Jebel Ali Free Zone
JAFZA offers a prime location for businesses aiming to establish a strong presence in Dubai. You can choose from various entity types, including Free Zone Establishments (FZE), Free Zone Companies (FZCO), and branches of existing companies, making the formation process seamless and straightforward.
Ready-to-use warehouse spaces designed to meet the storage needs of various industries.
Flexible office solutions, including fully serviced offices, co-working spaces, and customized office setups.
Options to lease land for long-term projects, allowing businesses to build facilities tailored to their requirements.
Fully equipped centers offering administrative support, meeting rooms, and business services.
Streamlined customs services for hassle-free import and export activities.
Integrated logistics support, including transportation and warehousing solutions.
For companies engaged in import, export, distribution, and storage of specified products.
Allows businesses to provide various services like consulting, IT, marketing, and more.
For manufacturing companies involved in production, assembly, or packaging of goods.
Enables businesses to conduct commercial activities over the internet, including online sales and services.
Businesses can set up as:
A single-shareholder entity, ideal for small and medium enterprises.
A multi-shareholder entity, suitable for larger businesses or joint ventures.
Allows established businesses to open a branch in JAFZA without altering their original structure.
Companies specializing in transportation, warehousing, and supply chain management.
Enterprises involved in producing goods, from electronics to consumer products.
Leading technology firms focused on innovation and distribution of electronic products.
Renowned car manufacturers and parts suppliers leveraging JAFZA’s strategic location.
Global food companies involved in production, processing, and distribution.
Annual fees depending on the type of business license.
One-time fees for registering your business entity with JAFZA.
Costs associated with leasing office spaces, warehouses, or plots of land.
JAFZA offers a cost-effective solution for businesses of all sizes, with flexible payment options.
Thousands of people choose Decisive Zone to set up their business in Dubai and across the UAE. We take great pride in our exceptional services and our clients’ testaments keep us going!
The key difference is ownership and customs status. A regular Industrial Licence is open to any manufacturer, including a 100% foreign-owned company, and lets you import raw materials, produce goods, and export them. Its products are treated as foreign-origin for customs purposes.
A National Industrial Licence requires at least 51% GCC national ownership and a minimum of 40% local value added to the product within the zone. In return, it grants your goods national status, allowing them to enter the UAE mainland without customs duty. Note that broader GCC-wide duty exemptions carry additional rules under GCC customs law, so the benefit is strongest for UAE mainland entry. We can advise which licence fits your manufacturing and market plans.
Yes. JAFZA renewals are handled online through its digital portal, so you don't need to visit Dubai to renew your licence. You'll need a valid facility lease, cleared dues, and your audited financial statement ready for submission.
Starting the process well before expiry avoids penalties and any disruption to visas. We can manage your renewal and the supporting paperwork end to end.
Your visa quota is tied to the facility you lease, not a flat package number. As a rough guide: a flexi-desk or smart office supports around 1 to 3 visas, a private office scales the quota with floor area (roughly one visa per 9 sqm), and a warehouse or industrial unit can support dozens.
This is why logistics and manufacturing firms favour JAFZA: a large warehouse or plot can sponsor a substantial workforce. Quotas are assessed case by case, so we can match your facility to your hiring plans.
You'll need a Customs Client Code (also called an importer or exporter code) registered with Dubai Customs through the Dubai Trade portal and linked to your JAFZA licence. This is what allows you to clear goods through customs.
JAFZA's on-site customs and direct Jebel Ali Port access make the process efficient once you're registered. We handle the customs code registration alongside your company setup so you're trade-ready from day one.
Yes. JAFZA leases industrial land plots for custom-built facilities on long-term terms, typically 15 to 20 years, with power, water, and telecoms delivered to the plot boundary. Land plots generally start from around 5,000 sqm.
If you need less space, pre-built warehouses and light industrial units are available from roughly 300 sqm, which suits many manufacturers without the commitment of building from scratch. We can match the facility type and size to your production requirements.
Yes. JAFZA requires all registered companies to submit an audited financial statement from an approved auditor each year as a condition of licence renewal, regardless of whether you've started trading. A dormant company still files audited accounts.
This is stricter than some lower-cost zones, so it's worth budgeting for the audit from year one. Our accounting team can prepare and file your audited statements to keep your renewal on track.
Industrial companies must comply with JAFZA's Environment, Health and Safety (EHS) framework. In practice this means obtaining engineering and fit-out approvals for your facility, meeting Dubai Civil Defence fire-safety standards, and passing EHS inspections.
If you store or handle hazardous materials, you'll also need a Dangerous Goods (DG) permit, which requires annual renewal and covers storage, ventilation, and containment standards. Getting these approvals right before you build or operate avoids costly delays. We coordinate the EHS, engineering, and Civil Defence approvals for you.
Yes. JAFZA is the largest customs-bonded zone in the Middle East, so goods stored within it sit under customs suspension. Import duties are deferred while the goods remain in the zone and are waived entirely on re-export, becoming payable only if the goods enter the UAE mainland.
This is one of JAFZA's biggest advantages for traders and distributors, letting you hold and redistribute stock efficiently without upfront duty. We can set up your warehouse and customs registration together.
