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The UAQ free zone license cost starts at AED 5,500 for UAQ LYTE: a one year licence with a co-working desk, no visa and remote formation. Umm Al Quwain Free Trade Zone (UAQ FTZ) says it renews at the same AED 5,500. UAQ START adds one investor visa with Emirates ID and basic insurance. The zone suits traders, small industrial firms and anyone who wants a cheap licence with port, warehouse and land options.
How much does a UAQ FTZ license cost?
| Package | Official price | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| UAQ LYTE | AED 5,500 | Licence only, no visa, co-working desk, remote formation. Renewal also AED 5,500 |
| UAQ START | AED 12,500 (one official blog quotes a higher price) | Licence with up to 10 activities, 1 investor visa, Emirates ID, medical test, basic medical insurance, co-working with lease, bank account help. Renews at the same cost |
| UAQ START monthly plan | AED 2,266 a month | Same items as START, paid monthly. Number of months not stated |
Source: UAQ FTZ promotion pages for UAQ LYTE, UAQ START and the monthly plan, and its October blog posts, checked .
Every package includes a shared workstation. START covers FZE, FZC and branch companies on commercial and consultancy or service licences.
Two prices for UAQ START
UAQ FTZ's own site disagrees with itself. The UAQ START landing page and a blog dated both give AED 12,500 as the all-in price. A blog dated two days earlier gives a higher price for the same visa package, and an older promotion page has a web address that names a third figure. We show AED 12,500 because the package page itself uses it. Before you pay, ask UAQ FTZ to confirm which price applies on the day.
A freelance promotion page on the same site shows a price labelled "per month" that looks like a typing error. We leave it out. If you want a freelance permit, ask for a written yearly quote.
What do setup agencies charge for UAQ FTZ?
Setup agencies publish UAQ Free Trade Zone packages at AED 5,500 to AED 32,400 (published prices of 4 agencies, checked ). The low end is LYTE or a similar micro licence with no visa. The high end is one agency's estimate for a general trading licence with one visa, co-working, establishment card and e-channel. Most service and commercial quotes sit in between.
Agencies do not agree on what an extra visa costs. Three of them quote about AED 1,500 to AED 3,000 per visa. Two others publish AED 3,000 to AED 5,000 (published prices of 2 setup agencies, checked ): GlobalBiz gives one figure inside that band for each visa beyond the package, and Emirabiz adds AED 3,000 to AED 5,000 per visa tier, where its tiers already bundle medical, Emirates ID and insurance. UAQ FTZ itself publishes no per visa fee, and its START page only says more visas may cost extra. Ask for the figure in writing.
How do visas work in UAQ FTZ?
UAQ START is the zone's one visa package. For more visas, UAQ FTZ points to its executive offices, which it markets with "6+ visas available". It publishes no rule on visas per square metre, so a larger quota needs a quote.
The April START promotion lists the establishment card and e-channel registration in the package. The newer landing page does not repeat that line, so confirm both are in your quote. The medical test, biometrics and visa stamping need you in the UAE.
Compare visa pricing across zones on our free zone visa cost page.
What office options does UAQ FTZ offer?
UAQ FTZ has more physical space than its price suggests:
- Co-working and shared desks, included in every package
- Serviced and executive offices, from 9 sq m
- Warehouses, rented short or long term, even by the day
- Staff accommodation
- Land plots from 2,500 sq m on leases of up to 25 years, from AED 18 per sq m a year
The zone began in 1987 as Ahmed Bin Rashid Port and Free Zone. Hutchison Ports now runs the port, which has four berths and an 845 m quay. UAQ FTZ is also a designated free zone under Cabinet Decision No. 54 of , which matters for VAT on goods. The offices sit on Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road (E311), about 45 km from Dubai.
What does UAQ FTZ license renewal cost?
UAQ FTZ says LYTE renews at AED 5,500 and START at the same cost as the first year. That is unusual. Ajman Media City, for example, renews its visa tiers for less than year one. A licence lasts at least one year, and multi-year licences are available. See free zone licence renewal for how other zones handle it.
Which licence types and company forms does UAQ FTZ offer?
UAQ FTZ issues Commercial, General Trading, Service (Consultancy), Freelance Permit and Industrial licences, and lets you hold a dual licence in one entity. It lists more than 1,500 activities.
The activity limits differ between pages. The licences page says a commercial licence takes 10 similar activities or 3 different categories, and a consultancy, service or freelance permit takes two. The START pages say up to 10 activities. Check your mix before you apply.
Company types are the FZE (one shareholder), the FZC (2 to 50 shareholders) and a branch, all with limited liability. A natural person must act as manager, director and secretary. Minimum capital is AED 300,000 at AED 1,000 a share, with no proof required. The licence covers trade inside the zone and abroad; to sell into the UAE market you go through an agent or distributor.
How do you set up a company in UAQ FTZ?
- Choose a licence type and up to the allowed number of activities.
- Pick LYTE or START, or an office if you need more visas.
- Send three proposed company names, the shareholding structure and documents.
- Sign remotely and pay.
- Receive the licence, which UAQ FTZ says is issued in 1 working day once documents and payment are complete.
- On START, come to the UAE for the medical, biometrics and visa stamping.
What documents does UAQ FTZ ask for?
UAQ FTZ's required documents form asks, for each shareholder and manager:
- Colour passport scan, valid 6 months, with 3 blank pages
- UAE visa or entry stamp
- Proof of address from the last 90 days
- Photo and contact details
A corporate shareholder adds its certificate of incorporation, a board resolution attested by the UAE embassy and MOFA, a good standing certificate and an ownership chart up to the beneficial owners.
How do UAQ FTZ companies open a bank account?
The zone's partners are National Bank of Umm Al Quwain, with a branch inside UAQ FTZ, Emirates Development Bank and Wio Bank. Packages include help with the account opening, but the bank makes the decision.
Pros and cons of UAQ Free Trade Zone
Pros:
- LYTE at AED 5,500 with the same published renewal price
- Company formation without visiting the zone
- Licence in 1 working day once documents are in
- Port, warehouses, staff housing and cheap land
Cons:
- Two different START prices on official pages
- Activity limits differ between its pages
- No published per visa fee or visa quota per office size
- About 45 km from Dubai, further than the Ajman zones
To compare, read about Ajman Free Zone, Hamriyah Free Zone and RAKEZ, or the full cheapest free zone in the UAE list. The Umm Al Quwain free zones page covers the emirate as a whole.
Contact UAQ FTZ through this page
The form here takes your package choice, activities and visa count. We are UAEFreeZoneDirectory.com, a directory that works independently of the UAQ Free Trade Zone Authority. A person at UAQ FTZ or at a licensed setup partner receives your details and quotes you.
Setup consultants that work with UAQ FTZ
Setup consultants that list UAQ FTZ among their zones include Zenesis Corporation, Creative Zone and Business Setup In Dubai - Company Setup UAE, the three highest ranked by weighted Google score. Zenesis Corporation is based in JLT. 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://promotion.uaqftz.com/uaq-start/ : UAQ START price, inclusions, renewal, 1 working day licence
- https://promotion.uaqftz.com/uaq-start-emi/ : monthly plan
- https://uaqftz.gov.ae/blogs/uae-business-license-without-visa-who-is-it-best-for : UAQ LYTE price and renewal, conflicting START price
- https://uaqftz.gov.ae/blogs/uae-business-license-with-visa-cost-inclusions-and-setup-guide : START price
- https://uaqftz.gov.ae/licenses-entity : licence types, activities, company types, capital, mainland trade
- https://uaqftz.gov.ae/leasing-services : offices, warehouses, land, 6+ visas
- https://uaqftz.gov.ae/benefits : remote formation
- https://uaqftz.gov.ae/banking-partners : banks
- https://uaqftz.gov.ae/free-trade-zone : history, location, port operator
- Agency prices: Rizmona, SafeLedger, Arnifi and Filings.ae
- Extra visa estimates: GlobalBiz UAE and Emirabiz
