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Dubai Science Park (DSP) is the life science and energy district of the Dubai Development Authority (DDA) free zone, located in Barsha South. A licence costs AED 15,000 a year for standard science segments and AED 25,000 for manufacturing and production, plus a one-time AED 3,500 registration. The cheapest official workspace is a D/Quarters shared desk from AED 1,200 a month with one work permit. Capital is AED 10,000.
How much does a DSP license cost?
No DSP package is on sale. You build the cost from DDA fee lines and a workspace.
| What you pay for | Amount | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Company or branch registration | AED 3,500 | Once |
| Standard science segment licence | AED 15,000 | Each year |
| Manufacturing and production segment licence | AED 25,000 | Each year |
| A second standard segment | AED 10,000 | Each year |
| FZ-LLC share capital | AED 10,000 | Paid in once |
Source: fee and capital tables in the DDA licence categories decision, cross-checked with the DDA registration service page in . A few dirhams of knowledge and innovation fees are added per transaction.
What agencies quote for Dubai Science Park
Three setup agencies publish Dubai Science Park starting prices, about AED 15,000 to AED 40,000 (published prices of 3 agencies, checked ). They are agency prices, not DSP's and not ours. Two of the three start at the bottom figure: one calls it a licence plus a flexi desk, the other appears to mean the licence alone. The third gives a total setup band that runs to the top figure and beyond. Be careful with the first: it splits its price using a licence fee lower than the DDA tariff, which does not add up against the table above. Ask for a quote that lists the segment, the workspace and the visa count, so you can compare it line by line.
All TECOM districts share the DDA tariff. The Dubai Internet City page covers how it works, from segments to the axs portal.
Science segments in DSP
The DDA groups Dubai Science Park activities into science segments. At the standard AED 15,000 rate you find:
- therapeutics
- food
- environment
- medical devices
- diagnostics
- life science services
- energy and related fields
When the same field includes making or producing goods on site, the licence moves to the manufacturing and production rate of AED 25,000. A diagnostics distributor and a diagnostics kit maker therefore pay different fees for what looks like the same sector. Tell the zone exactly what happens on your premises.
Scientific office approval
Pharma and medical device firms often need a scientific office to promote products to doctors and hospitals. DSP has an agreement with the Ministry of Health under which its tenants can apply for scientific office approval for leased premises in the park. If you sell regulated products, raise it with the zone at the first meeting.
If your work is clinical, with patients, the Dubai Healthcare City free zone is the Dubai district built for that.
D/Quarters co-working at DSP
TECOM runs D/Quarters co-working in two places: Dubai Media City and Dubai Science Park. The published starting rates:
| D/Quarters product | From | Work permits |
|---|---|---|
| Open Quarters, shared desk | AED 1,200 a month | 1 |
| Desk Quarters, fixed 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 price cards, read . The site does not say the licence is included, so budget the DDA fees on top. An older listing showed a lower Open Quarters price. Treat the live site as current.
A desk suits a regional sales or regulatory affairs team. A lab or production line needs a leased unit, which DSP prices on request. Our flexi desk Dubai guide compares desk products across zones.
in5 Science for startups
in5 Science is one of four TECOM in5 centres, and the one based at DSP. Early stage firms that pass the in5 Evaluation Committee pay no application or initial registration fee and an annual licence of AED 1,000 for their first 3 years. The DDA decision also sets a reduced visa cost of AED 1,500 per visa and no visa deposit for in5 members. Standard fees apply after year three.
What does a DSP visa cost?
The DSP FAQ sets one visa per 80 sq ft of leased space. On D/Quarters, the work permits follow the product: one on a shared desk, two on a fixed desk.
What a DSP visa costs
A regulatory affairs hire or lab technician needs a residence visa, and here the official trail runs out. DSP companies apply for visas and the establishment card through axs, which shows its fees only to logged-in clients. We checked the DDA service cards, axs.ae, archived axs pages and the DSP FAQ without finding a company figure.
| Line | What it costs | Where the figure comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Establishment card, once per company | AED 1,000 to AED 2,500 | 5 setup agencies |
| Residence visa, each employee | About AED 2,500 to AED 7,500 | 6 setup agencies |
| Visa deposit, each employee | AED 2,500, paid back on cancellation | 2 setup agencies |
| in5 Science member visa | AED 1,500, no deposit | Official, DDA decision |
Source: setup agency visa pages for the TECOM districts and the DDA licence categories decision, checked .
The agency figures are for TECOM districts in general; none of the six prices a DSP visa on its own. Their spread comes partly from what they bundle, since the medical test and Emirates ID sit inside some quotes and outside others. TECOM's own published visa fees, AED 4,600 for one year or AED 5,042 for two, belong to GoFreelance permit holders, a scheme that does not cover DSP. No investor visa figure is reliable enough to print. The free zone visa cost page explains the federal parts.
Which licence types and company forms does DSP offer?
You can set up an FZ-LLC or a branch of a UAE or foreign company. The DSP FAQ also lists a freelance permit, but the DDA fee table has no freelancer segment for DSP, and GoFreelance covers other districts. A solo scientist or consultant should confirm with the zone before planning around a permit.
How do you set up a company in DSP?
- Match your activity to a segment, standard or manufacturing.
- Choose a workspace: D/Quarters desk, office, or a unit for lab work.
- Apply on axs, the DDA online portal, or meet a Partner Relationship Manager.
- Pay the registration and licence fee, and deposit AED 10,000 capital for an FZ-LLC.
- Receive your Certificate of Incorporation, Commercial Licence, Register of Directors and Articles of Association.
- Apply for scientific office approval with the Ministry of Health if you need it.
The DSP FAQ says 7 working days after documents and payment: 4 for initial approval, 3 to issue the licence. The DDA service page says 10 working days plus 2. Both are official, so allow for the longer.
What documents does DSP ask for?
- DDA application form
- Passports of all shareholders, directors and the general manager, plus UAE visa pages for residents
- Shareholder resolution for incorporation
- General manager declaration if the manager has a UAE visa
- Attested power of attorney if you appoint someone
- For a branch: parent board resolution, certificate of incorporation, good standing letter, memorandum and articles
What does DSP license renewal cost?
The licence lasts a year and renews on axs at the segment fee. The DDA adds AED 2,500, AED 5,000 or AED 10,000 for renewals more than 30, 60 or 90 days late.
Pros and cons of Dubai Science Park
Pros:
- Segments written for life sciences, food and energy
- Ministry of Health route to scientific office approval
- D/Quarters desks from AED 1,200 a month
- Low AED 10,000 capital
- in5 Science startup terms
Cons:
- Manufacturing licences cost AED 25,000, not AED 15,000
- No official package or lab rents, only agency bands
- Company visa fees sit behind the axs login
- Freelance permit unclear under the DDA fee table
Dubai International Academic City suits research tied to teaching. The Dubai free zones hub and our free zone license cost guide help you compare totals.
Request a DSP quote
Use the form on this page to tell us your segment and whether you need a desk, an office or a lab. UAEFreeZoneDirectory.com runs as an independent directory and does not speak for Dubai Science Park or TECOM. We forward what you send to the zone or a licensed setup partner, and they quote you directly.
Setup consultants and DSP
Few of the setup consultants we list name DSP on their own websites, so ask the zone which agents it works with. The directory of Dubai setup consultants lists firms by area and service, and the top 15 by weighted Google score shows how they compare.
Sources
- https://dda.gov.ae/-/media/67662280247F46F2B94A853943F014C4.pdf : DSP segments and fees, capital, extra segment, in5 terms, late renewal 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, deliverables, 10 plus 2 working days
- https://dsp.ae/connect/faqs : licence term, 7 working days, visa ratio, company types, Ministry of Health scientific office route
- https://dsp.ae/discover/about-us : Barsha South location
- https://dquarters.ae : D/Quarters products, prices and work permits
- https://www.dic.ae/offerings/in5-centres : in5 Science at DSP
- https://www.inzone.ae/business-setup-in-dubai-science-park/ , https://jre.ae/advisory/free-zones/dubai-science-park and https://thecapitalzone.com/dubai-science-park-company-formation-uae-dsp-business-setup/ : the three agency starting prices
- https://axs.ae/ and the DDA service cards at https://dda.gov.ae/ : no public company visa fee
- https://dic.ae/offerings/gofreelance : GoFreelance visa fees, freelancers only
- Agency visa, deposit and card figures for the TECOM districts: UAE Free Zone Finder, UAE Consultants, Dubai Business Zone visa guide, Pro Deskk, Emirabiz, Creative Zone, Noble Core Ventures, FZVS, Business Setup Consultants, Dubai Business Zone
