List of All Free Zones in the UAE (2026): Every Zone in All 7 Emirates, Explained

The UAE has more than 40 free zones, commonly counted at around 45–46 as of 2026, spread across all seven emirates: Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain. Each zone is run by its own free zone authority, offers 100% foreign ownership with full repatriation of capital and profits, and is typically built around specific industries: from finance (DIFC, ADGM) and commodities (DMCC) to media (Shams, twofour54) and logistics (JAFZA, KEZAD).

This guide lists every major free zone by emirate, what each specialises in, and how to shortlist the right one for your business.

What is a UAE free zone?

A free zone is a designated economic area governed by its own free zone authority, with its own company registrar, licensing rules and, in the case of DIFC and ADGM, even its own legal system based on common law. Free zones were created to attract foreign investment, and the core benefits are consistent across all of them:

• 100% foreign ownership: no local partner required
• Full repatriation of capital and profits
• Customs advantages: duty exemptions on imports into the zone and re-exports
• 0% corporate tax on qualifying income for entities that meet Qualifying Free Zone Person (QFZP) conditions under the UAE Corporate Tax Law
• Fast, largely digital company formation, often without a physical office (flexi-desk packages)

The trade-off: a free zone company is licensed to operate within its zone and internationally; selling directly into the UAE mainland market generally requires a mainland distributor, a branch, or customs duty on goods entering the mainland. If your customers are primarily onshore UAE, weigh a mainland licence against a free zone. Stevva advises on both, and on offshore structures where a holding vehicle fits better.

Dubai has the largest concentration: 25+ zones. Several operate under umbrella authorities: the TECOM Group zones (Internet City, Media City and others), the Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority (DIEZ), and DWTC.

Finance, trade & commodities

1. 1
   DIFC (Dubai International Financial Centre)

   Banking, asset management, fintech; its own common-law courts.

2. 2
   DMCC (Dubai Multi Commodities Centre)

   Commodities, trading, crypto; repeatedly named the world's top free zone by fDi magazine.

3. 3
   JAFZA (Jebel Ali Free Zone)

   The UAE's original mega-zone; logistics, manufacturing and trade at Jebel Ali Port.

4. 4
   DWTC Free Zone (Dubai World Trade Centre)

   Events, trade, and a growing digital-assets ecosystem.

5. 5
   Meydan Free Zone

   Cost-efficient digital licences for trading, e-commerce and consulting.

6. 6
   IFZA (International Free Zone Authority)

   One of the most popular value zones for SMEs, consultants and general trading. Stevva is an IFZA partner: read our IFZA setup guide.

7. 7
   Dubai Auto Zone

   Automotive trade, parts and re-export.

8. 8
   Gold & Diamond Park

   Precious metals and jewellery (JAFZA-affiliated).

Technology & digital (DIEZ + TECOM)

1. 9
   Dubai Silicon Oasis (DSO)

   Technology, electronics, startups (DIEZ).

2. 10
   Dubai Airport Free Zone (DAFZ)

   Aviation-linked trade and light industry at DXB (DIEZ).

3. 11
   Dubai CommerCity

   The region's first e-commerce-dedicated zone (DIEZ).

4. 12
   Dubai Internet City (DIC)

   The Gulf's flagship tech cluster; home to global software and internet firms.

5. 13
   Dubai Outsource City

   BPO, shared services and call centres.

Media, design & education (TECOM)

1. 14
   Dubai Media City (DMC)

   Media, marketing, publishing.

2. 15
   Dubai Studio City

   Film, TV and production facilities.

3. 16
   Dubai Production City

   Printing, packaging and publishing.

4. 17
   Dubai Design District (d3)

   Fashion, design and creative brands.

5. 18
   Dubai Knowledge Park

   HR, training and professional education.

6. 19
   Dubai International Academic City (DIAC)

   University campuses and edtech.

Science, health & specialist

1. 20
   Dubai Science Park

   Life sciences, labs and pharma.

2. 21
   Dubai Healthcare City (DHCC)

   Clinics, hospitals and medical education.

3. 22
   Dubai South

   Aviation, logistics and e-commerce around Al Maktoum Airport and Expo City.

4. 23
   Dubai Maritime City

   Shipping, marine services and yacht industries.

5. 24
   International Humanitarian City (IHC)

   Humanitarian logistics and NGOs.

6. 25
   DUQE Free Zone

   Startup-focused zone aboard the QE2 at Port Rashid.

Dubai's hidden rule: your address decides your licence

Here's what most free zone lists never tell you: many of Dubai's free zones are not fenced industrial parks. They are ordinary-looking neighbourhoods you can walk into freely, yet operating a business there requires that specific zone's licence, not a standard Dubai mainland (DET) licence.

• Jumeirah Lakes Towers (JLT). All 79 towers of this residential-and-office district sit inside DMCC's jurisdiction. To lease an office and operate in JLT, you need a DMCC licence; a mainland licence won't do. (Adding to the layered picture: building and fit-out approvals in JLT go through Trakhees, even though company licensing is DMCC.)
• TECOM / DDA districts. Internet City, Media City, Knowledge Park, Studio City, Production City, Science Park, d3 and Barsha Heights are open urban districts regulated by the Dubai Development Authority. A training institute in Knowledge Park needs a Dubai Knowledge Park licence; an agency in Media City needs a Dubai Media City licence. Each district licenses its own tenants.
• Trakhees (PCFC) areas. Trakhees, the licensing and regulatory arm of Dubai's Ports, Customs & Free Zone Corporation, issues commercial licences across the Nakheel and Dubai World communities: Palm Jumeirah, International City, Discovery Gardens, Al Furjan, the Ibn Battuta area, Dubai Maritime City and the Port Rashid waterfront. A retail unit or restaurant in these communities operates on a Trakhees licence, not a mainland one.
• DIFC district. Even non-financial businesses (the restaurants, galleries and cafés of Gate Avenue) are licensed by the DIFC Authority because the district is its own jurisdiction with its own laws.
• Dubai South & Expo City, Dubai Healthcare City. Each licenses businesses within its own boundaries through its own authority.

Why it matters in practice: the licence determines your regulator, your renewal costs, your visa process, and whether your lease is even valid. Signing a tenancy in JLT with a mainland licence (or vice versa) is one of the most common and expensive setup mistakes we see. Dubai's Dubai Unified Licence (DUL) now gives every business a single emirate-wide identifier, and dual-licensing schemes are expanding, but the underlying rule stands: check which authority governs your intended address before you choose your licence, not after.

The capital runs fewer, larger zones, roughly 8, with a focus on finance, industry and media.

1. 1
   ADGM (Abu Dhabi Global Market)

   International financial centre on Al Maryah Island with its own common-law framework; finance, funds, fintech and increasingly holding structures.

2. 2
   KEZAD (Khalifa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi)

   The emirate's industrial and logistics giant under AD Ports Group, formed from KIZAD and ZonesCorp.

3. 3
   Masdar City Free Zone

   Clean energy, sustainability and smart-city technology.

4. 4
   twofour54 / Yas Creative Hub

   Media, gaming and content production.

5. 5
   Abu Dhabi Airport Free Zone (ADAFZ)

   Aviation, aerospace and airport-linked logistics.

6. 6
   AD Ports Free Zone areas

   Port-adjacent trade and marine services under AD Ports Group.

Sharjah pairs genuine industrial capacity with some of the UAE's most affordable licences: around 6–7 zones.

1. 1
   Shams (Sharjah Media City)

   Media, creative, e-commerce and consulting licences from AED 5,750; one of the most cost-effective setups in the UAE. Read Stevva's complete Shams setup guide →

2. 2
   SAIF Zone (Sharjah Airport International Free Zone)

   Trade, light manufacturing and logistics beside Sharjah Airport.

3. 3
   Hamriyah Free Zone (HFZA)

   Heavy industry, oil & gas services and manufacturing at Hamriyah Port.

4. 4
   SPC Free Zone (Sharjah Publishing City)

   The world's first publishing-dedicated zone, now issuing broad commercial licences.

5. 5
   SRTIP (Sharjah Research, Technology & Innovation Park)

   R&D, greentech and deep-tech startups.

6. 6
   Sharjah Healthcare City

   Medical facilities and health services.

1. 1
   Ajman Free Zone (AFZ)

   One of the UAE's oldest budget-friendly zones; trading, services and light industry.

2. 2
   Ajman Media City Free Zone (AMCFZ)

   Low-cost licences for media, consulting and online businesses.

3. 3
   Ajman NuVentures Centre Free Zone (ANCFZ)

   Newer entrant offering competitively priced commercial and service licences with fast issuance.

1. 1
   RAKEZ (Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone)

   One of the largest multi-sector zones in the region; SME packages through to industrial plots at highly competitive rates.

2. 2
   RAK Digital Assets Oasis (RAK DAO)

   Launched 2023; the world's first free zone dedicated to digital assets and Web3 companies.

3. 3
   RAK Maritime City

   Port-based marine, shipping and industrial operations.

4. 4
   RAK ICC (RAK International Corporate Centre)

   The emirate's registry for offshore/international business companies (holding and asset-protection structures rather than operating licences). See Stevva's offshore company setup guide.

1. 1
   Fujairah Free Zone (FFZ)

   Trade, shipping and warehousing with direct access to Fujairah Port on the Indian Ocean, outside the Strait of Hormuz.

2. 2
   Fujairah Creative City

   Affordable licences for media, design, consulting and freelancers.

3. 3
   FOIZ (Fujairah Oil Industry Zone)

   One of the world's largest oil-storage and bunkering hubs.

1. 1
   UAQ FTZ (Umm Al Quwain Free Trade Zone)

   Among the cheapest licences in the UAE; popular with micro-businesses, freelancers and startups that don't need premium addresses.

Quick picks by business type

How to choose the right free zone

Price matters, but five other factors decide whether a zone actually fits:

1. Activity coverage. Every zone maintains its own approved activity list. Confirm your exact activity, and any you'll add later, is licensable before paying anything.
2. Visa quota and cost. Zones tie visa allocations to your package or office size. If you'll sponsor staff or family, model the visa cost per person, not just the licence fee. Our tools & calculators help you estimate the full picture.
3. Banking acceptance. UAE banks weigh the free zone's reputation during corporate account opening. A slightly pricier, better-known zone can pay for itself in smoother banking.
4. Tax position. The 0% free zone corporate tax rate applies only to Qualifying Free Zone Persons earning qualifying income, and QFZP status is incompatible with Small Business Relief. Where you'll earn your revenue (in-zone, abroad, or mainland) should shape the choice.
5. Physical needs. Flexi-desk is fine for consultants; traders need warehousing near the right port; regulated activities may require physical premises.

Frequently asked questions

Sources: the official UAE Government portal (u.ae), Doing business in a free zone; individual free zone authority websites (DMCC, DIFC, ADGM, JAFZA, KEZAD, RAKEZ, Shams, IFZA and others); Trakhees / Ports, Customs & Free Zone Corporation (pcfc.ae); Dubai Development Authority; UAE Corporate Tax Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 47 of 2022) and related Cabinet Decisions on Qualifying Free Zone Persons and designated zones. Zone counts, prices and packages change frequently; verify current offers with the relevant free zone authority or with Stevva before committing.