RAKEZ Licence Cost and Free Zone Company Setup
RAKEZ licence cost in 2026 from AED 6,000: fees by licence type, e-commerce licence, visa quotas by facility, renewal costs, and how RAKEZ differs from RAK ICC and RAK DAO.
Business Setup AE editorial review Last reviewed 2026-09-09
Quick answer
RAKEZ (Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone) is a low-cost UAE free zone offering commercial, professional, industrial, educational and media licences with 100% foreign ownership. Entry packages start around AED 6,000 a year without visas, and facilities range from flexi-desks to industrial plots, making it one of the cheapest credible routes into the UAE.
- Emirate
- Ras Al Khaimah
- Entry licence
- From about AED 6,000 per year
- Ownership
- 100% foreign ownership
- Licence types
- Commercial, professional, industrial, media, educational
- Facilities
- Flexi-desk, office, warehouse, land
- Issuance
- 3 – 7 working days typical
RAKEZ is Ras Al Khaimah's consolidated economic zone, formed from the merger of RAK Free Trade Zone and RAK Investment Authority. It hosts tens of thousands of companies across more than fifty nationalities and competes primarily on price and facility range rather than prestige address.
Its appeal is breadth at low cost: the same authority issues a solo consultant's flexi-desk licence and a manufacturer's industrial land lease. For founders whose clients are international or free zone based, RAKEZ typically undercuts Dubai equivalents by a meaningful margin for comparable visa allocations.
This page covers licence types, package structure and cost, visa quotas by facility, banking realities and how RAKEZ compares with the Dubai and Sharjah alternatives.
| Package | Cost band (AED) | Includes |
|---|---|---|
| Zero-visa licence | 6,000 – 11,000 | Licence and shared address |
| One-visa package | 14,000 – 22,000 | Licence, flexi-desk, establishment card |
| Three-visa package | 22,000 – 35,000 | Licence, desk/office, higher quota |
| Establishment card | 1,500 – 2,500 | Required before any visa |
| Residence visa per person | 3,500 – 5,500 | Medical, Emirates ID, stamping |
RAKEZ licence types
- Commercial licence — trading, import, export, distribution and storage
- Professional / service licence — consultancy and expertise-based services
- Industrial licence — manufacturing, assembly and processing on zone land
- Media licence — production, advertising, publishing and digital content
- Educational licence — training and education entities under zone approval
- E-commerce licence — online trading of goods and services
RAKEZ licence cost by licence type
RAKEZ prices the licence itself by activity class, then adds the facility and any visa allocation on top. The bands below are the zone's published entry tiers for a single-shareholder company with no visas; a licence with a desk and one visa typically lands AED 8,000 to AED 12,000 above the licence-only figure.
| Licence type | Licence only (AED/yr) | Renewal (AED/yr) | Facility required |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial (trading) | 6,000 – 11,500 | 5,750 – 11,000 | Flexi-desk minimum |
| Professional / service | 6,000 – 10,500 | 5,750 – 10,000 | Flexi-desk minimum |
| E-commerce | 6,500 – 12,000 | 6,000 – 11,500 | Flexi-desk minimum |
| Media | 6,500 – 12,500 | 6,000 – 12,000 | Flexi-desk minimum |
| Educational | 10,000 – 20,000 | 10,000 – 20,000 | Office, zone approval |
| Industrial / manufacturing | 15,000 – 30,000+ | 15,000 – 30,000+ | Warehouse or land lease |
| General trading | 12,000 – 20,000 | 12,000 – 20,000 | Flexi-desk or office |
RAKEZ e-commerce licence
The RAKEZ e-commerce licence covers selling goods and services online — own webstore, social selling and marketplace listings — and is one of the cheapest routes to a UAE online-retail entity, from roughly AED 6,500 a year licence-only. It allows 100% foreign ownership and can be issued with zero visas if you do not need residency.
Two limits matter. Selling physically into the UAE mainland still means a distributor, a mainland branch or 5% import duty at entry, and marketplaces such as Amazon.ae and Noon require the licence activity to match the goods you list. Payment-gateway approval is granted by the bank or provider, not by RAKEZ, so budget time for that separately.
RAKEZ vs RAK ICC vs RAK DAO — three different registries
Ras Al Khaimah has three separate registration bodies and search results routinely confuse them. RAKEZ is the free zone: it issues operating licences, gives visa quota and leases desks, offices, warehouses and land. RAK ICC is the international corporate centre: an offshore registry for holding and investment companies with no visas, no UAE office and no onshore trading. RAK DAO is the Digital Assets Oasis, a specialist free zone for virtual-asset and Web3 businesses with its own activity list and approval process.
Choose RAKEZ if you need to trade, employ people or obtain residence visas; RAK ICC if you only need a holding vehicle; RAK DAO if your activity is digital assets. Costs are not comparable across the three because they sell different things.
| Registry | What it is | From (AED/yr) | Visas |
|---|---|---|---|
| RAKEZ | Free zone — operating licences and facilities | 6,000 | Yes, by facility |
| RAK ICC | Offshore registry — holding and investment | 8,000 – 12,000 | No |
| RAK DAO | Digital assets and Web3 free zone | 12,000+ | Yes, by package |
Facilities and visa quota
Visa quota in RAKEZ follows the facility, not the licence. A flexi-desk supports a small allocation; a standard office or warehouse raises it in line with area. Choose the facility against your 12-month hiring plan rather than the cheapest tier available today.
| Facility | Typical annual cost (AED) | Indicative visa quota |
|---|---|---|
| Flexi-desk / shared workstation | Included in package | 0 – 4 |
| Standard executive office | 15,000 – 35,000 | 4 – 8 |
| Warehouse (small) | 45,000 – 150,000 | By area and labour type |
| Industrial land lease | Per sqm, long lease | Project dependent |
RAKEZ vs Dubai and Sharjah free zones
| Factor | RAKEZ | Dubai free zones (IFZA/DMCC) | SHAMS (Sharjah) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry licence cost | Lowest tier | Mid to premium | Lowest tier |
| Industrial capability | Strong — land and warehousing | Limited outside JAFZA | Limited |
| Address perception | Moderate | Strong | Moderate |
| Bank account ease | Workable with substance | Easiest | Workable |
| Distance from Dubai | About 45 – 90 minutes | In Dubai | About 30 – 45 minutes |
Who this option suits best
- Cost-sensitive founders and consultants
- Manufacturers needing affordable warehousing or land
- Traders serving export and re-export markets
- Holding and service companies with international clients
- Small teams wanting visa quota without Dubai office rents
Step-by-step process
- 1
Choose the licence type and activities1 day
Activity list drives price tier and facility eligibility.
- 2
Select the facility and visa quota1 – 2 days
Flexi-desk, office, warehouse or land based on 12-month plan.
- 3
Reserve the trade name and submit documents1 – 3 days
Passport, photo and application forms.
- 4
Pay and receive the licence2 – 5 days
Incorporation documents and licence issued digitally.
- 5
Open the immigration file1 – 2 weeks
Establishment card, then residence visa applications.
- 6
Open the corporate bank account2 – 6 weeks
Substance evidence and a clear business model shorten this step.
Documents required
- Passport copies (valid 6+ months) for every shareholder and manager
- Passport-size photo with white background for each applicant
- Proof of address or a recent utility bill / bank statement
- Three proposed trade names in order of preference
- Business activity list and a short business description
- Emirates ID and visa copy or entry stamp if you are already in the UAE
- Completed RAKEZ application form
- Business plan for regulated or industrial activities
Realistic timeline
| Stage | Duration |
|---|---|
| Name and application | 1 – 3 working days |
| Licence issuance | 2 – 5 working days |
| Establishment card | 3 – 7 working days |
| Residence visas | 1 – 3 weeks |
RAKEZ entry pricing is genuinely low, but visa allocations and facility upgrades are where budgets move. Compare total cost at your expected headcount, not at the zero-visa tier.
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
Buying the cheapest tier then upgrading
Fix: Mid-year upgrades usually cost more than starting at the right visa tier.
Expecting to trade onshore freely
Fix: Selling into the UAE mainland needs a distributor, branch or 5% import duty.
Assuming banking is automatic
Fix: Banks assess substance; a clear model and some UAE presence materially help.
Ignoring the commute
Fix: If staff and clients are Dubai based, factor travel time into the saving.
Skipping corporate tax registration
Fix: Free zone companies must still register with the FTA.
Myth vs reality
| Myth | Reality |
|---|---|
| RAKEZ companies pay no tax at all | Registration is mandatory; 0% applies only to qualifying income of a Qualifying Free Zone Person. |
| A cheap free zone means a weak company | RAKEZ is a government economic zone with full legal standing; the difference is address perception, not legitimacy. |
| You must live in Ras Al Khaimah | There is no residency-location requirement; many holders live in Dubai or Sharjah. |
Compliance after licensing
- Corporate tax registration with the FTA — 9% applies on taxable profit above AED 375,000; 0% below it. Small Business Relief may apply to revenue under AED 3m.
- VAT registration is mandatory once taxable turnover passes AED 375,000 in 12 months, and voluntary from AED 187,500.
- Economic Substance Regulations (ESR) notifications for relevant activities such as holding, IP, headquarters and distribution.
- Ultimate Beneficial Owner (UBO) register kept with the licensing authority and updated within 15 days of any change.
- Anti-Money Laundering (AML) registration on the goAML portal for designated non-financial businesses and professions.
- Annual licence and establishment-card renewal, plus audited financials where the free zone or activity requires them.
Regulators referenced: Ministry of Economy (UAE) · Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) · Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED) · Federal Tax Authority (FTA) · General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) · Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE)
Frequently asked questions
How much does a RAKEZ licence cost?
Can I get 100% ownership in RAKEZ?
How many visas can I get?
Can a RAKEZ company trade in Dubai?
How long does RAKEZ setup take?
What does a Ras Al Khaimah trade licence cost?
How much is a RAKEZ e-commerce licence?
What is the difference between RAKEZ and RAK ICC?
Is RAK DAO the same as RAKEZ?
How much is RAKEZ renewal?
People also ask
Is RAKEZ cheaper than IFZA?
RAKEZ entry tiers are generally cheaper, particularly for zero-visa and industrial requirements; IFZA competes on Dubai address and speed.
Does RAKEZ allow warehouses?
Yes — it is one of the stronger UAE zones for affordable warehousing and industrial land.
Can I open a bank account with a RAKEZ licence?
Yes, though banks will assess substance, activity and expected transaction flows as they would for any free zone entity.
Which RAKEZ licence is cheapest?
The zero-visa commercial or professional licence on a shared workstation, from about AED 6,000 a year.
Founder checklist
- Confirm the exact activity codes you need before paying any fee
- Compare at least three verified providers on total year-one cost, not licence cost alone
- Check the visa quota attached to your chosen facility (flexi-desk vs office)
- Ask what is excluded: establishment card, e-channel deposit, medical, Emirates ID, PRO fees
- Confirm bank-account support and which banks the provider actually opens with
- Match the facility to your 12-month hiring plan
- Confirm which banks the provider actually opens RAKEZ accounts with
Why you can trust this guide
- Independent marketplace — Business Setup AE does not form companies and takes no commission on provider pricing
- Every listed provider holds a valid UAE trade licence and publishes fixed prices
- Costs reviewed against 2026 published government schedules
- Written and reviewed by advisers who have processed UAE licences and residence visas
Editorial ownership: Business Setup AE Editorial Team. See our editorial and corrections policy and package verification method.
Related guides and services
Official government sources
Fees, thresholds and licensing rules on this page are checked against these official UAE government and regulator sources.
- RAKEZ — Ras Al Khaimah Economic ZoneOfficial licence packages, facilities and fee schedules
- Ministry of Economy — UAEFederal commercial registration, trade names and company law
- Federal Tax Authority — corporate tax and VATSource for the 9% corporate tax threshold and VAT registration limits
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