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twofour54 is Abu Dhabi's free zone for media, gaming and entertainment, at Yas Creative Hub on Yas Island. New companies pay no licence or registration fee for their first 2 years. After the waiver, an FZ-LLC licence is listed at AED 15,000 for 5 activities. You still pay for an office in the zone and for visas, and a Co-Lab office gives 1 visa.
Who runs twofour54?
Two bodies share the work, and it helps to know which does what.
- The Creative Media Authority (CMA) issues licences. It was set up by Abu Dhabi Decree Law No. 8 of .
- twofour54 runs the zone and manages office space in the Creative Zone. It is part of ADNEC Group and dates from , when it was known as Media Zone.
The zone sits near Zayed International Airport. It is one of six free zones on Abu Dhabi's official list, covered on our Abu Dhabi free zones page. Many people search for it as "Abu Dhabi two four 54".
How much does a twofour54 license cost?
These are the fees the CMA lists. Each one is waived for the first 2 years from the date of issue, under the CMA's terms and conditions.
| Licence | Listed fee | During years 1 and 2 |
|---|---|---|
| FZ-LLC, up to 5 activities | AED 15,000 a year | Waived |
| Each extra activity | AED 1,000 | Waived |
| Branch of a UAE or foreign company | AED 3,500 | Waived |
| Freelance licence, 12 months, 3 activities | AED 4,500 | Waived |
| Freelance licence, 6 months | AED 2,250 | Waived |
| Registration, new business or branch | AED 3,500 | Waived |
Source: Creative Media Authority regulation and licence page and business package page, checked . The registration fee comes from a twofour54 article from March .
The waiver is the main reason founders look at twofour54. Read it closely, though. It covers licensing and registration. Office rent, the general manager's residency, pre-approvals and visas are not part of it.
What happens in year 3
The renewal fee after the waiver is not settled in the sources we checked. The CMA lists the FZ-LLC licence at AED 15,000. One search result shows a lower renewal figure, which we could not confirm on an official page. Ask for the year 3 renewal amount in writing before you commit, because it is the number that decides your long-term cost.
What do setup agencies charge for twofour54?
Here the agencies are far apart. For an FZ-LLC, published starting prices run from about AED 15,000 to AED 35,000 (published prices of 2 agencies, checked ). The lower one is a yearly figure with workspace and visas. The higher one is a setup fee with a private office.
For freelancers the gap is wider: about AED 3,539 to AED 19,000 (2 agencies, same date). The low end covers a permit, a flexi desk and 1 visa. The high end is a hot desk setup.
These are published agency prices, not ours. The spread tells you that the office tier, not the waived licence, drives the bill.
What does a twofour54 visa cost?
A company needs an office in the Creative Zone. twofour54 sells four workspace types:
- Co-Lab: comes with 1 visa
- Co-Create: comes with 2 visas
- Co-Quip: visa count not stated
- Co-Customize: visa count not stated
Office prices are not published. The CMA does not list visa or establishment card fees on the pages we checked either, and the twofour54 FAQ has none. Setup agencies fill part of the gap: they put each visa at about AED 3,500 to AED 7,000 (published prices of 2 setup agencies, checked ). Prodesk's itemised new visa comes to about AED 5,100 with the entry permit, change of status and medical. Riz & Mona gives the wider band and counts the permit, medical and Emirates ID. Neither is an official fee, so get the visa lines in your quote. For a feel of visa costs elsewhere, see the free zone visa cost guide.
How does the twofour54 freelance permit work at Yas Creative Hub?
A sole proprietor licence suits writers, editors, photographers and other individual creatives. It allows 3 activities, comes in 12 or 6 month terms, and is waived for 2 years like the company licence. You will still need a desk and a residence visa if you live in the UAE. Our freelance licence guide compares this with permits in other zones.
What company rules apply in twofour54?
- Forms: FZ-LLC, branch of a local or foreign company, or sole proprietor (freelancer).
- Directors: an FZ-LLC needs at least two individual directors.
- Office: a space in the Creative Zone is required.
- Capital: twofour54 says no minimum capital is required.
- Activities: media, gaming and entertainment. Broadcasting and publishing fall under a separate dissemination licence.
How do you set up a company in twofour54?
- Choose company, branch or freelance, and list your activities.
- Pick a workspace tier. This sets your visa count.
- Submit the application to the CMA with shareholder and director details.
- Get pre-approval for the manager, then sign the office agreement.
- Receive the licence. The CMA estimates 14 working days for the process.
- Apply for the residency visas for the general manager and staff.
The CMA pages do not publish a document list. Plan for passport copies and photos for each shareholder and director, a short business plan, and attested parent company papers for a branch.
Pros and cons of twofour54
Pros:
- licence and registration waived for the first 2 years
- a zone run for media, gaming and entertainment under its own media authority
- no minimum capital
- a freelance route for individual creatives
Cons:
- office prices, official visa fees and the year 3 renewal are not published
- an FZ-LLC needs two individual directors
- agency quotes differ by more than double
- only media, gaming and entertainment activities fit
For media zones in Dubai, compare Dubai Media City. In Fujairah, Creative City offers media licences too. Our free zone for media guide sets them side by side.
Getting a twofour54 quote
Send your activity, the number of visas and whether you are a company or a freelancer through the form on this page. We run UAEFreeZoneDirectory.com as an independent directory: we are not twofour54, the CMA or ADNEC. We pass your request to the zone or to a licensed setup partner, and you receive the year one and year 3 figures from them.
Setup consultants that work with twofour54
If you would rather not handle the application yourself, 3A Global, FZM Solutions FZCO | Business Setup in Dubai | Créer Société a Dubai and Dubai Setup Advisors are the highest ranked consultants that name twofour54 on their own websites. 3A Global is based in Sheikh Zayed Road and Trade Centre. The full directory of Dubai setup consultants lets you filter by area and service.
Sources
- Creative Media Authority regulation and licence: authority, entity types, licence fees, branch and freelance fees, director rule
- Creative Media Authority business package: 2 year waiver, visas per office tier, 14 working day estimate
- CMA partner page for twofour54: founding and former name
- twofour54 who we are: ADNEC Group link
- twofour54 business setup: sectors, workspace tiers, no minimum capital, location
- Agency visa estimates: Prodesk and Riz & Mona
- twofour54 small business article: registration fee
