zone visa article, Creative Zone, FZVS
