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A freelance license UAE free zones issue is a permit for one person to work in their own name, without forming a company. The lowest official fee we found is at twofour54 in Abu Dhabi: AED 4,500 for 12 months and up to 3 activities, with licensing and registration fees waived for the first two years. In Dubai, TECOM's GoFreelance package costs AED 7,520 a year with a hot desk, visa extra.
Should I get a freelance permit or a company?
| Freelance permit | Free zone company (FZE, FZ-LLC) | |
|---|---|---|
| Legal holder | You, in your own name | A company you own |
| Trade name | Your name (GoFreelance does not allow a brand name) | A registered trade name |
| Staff | None at GoFreelance; one allowed at Ajman Free Zone | Visas by office size |
| Activities | Narrow, often 1 to 3 | Wider, often 3 to 10 or more |
| Workspace | Shared or hot desk | Desk, office or warehouse |
The permit suits a designer, writer, developer, trainer or consultant who bills clients directly. If you want partners, staff or a brand, compare a starter company: published zero-visa licences in Ajman and Sharjah run from AED 4,888 at Ajman NuVentures to AED 6,885 for the Shams Standard Package. Our page on the cheapest free zone in the UAE lists them.
Where can I get a freelance permit in the UAE?
| Zone | Permit | Published price | Visa |
|---|---|---|---|
| twofour54 (Abu Dhabi) | Freelance licence, media, gaming, entertainment | AED 4,500 for 12 months, AED 2,250 for 6 months, waived first 2 years | Not published by the CMA; 2 agencies say AED 3,500 to AED 7,000 |
| GoFreelance (DIC, Dubai Media City, DKP, d3) | Sole Professional Licence | AED 7,520 package; permit fee AED 7,500 | AED 4,600 one year, AED 5,042 two years |
| Expo City Dubai | Freelance permit | AED 7,000 a year; AED 9,000 with company card and visa | Included in AED 9,000 |
| Ajman Free Zone | Sole Professional Licence, 40 categories | Not published | One residence visa plus family sponsorship |
| Ajman Media City | Freelancer permit | Not published | Not published |
| UAQ Free Trade Zone | Freelance Permit, two activities | Not published as a clear yearly price | Ask |
| RAKEZ | Freelancer Permit | Not published | Ask |
Source: Creative Media Authority licence page, DDA and TECOM GoFreelance pages, ECDA fee list dated April , Ajman Free Zone, Ajman Media City, UAQ FTZ and RAKEZ licence pages, checked .
Freelance license Abu Dhabi: twofour54
twofour54 manages the Creative Zone at Yas Creative Hub in Abu Dhabi, under the Creative Media Authority. Its freelancer route is a sole proprietor licence for media, gaming and entertainment work. The 12-month licence covers three activities. The fee waiver runs two years from the date of issue and has terms, so ask what is still payable in year one, such as the visa and the workspace.
Agencies quote very different totals here. Setup agencies publish twofour54 freelancer packages at about AED 3,539 to AED 19,000 (published prices of 2 agencies, checked ). The low figure is a permit, flexi desk and one visa; the high one is a setup fee before first-year running costs. Read the twofour54 page for its company options.
How do I get a freelance permit in Dubai?
GoFreelance is TECOM's freelance package at four zones: Dubai Internet City for tech, Dubai Media City for media, Dubai Knowledge Park for education and Dubai Design District for design. DDA issues the permit, usually within 2 working days. The permit covers one activity, and the holder cannot sponsor staff or trade under a brand name.
Expo City lists a freelance permit at AED 7,000 a year, or an Expo Freelance package at AED 9,000 with the permit, company card and visa. Its fee list is from April and says prices can change. Dubai South's setup page is titled "DWC LLC and Freelancer License", but its terms were not readable.
For the full Dubai visa cost, step by step, read freelance visa Dubai.
Ajman freelance license
Ajman Free Zone issues a Sole Professional Licence across 40 freelancer categories. The holder gets one residence visa and can sponsor family. The zone's FAQ says a freelancer may hire one employee and may use the licence in the mainland. There is also a Pioneers package for people aged 20 to 30, with one visa for the licence owner.
AFZ no longer prints package prices; it sends a quote from its cost calculator. Ajman Media City lists freelancer permits and one-person company licences, also without a price.
Sharjah, Umm Al Quwain and Ras Al Khaimah
Shams and SPC in Sharjah sell company licences, not freelance permits. For a solo media founder, the Shams Media Package at AED 5,760 a year gives an LLC with up to 5 media activities and a flexi desk, no visa. SPC's E-Publishing licence starts at AED 4,999 for online publishing activities.
UAQ Free Trade Zone issues a Freelance Permit limited to two activities. Its freelance promotion shows a price labelled per month that looks like an error, so we do not repeat it. RAKEZ lists a Freelancer Permit among its licence types without a separate price.
What should I check before I apply?
- Activity fit. Each permit covers a named list of professions. Match your work to it first.
- Visa. Some permits include a visa (Expo Freelance), some price it separately (GoFreelance), some do not publish it.
- Clients. Ask whether you may invoice mainland clients, and get the answer in writing.
- Renewal. Permits renew yearly. The twofour54 waiver ends after two years, so budget for the full fee in year three.
- VAT. If your taxable supplies pass AED 375,000 in 12 months, VAT registration is mandatory.
What documents do I need for a freelance permit?
- Passport copy with at least six months' validity
- Passport photo
- Current UAE visa or entry stamp, and Emirates ID if resident
- No objection letter from your sponsor if you already hold a UAE employment visa (Ajman Free Zone asks for this)
Send us your profession
Use the form on this page to say what you do and which emirate you prefer. UAEFreeZoneDirectory.com is an independent directory; we are not twofour54, TECOM or any other authority. We forward your details to the zones or a licensed setup partner, and they contact you with terms.
Sources
- Creative Media Authority licences: twofour54 freelance licence fee and entity types
- Creative Media Authority business package: two-year fee waiver
- DDA sole professional licence: permit fee and delivery time
- Dubai Internet City GoFreelance: package price, visa and card fees
- GoFreelance on the Dubai Industrial City site: the four zones and the staff and brand rule
- ECDA fees and service charges (PDF): Expo City freelance prices
- Expo City free zone services: no lease needed for the freelance permit
- Dubai South business setup: freelancer licence named
- Ajman Free Zone licence types: Sole Professional Licence and Pioneers
- Ajman Free Zone FAQ: one employee, mainland use
- Ajman Free Zone business types: documents
- Ajman Media City services: freelancer permits
- UAQ FTZ licence types: freelance permit activity limit
- RAKEZ getting started: freelancer permit
- Shams packages: Media Package
- SPC E-Publishing licence: E-Publishing price
- Rizmona twofour54 page and Noble Core twofour54 guide: twofour54 freelancer agency prices
- Prodesk twofour54 visa page: twofour54 visa estimate, with Riz & Mona
