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Dubai World Trade Centre Free Zone publishes no package price. Two setup agents list a first year with a licence, a flexi desk and 1 visa at AED 16,845 to AED 17,800, and DWTC's own visa fee is AED 2,000 per person from outside the UAE. DWTC Free Zone licenses events firms, family offices, virtual asset companies, e-commerce and professional services, with offices in Dubai's central business district. Visa numbers depend on the office you choose.
What makes DWTC different
Most free zones sell a general trading or service licence. DWTC also has licence types built for specific businesses that few other zones name separately. The free zone was set up by Dubai Law No. 9, issued on , which also created the Dubai World Trade Centre Authority as its regulator. DWTC says more than 1,800 small and medium businesses now hold its licences.
Which licence types and company forms does DWTC offer?
| Licence | Suits |
|---|---|
| Event Management | Event organisers and exhibition firms |
| Family Offices | Families managing their own wealth and holdings |
| Virtual Assets | Firms working with crypto and other virtual assets |
| E-commerce | Online stores and marketplaces |
| Commercial | Commercial activities on DWTC's list |
| Professional | Consultants and service firms |
| General Trading | Trading across many product groups |
Source: DWTC Free Zone activities and licences page, checked .
DWTC says more than 1,200 business activities are licensed and that you can put several activities on one licence. If you are setting up a family office, our holding company guide covers the structure questions. For a crypto business, compare DWTC with other options on our best free zone for crypto page.
Dubai World Trade Centre license cost
DWTC does not sell priced packages on its site, but its FAQ and visa form do list some fees. Opened in full, they give these official lines:
| DWTC fee | Amount | Label |
|---|---|---|
| Employment visa, applicant outside the UAE | AED 2,000 | Official, DWTC visa form |
| Employment visa, applicant inside the UAE | AED 3,200 | Official, DWTC visa form |
| Free zone to free zone transfer in Dubai | AED 2,000 | Official, DWTC visa form |
| Investor or partner visa designation | AED 250 on top | Official, DWTC visa form |
| Business Operating Permit | AED 2,000 a year | Official, DWTC FAQ |
| Second licence under the same company | AED 15,000 | Official, DWTC FAQ |
Source: DWTC Authority visa application PDF (file dated , so it may be out of date) and the DWTC Free Zone FAQ, checked .
The visa fee covers the normal medical test. The Emirates ID and health insurance are yours to arrange and pay. An investor or partner visa also needs AED 50,000 of share capital for each shareholder or partner who applies, according to the FAQ.
For the licence itself, the prices come from agents:
| Agent offer | Figure | Label |
|---|---|---|
| Licence, flexi desk and 1 visa, first year | AED 16,845 to AED 17,800 | Published by 2 setup agents |
| Licence only | AED 12,000 | Published by 2 setup agents |
Source: Emirabiz (), Virtuzone and SafeLedger (), checked .
The two 1 visa offers sit close together. Emirabiz builds its total from parts and says they come from a DWTC price letter, which we could not see. A third agent prices a fuller package well above both, so expect quotes to vary with what is bundled.
None of these agent figures is our price or DWTC's. A larger office, more visas or a specialist licence such as Virtual Assets will change the total, so ask for a written quote. Our free zone license cost guide explains the usual fee lines.
Company forms
- FZE: one shareholder
- FZCO: up to ten shareholders
- UAE Branch: a branch of a company already registered in the UAE
- Foreign Branch: a branch of a company registered abroad
Source: DWTC company types page, checked .
One agency says DWTC has no share capital requirement. DWTC's own pages we read did not state this, so confirm it when you apply.
Where you can work from
DWTC's office pages list these choices, all in the World Trade Centre district (One Central and Rashid Tower):
- On-Demand Licensing: a licence linked to flexible space rather than a fixed office
- Co-working hubs and flexi desks: the low-cost way to hold a licence
- Business Centres: offices run by WeWork, The Executive Centre and Regus inside the zone
- Private executive offices: a closed office for a small team
- Commercial Offices: full office space you lease directly
- Home Business: only for residents of Expo Village
A central address is the main draw over zones on the city's edge. For a wider look at desk options across Dubai, see flexi desk Dubai.
What does a DWTC visa cost?
DWTC does not publish its visa quota on the pages we read. Agents describe a small quota on a flexi desk and a larger one on an executive office, and both agent packages above include 1 visa. Ask DWTC how many visas your chosen space allows before you sign.
The fee per visa is one of the few amounts DWTC prints: AED 2,000 from outside the UAE and AED 3,200 from inside, on its visa form. Agents quote higher per-visa totals because they fold in the Emirates ID and their own service. The free zone visa cost page explains the government parts every visa carries.
How to apply
- Choose the licence type and the activities you need.
- Pick your company form: FZE, FZCO or a branch.
- Pick your space: flexi desk, business centre, commercial office or home business.
- Apply online through the DWTC Business Setup Portal, which DWTC says works from anywhere.
- Pay the fees, receive the licence, then apply for visas.
DWTC does not publish a setup time on the pages we read.
What documents does DWTC ask for?
- Passport copies of shareholders and managers
- Passport photos
- For a branch, the parent company's papers as DWTC asks
What does DWTC license renewal cost?
DWTC does not publish a licence renewal fee. The FAQ does list the Business Operating Permit at AED 2,000 a year, so ask whether your quote includes it. Ask for the second-year price next to the first, since the flexi desk and licence lines repeat every year.
Pros and cons of DWTC Free Zone
Pros:
- Licence types for events, family offices and virtual assets, not just trading and services
- Offices in the central business district, including well-known business centre brands
- Online setup from anywhere through the Business Setup Portal
- Up to ten shareholders in an FZCO, plus UAE and foreign branches
Cons:
- No package price or licence fee from DWTC itself
- Visa quota and setup time not published
- The official visa form is an older file
If price matters most, compare DWTC with Meydan Free Zone or IFZA, both of which publish more of their pricing. For commodities or a larger company, look at DMCC. The full list is on our Dubai free zones page.
Contact DWTC through us
Fill in the form on this page with your licence type, activities and visa count. This site is an independent directory, not DWTC and not the DWTC Authority. We pass what you send to DWTC or a licensed setup partner, who replies with a priced offer.
Setup consultants that work with DWTC
Setup consultants that list DWTC among their zones include ADS Management Tax Consultancy LLC, Creative Zone and Upzone Business Consulting FZCO, the three highest ranked by weighted Google score. ADS Management Tax Consultancy LLC is based in Downtown Dubai. 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.dwtc.com/en/free-zone/: business count, activity count, remote setup through the portal
- https://www.dwtc.com/en/free-zone/set-up-your-business/activities-licences/: the seven licence types
- https://www.dwtc.com/en/free-zone/set-up-your-business/company-types/: FZE, FZCO, branch forms and shareholder limit
- https://www.dwtc.com/en/free-zone/set-up-your-business/office-solutions/: office choices and location
- Dubai Legislation Portal, Law No. 9: the law that set up the free zone and authority
- https://www.dwtc.com/en/free-zone/support-centre/free-zone-faqs/: Business Operating Permit, second licence, investor visa capital, what the visa fee covers
- https://media.dwtc.com/visa-application.pdf: visa fees by applicant location, investor designation fee
- https://emirabiz.com/dubai-world-trade-center/, https://virtuzone.com/free-zone-locations/dwtc-dubai-world-trade-centre-free-zone/ and https://safeledger.ae/blog/dwtc-free-zone-business-guide: agent packages and licence fee, checked
