Free Zone License Renewal Cost 2026: AED Prices by Zone

Free zone licence renewal cost in 2026 ranges from AED 4,888 a year for a no-visa licence at Ajman NuVentures Centre Free Zone to AED 12,900 at IFZA on our 2026 rate card, and DMCC publishes AED 20,265 for a one-year trading or service licence. Add one renewed residence visa and the bill moves to between AED 7,350 (SHAMS) and AED 17,100 (IFZA). Late renewal adds more: DMCC charges AED 2,500 once you are 31 days past expiry.

That is the short answer. The longer answer matters because a renewal is where most companies pay for decisions they made at setup, and where most of them never compare. Year one is shopped around; year two is usually just an invoice that arrives from the zone or the original consultant and gets paid. In this guide we set out what each zone costs to renew, which zones are cheaper in year two and which are not, what the government layer (establishment card, residence visas, Emirates ID) adds, what late renewal really costs, and when renewing is the wrong decision. Every Noble Core price here comes from our 2026 rate card. Every authority fee comes from the authority's own published schedule, and we say so where a zone publishes nothing.

Free zone licence renewal cost by zone in 2026

The table below is our client price for renewing a licence from year two onwards, by the number of residence visas renewed in the same cycle. These are the figures we quote and invoice. They are not the zone's published tariff, because most of these zones do not publish renewal prices at all.

Three things stand out.

First, the cheapest zone to renew with no visas is not the cheapest zone to renew with visas. Ajman NuVentures is the lowest at zero visas, but SHAMS and SPC are far cheaper once you renew even one visa: AED 7,350 against AED 9,900. At four visas the gap is wider: SHAMS AED 12,150 against ANCFZ AED 21,150.

Second, Dubai zones cost more to hold, but the cost per extra visa is modest. Meydan and Dubai South add about AED 1,850 per renewed visa. RAKEZ adds about AED 4,000 per visa on our card. If your team is growing, the per-visa increment matters more than the headline.

Third, health insurance is not included in any of these figures. It is required by law for every visa holder and on our rate card basic cover is AED 500 per person per year.

Note that Ajman NuVentures Centre Free Zone and Ajman Free Zone are two separate authorities with different prices. If you are comparing Ajman quotes, check which authority's name is printed on your licence.

Why some zones renew cheaper than year one and others do not

A first-year free zone package bundles charges that only happen once: company registration, the initial approval, the first establishment card with its e-system registration, and the immigration steps of a first visa (entry permit, change of status where relevant). A renewal should shed those. Whether it does depends on how the zone structures its pricing.

Compare our setup and renewal columns for the one-visa tier:

The pattern is clear. Sharjah and Meydan price their packages so that year one carries the setup load and later years are much lighter. RAKEZ and Ajman Free Zone price a flat annual package, so a renewal costs what setup cost. Neither model is wrong, but it changes which zone is cheaper over three years rather than one.

Over three years with one visa, for example, SHAMS comes to AED 29,699 on our card (14,999 plus two renewals at 7,350), while RAKEZ comes to AED 42,000 (14,000 three times). A founder who picked RAKEZ because its first-year price looked close to SHAMS has paid roughly AED 12,300 more by year three. That is not a reason to leave RAKEZ, which has strengths in industrial and warehousing activities. It is a reason to run the three-year number before signing anything.

What the authorities publish about renewal fees

Most free zones quote renewals privately through their account managers or partners. A handful publish real renewal figures on their own sites, and these are worth knowing because they anchor any quote you receive.

Sources: the DMCC Schedule of Charges on dmcc.ae (checked 24 September 2026), the DWTC Free Zone fee list, ADGM's Commercial Licensing fee rules, the KEZAD tariff, Ajman Media City's package table and the RAK ICC 2026 fee schedule. Fees change, so confirm on the official portal before paying.

Two points are worth drawing out. DMCC is the most expensive zone to renew in this set at the base licence, and its general trading licence renews at AED 50,265, so a DMCC company that only needs a service activity should check it is not carrying a general trading licence it does not use. And RAK ICC is an offshore registry: it issues no visas and no workspace, so its renewal fee is not comparable with an operating free zone.

DMCC is not on our rate card, so for DMCC renewals we quote against DMCC's published schedule plus the government items your company actually uses.

The government layer: establishment card, visas and Emirates ID

The licence is only one of the things that expires. A company with visas holds an establishment (immigration) card, and each visa holder holds a residence permit and an Emirates ID. These run on their own cycles, and a renewal plan that ignores them will stall.

Here are the federal fees published by the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) that sit underneath most renewals. Dubai-issued visas are handled by GDRFA Dubai, whose fees can differ, so treat these as the federal reference and confirm on icp.gov.ae.

In most free zones these items are bundled into the zone's visa renewal charge, which is why our table prices renewals by visa count rather than by line item. What matters for planning is the dependency chain:

1. The licence must be valid for the establishment card to be renewed.
2. The establishment card must be valid for any visa to be renewed or issued.
3. The visa must be valid for the Emirates ID to be renewed.

Break the chain at the top, with a late licence, and every visa renewal behind it waits. That is the real cost of renewing late, and it is usually larger than the zone's penalty.

Late renewal penalties and what an expired licence blocks

Free zones treat late renewal differently, and the published schedules show the range.

• DMCC: no late fee for 0 to 30 days past expiry, AED 2,500 for 31 to 60 days, and AED 5,000 for 61 to 90 days. DMCC also charges AED 500 a month for late renewal of a lease.
• DWTC Free Zone: AED 1,000 per month late, capped at AED 3,500.
• ADGM: USD 150 per month or part month, for up to three months, on top of the renewal fee; nothing if filed within a month of expiry.
• RAK ICC (offshore): a one-month grace period, then the renewal fee rises by 10% in month two, 15% in month three, 25% in month four and 50% in month five. A strike-off notice follows at the start of month six. Restoration costs AED 550 plus the arrears.
• Establishment card: AED 100 per month late, up to AED 1,000, set at federal level.

The fee is the visible part. The larger costs of an expired licence are operational:

• Banking. Banks run periodic KYC reviews and ask for a valid licence. An expired one can lead to restrictions on the account until a current licence is uploaded.
• Visas. You cannot renew or issue a visa on an expired licence, so an employee whose visa falls due in the gap may slip into overstay at AED 50 a day.
• Contracts and invoicing. Many clients, landlords and suppliers ask for a current licence before signing or paying. A lapsed licence can stall receivables.
• Strike-off risk. Zones can deregister companies that stay unrenewed for long enough. Restoring a struck-off company costs far more than renewing on time, and some zones will not restore at all.

If your licence has already expired, the right move is to renew immediately, pay the penalty and fix the visa chain, rather than wait for a cheaper moment. Penalties compound; they do not reset.

Documents and compliance checks before a renewal goes through

A renewal is rarely rejected outright. It is held, which is worse, because the clock keeps running while you chase a document. These are the items that hold renewals most often.

Valid passports for shareholders and managers. Most zones want at least six months of passport validity on file. A shareholder who renewed a passport during the year must update the zone record first.

A valid lease or flexi-desk agreement. Where the licence depends on a physical facility, the lease must run beyond the renewal date. The facility size also drives the visa quota, so a downgraded desk can mean fewer visas at renewal.

Beneficial ownership records. UAE companies must keep a register of ultimate beneficial owners and file it with the registrar. Several zones check this at renewal.

Audited financial statements, where the zone requires them. Some free zones require annual audited accounts and ask for them before renewing. Check your zone's rules early, because an audit takes weeks, not days.

Corporate tax registration. Every UAE company, free zone ones included, must register for corporate tax with the Federal Tax Authority, and late registration carries an AED 10,000 administrative penalty. Zones increasingly ask for the Tax Registration Number during renewal. Confirm current rules on tax.gov.ae.

VAT registration, if you have crossed the threshold. A company whose taxable supplies pass AED 375,000 over twelve months must register for VAT. This is not a renewal requirement as such, but a renewal is the natural checkpoint to confirm it.

Outstanding fines or unpaid invoices with the zone. Any balance on the zone account, from an old visa fine to an unpaid lease invoice, is usually collected before the renewal is released.

Third-party approvals for regulated activities. Activities that required an external approval at setup (for example, certain health, education or financial activities) may need that approval renewed or reconfirmed as well.

Step-by-step: a 60-day free zone renewal plan

This is the timeline we run for clients. It is designed so that nothing expires while you wait for something else.

Day 60 before expiry. Pull every expiry date into one sheet: licence, establishment card, lease, each residence visa, each Emirates ID, each health insurance policy, and each shareholder passport. Request the renewal quote from the zone or your consultant, broken down by line item.

Day 50. Decide what changes at renewal. This is the moment to add or remove an activity, change the visa tier, move from a flexi desk to an office, or restructure shareholding, because most zones process amendments alongside the renewal more cheaply than mid-year.

Day 45. Close compliance gaps: UBO register current, corporate tax registration in place, audited accounts in hand if your zone needs them, any outstanding zone fines settled.

Day 30. Most zones open the renewal window. Submit the renewal application through the zone portal with updated documents and pay. Typical processing is a few working days once the file is complete.

Day 20. Once the renewed licence is issued, renew the establishment card if it falls due, then book medicals and biometrics for any visas renewing in this cycle.

Day 10. Upload the new licence to your bank's business portal, update your Tax Registration details with the Federal Tax Authority if anything changed, and send the renewed licence to key clients who keep it on file.

Expiry day. Nothing should be outstanding. If anything is, it is a visa or Emirates ID step, and those have their own grace rules, not the licence.

Renew, switch zone, or close: how to decide

Renewal time is the one moment each year when changing course is cheap. After you pay, you have locked in another year.

Renew as is when the licence activities still match what you do, the visa count is right, and the three-year cost at your current zone is within about 10% of the best alternative. Moving has hidden costs (new bank documentation, new contracts, visa transfers), and they usually eat small savings.

Renew for multiple years when you are certain you are staying. DMCC publishes two, three and five-year renewal terms. At today's published figures the multi-year price equals the one-year price multiplied by the years (AED 60,795 for three years is exactly three times AED 20,265), so the benefit is a fixed price and two fewer renewal cycles of admin rather than a lower total. Ask your zone whether it offers multi-year terms and whether the price is locked; several offer them without advertising it.

Switch zone when the numbers clearly favour it and your business is still small. A one-visa consultancy renewing at AED 17,100 a year could renew at AED 7,350 in SHAMS; over three years that difference is large enough to absorb the cost of setting up again. The move is a new company formation in the new zone, followed by closure of the old one, so plan the overlap carefully and do not let the old licence lapse while visas are still attached to it.

Move to the mainland when most of your revenue now comes from work performed on the UAE mainland. A free zone company can invoice mainland clients for services performed from its free zone premises, but carrying out the activity physically onshore needs a mainland licence. If that describes your business, renewal is the time to look at a mainland licence or a mainland branch.

Close the company when it is dormant. Paying AED 5,000 to AED 20,000 a year to keep an unused licence alive is common and avoidable. Closing properly (cancelling visas, the establishment card and the licence, and deregistering for tax) costs money once, while renewing a dormant company costs money every year. See our guide to cancelling a trade licence.

Changing things at renewal: activities, visas and shareholders

Many free zones let you process amendments alongside a renewal. Doing so saves a second round of paperwork and, in some zones, a second set of fees.

Adding or changing activities. DMCC, for example, publishes AED 2,500 for modifying or replacing licence activities. Other zones charge per activity group. If your business has drifted from its original activity (a trading company now mostly doing consultancy, for instance), correct the licence at renewal. An activity mismatch is a common reason for bank queries and tax questions.

Changing the visa tier. If you are renewing with fewer visas than your package allows, ask whether a smaller package is available; if you need more, check the quota. DWTC publishes AED 1,000 per year to renew each additional visa quota. In zones where quota depends on office size, you may need a larger facility before you can add visas.

Changing shareholders or managers. Share transfers and manager changes are amendments with their own fees and documents, and some zones will not process them on an expired licence. DWTC, for example, lists AED 3,000 for an ownership change or transfer of shares and AED 1,500 for a change of director or manager. Doing it just before renewal means the renewed licence already shows the correct owners.

Upgrading the facility. Moving from a flexi desk to a dedicated office changes the renewal price and often the visa quota. It is cleaner to make that change at renewal than mid-lease.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Paying the renewal invoice without a line-item breakdown. A renewal quote that is a single number hides what you are paying for. Ask for licence, facility, establishment card, visa and insurance lines separately.
• Comparing zones on first-year price only. Over three years, a zone with light renewals can be thousands of dirhams cheaper than one with a lower setup price and flat renewals.
• Letting the licence expire while visas are live. Every visa renewal behind a lapsed licence waits, and staff can drift into overstay at AED 50 a day.
• Forgetting corporate tax registration. Late registration carries an AED 10,000 administrative penalty, and more zones now check the Tax Registration Number at renewal.
• Renewing a dormant company out of habit. If the company has not traded for a year, price the cost of closing it against another year of fees.
• Leaving health insurance to the last week. A lapsed policy holds up the visa part of the renewal.
• Assuming the original consultant must do the renewal. The licence belongs to your company. You can instruct any provider, and the renewal is the best time to get a second quote.
• Mixing up Ajman authorities. Ajman NuVentures Centre Free Zone and Ajman Free Zone are different authorities with different renewal prices. Confirm which name appears on your licence before comparing quotes.

What Noble Core does for you

Noble Core Ventures is an independent private business setup consultancy, founded in 2020, with six offices. We are not a government body and we do not decide approvals; the free zone authority, ICP or GDRFA, and the Federal Tax Authority do. What we do is make the renewal predictable.

For a renewal, we:

• Quote your renewal line by line against our 2026 rate card, or against the zone's published schedule for zones such as DMCC that are not on our card.
• Map every expiry date (licence, establishment card, lease, visas, Emirates IDs, insurance, passports) so nothing lapses while something else is pending.
• Close compliance gaps before submission: corporate tax registration (AED 400), VAT registration (AED 500), UBO records and the documents your zone checks.
• Handle the visa renewals that fall in the same cycle, including medicals and Emirates ID steps.
• Tell you plainly when renewing is the wrong answer, and price the switch or the closure instead.

Send us a photo of your current licence and we will reply with a written renewal quote and any risks we see. Message us on WhatsApp or call +971 52 253 5694.

Related reading: our guide to renewing a mainland trade licence in Dubai, the free zone licence guide for Dubai, and our 2026 free zone price transparency report, which shows which zones publish their prices at all.

Prices on this page are Noble Core's 2026 client prices unless stated as an authority's published fee. Government and free zone fees change without notice; confirm them on the official portal before paying. Nothing here guarantees a visa, an approval or a bank account.

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