Income tax
0%
No income tax on salary, rent or personal investment income. That has not changed.
United Arab Emirates · Corporate Services
The hard part isn't setting up.
It's connecting the pieces.
The licence comes from one authority, the visa from another, the health insurance from a third party, the bank account from a fourth. Each has its own document list and its own timetable. Connecting those pieces is the work we take on.
First callFree, no commitment
You leave withA written roadmap and cost
SetupSeven working days in a free zone
UAE — the 2026 tax picture
The numbers, plainly.
0%Personal income tax — on salary and personal income
9%Corporate tax — on profit above AED 375,000
5%VAT — standard rate
01
Free Zone
100% foreign ownership, more than 50 zones across the country, and 0% corporate tax on qualifying income where the conditions are met. We pick the zone that fits what you actually do.
Explore free zone02
Mainland
No restriction on activity; trade anywhere in the UAE and bid for government work. No ceiling on visa numbers. We settle the licence type and structure with you.
Explore mainland03
Accounting & Compliance
What comes after incorporation: books, payroll, VAT returns, ESR and UBO filings, audit support. So no deadline that carries a penalty slips past.
Explore accountingTwo routes.
Which one is your business?
Free zone or mainland — this choice drives your tax position, who you can sell to and what it costs. Getting it wrong means paying to move later.
Option A
Free Zone
For businesses selling abroad or to other companies, wanting a lower set-up cost and a faster process.
- 100% foreign ownership, no local partner required
- 0% corporate tax on qualifying income where conditions are met
- No customs duty on imports and exports
- Capital and profits can be repatriated in full
- Incorporation can complete in seven working days in the right conditions
- Visa allocation depends on the package you choose
Option B
Mainland
For businesses selling directly to customers inside the UAE, opening shops or branches, or bidding for government contracts.
- No limit on activity — thousands of defined activities
- Trade anywhere in the UAE and abroad
- Access to government tenders
- No upper limit on visas (allocation follows office space)
- 100% foreign ownership possible for most activities
- Build a physical network by opening branches
A clear process.
You know where you stand at every step. We deal with the authorities; what we need from you is documents and decisions.
01
Free initial consultation
We discuss your business, your target market and your visa needs. What comes out of it is a roadmap and a written cost.
02
Activity and structure
We settle the activity that goes on the licence and the company type. The wrong activity code means a licence amendment later.
03
Zone and licence selection
Free zone or mainland; which zone, which licence type. We put the cost difference side by side.
04
Trade name and pre-approvals
We check the name against the rules, reserve it, and obtain authority pre-approval where the activity requires it.
05
Documents and registration
Incorporation documents, memorandum, signing authorities. We prepare the file and we chase it.
06
Licence and establishment card
The trade licence is issued, and the establishment card needed for visa processing is obtained.
07
Visa and Emirates ID
Entry permit, medical, biometrics, residence stamp and Emirates ID. The same process for your family.
08
Bank account and beyond
Corporate account application, accounting setup, VAT registration and the compliance calendar.
Free zone incorporation can complete in seven working days where documents are in order and the activity needs no additional approval. Opening a bank account usually takes longer, depending on the bank's compliance review.
You shouldn't have to ask the price.
The habit in this sector is to keep the number back for the call. We don't. These are our published rates; each one sits on its own page with every tier.
AccountingAED 460/moUp to 10 transactions a month · books, reconciliation, reportingPayrollAED 31.50/moPer employeeVAT registrationAED 1,050FTA portal registration and TRN certificateCorporate bank accountAED 3,150Bank selection, documents, application follow-upESR notificationAED 1,050Economic Substance Regulations — notification filingUBO declarationAED 525Ultimate beneficial owner registerGolden VisaAED 19,990Success fee — includes pre-approval feeDIFC willAED 16,000General will
All fees are inclusive of 5% VAT. Government charges and free zone licence fees are separate; they vary by zone, activity and visa count, and are itemised line by line in your quote.
Tax in the UAE, 2026.
Corporate tax arrived in 2023. Don't trust sources that still say "there's no tax in the UAE" — the structure has to be built for today's rules.
Corporate tax
9%
On taxable profit above AED 375,000 a year. Up to that figure the rate is 0%.
Free zone
0%
A company meeting the Qualifying Free Zone Person conditions keeps 0% on its qualifying income.
VAT
5%
The standard rate. Registration is mandatory once taxable turnover passes AED 375,000.
Incorporation is the start.
The work comes after.
A licence is issued once; compliance, accounting and visas come round every year. We carry that cycle too.
Banking
Corporate bank account
We select the bank that suits your activity and expected turnover, prepare the file and follow the application through.
ExploreCompliance
ESR & UBO
Economic Substance assessment, notification and report filing; ultimate beneficial owner declaration.
ExploreInsurance
Health insurance
Mandatory for a residence visa. We structure individual, family or team cover around what you need.
ExploreInfrastructure
IT services
Domain, business email, web hosting, SSL and technical support. Two packages, monthly or annual.
ExploreLegal
Legal advisory
Corporate law, M&A, restructuring, dispute resolution. Sold in hourly packages.
ExploreAddress
Mail management
Use our office address for correspondence; post is received, sorted, stored securely and notified to you.
ExploreTravel
Tourist visa
30 and 90 day, single or multiple entry, extensions included. Usually decided in 2-5 working days.
ExploreResidence
Golden Visa
Ten-year residence. Application handling for investor, executive, specialist and outstanding-student categories.
ExploreGovernment
PRO services
Emirates ID, Ejari, chamber of commerce registration, attestation and legal translation.
ExploreRead first, call after.
We've written out the detailed answers to the questions we get most. Not a pitch — how the thing actually works.
Guide
Trade licence
Licence types, documents required, application steps, timing and renewal.
ExploreGuide
E-commerce licence
Which licence for selling online; free zone or mainland, the eTrader difference, and VAT.
ExploreGuide
Starting a business in Dubai
The whole process from choosing a sector to opening a bank account, step by step.
ExploreOne hour of talking,
months of the right decision.
Tell us about your business; we'll send you which structure fits, how long it takes and what it costs in total. The initial consultation is free.