SPC Free Zone
SPC Free Zone Business Setup
Sharjah Publishing City Free Zone (SPC) offers a streamlined company setup for businesses in publishing, media, and related industries, providing tax benefits, 100% foreign ownership, and world-class infrastructure for growth and innovation.
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Why Choose Sharjah Publishing City Free Zone?
Sharjah Publishing City Free Zone(SPC) is one of the latest free zones headquartered in Sharjah. SPC’s core licensing activities are publishing and printing but it also issues licenses for a huge number of activities including general trading, consultancies, e-commerce, IT, etc. It boasts of beautiful offices, a strategic location & one of the shortest incorporation times.
Approximate Processing Time
License
5 business days
Establishment
3 business days
Visa application process
7 to 10 business days
E-channel
24 hours
Advantages of SPC license
SPC Freezone is designed to cater to the diverse needs of businesses, offering a range of advantages that include:
Tax Benefits
0% corporate or personal income tax.
Foreign Ownership
100% Foreign Ownership Guarantee.
Capital Share
No Paid-Up Share Capital Required for Business Setup.
Bank Account
Easy to set up a corporate bank account.
Trade License
Option of upto a 10 year trade license.
Business Activities
More than 1,500 business license activities.
Flexibility
Flexibility on number of work visas.
Multiple Activities
Combine upto 5 activities from different sectors under 1 license.
Calculate your business setup cost
Types of business licenses:
An e-commerce license allows you to conduct your business in the UAE but purely online. You’d operate via online portals that will allow you to buy and sell your goods & services both locally and internationally.
Operating with a Service License means you will run a business without any tangible assets, you focus more on selling unique services to your consumer (i.e. Consultancies, Project Management, Investment Services, etc.)
Operating with a Commercial License allows you to trade in goods and sell specific services. The goods you sell can be imported and sold in the UAE, exported and sold outside the UAE or ascertained and traded solely within the UAE. With this license, you can trade almost any type of goods.
A General Trading License allows you to trade in more specific goods as well as general items. Almost all goods can be traded under this license and they do not need to be related.
Popular business activities at SPC:
- Computer Programming, consultancy & related activities
- Educational support activities
- Food & beverage wholesale
- Reproduction of recorded media
- Software publishing
- Radio broadcasting
- Wired telecommunication activities
- Motion picture, video and television program activities
- Publishing of books, periodicals and other publishing activities
- Printing and service activities related to printing
Love from our clients
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!
SPC is authorised to issue a dual licence, which lets a single company hold both a free zone licence and a Sharjah mainland licence under one legal entity — issued through the Sharjah Economic Development Department (SEDD).
In practice, this means you can serve mainland customers and distribute across the local market without setting up a separate mainland company or appointing a local distributor. You keep 100% ownership and your free zone benefits while gaining direct local-market access. We can set the structure up so both licences work together cleanly.
Yes. SPC lets you combine up to five activities from different sectors under a single licence. For example, consultancy, e-commerce, and trading together. This is one of its most useful features for founders running more than one line of business.
Bundling activities upfront saves on separate licences and later amendments. Some regulated activities may need extra approvals, so it's worth confirming your combination before you apply. We can build the right activity list for your plans.
A physical office isn't mandatory. SPC offers flexi-desk and virtual office packages - a professional registered address with co-working access - included in most of its cost-effective bundles. Private offices and warehousing are available when you need them.
Your workspace sets your visa allocation: a flexi-desk typically supports one to two visas, while a private office unlocks more. Start lean and scale up as your team grows.
A zero-visa SPC licence starts from around AED 5,000 to AED 7,000, depending on the licence type making it one of the most affordable free zone options in the UAE. Publishing and e-commerce packages sit at the lower end, with general trading typically higher.
This covers the licence, registration, and a flexi-desk address. Visas, establishment card, and e-channel are added separately when you need them. We can give you an itemised quote for your exact activity.
Yes, with the right setup. A standard free zone licence doesn't allow direct mainland sales, but SPC's dual licence opens the Sharjah mainland to you under one entity. To sell directly into Dubai or other emirates, you can also use a local distributor, a mainland branch, or that emirate's operating permit.
One tax point to plan for: mainland revenue is taxed at 9%, while your qualifying free zone income can stay at 0% if you keep separate records. We can structure this so you reach your customers compliantly.
There's no paid-up share capital requirement. You don't need to deposit or show proof of capital to set up an SPC company - a key reason it's popular with startups, freelancers, and bootstrapped founders.
Your Memorandum will still state a nominal share capital figure, but it doesn't have to be funded upfront. This keeps your entry cost low and your setup simple.
Yes. SPC offers the option of a trade licence valid for up to 10 years, which locks in your licence cost and removes the need for yearly renewals over that term. Multi-year terms often come with incremental discounts.
This suits founders who want long-term cost certainty and less annual admin. We can advise whether a multi-year licence works out cheaper for your situation.
Very much so. SPC offers a dedicated e-commerce licence and is a strong fit for online retail, dropshipping, print-on-demand, marketplace selling, and digital services. The low-cost flexi-desk model keeps overheads down, and warehousing is available if you hold stock.
The five-activity combination is especially handy for online businesses where you can bundle e-commerce with trading and services under one licence. We can match the licence and workspace to your online model.
SPC is among the fastest free zones in the UAE - the trade licence is typically issued within about 1 to 5 business days once documents are in order, with same-day issuance possible in some cases. The establishment card follows in around three days, and visa processing takes roughly 7 to 10 business days.
Much of the process is handled digitally, often without a UAE visit. Delays usually come from incomplete paperwork, which we take care of on your behalf.
Not as a blanket rule. SPC has historically not required annual audits for most licence types, which is part of its cost appeal. You must, however, keep proper accounting records.
One important update: under UAE Corporate Tax rules, audited financial statements are now required for free zone companies that want to keep their 0% Qualifying Free Zone Person status. Certain activities and banks may also ask for them. Our accounting team can keep your records audit-ready and compliant.
This is a general overview, not tax advice. Confirm your position with a qualified advisor.
