Business setup in the UAE
Your Business.Your Future.Your UAE.
Ready to launch in as little as3 Business Days*
*Free zone licences, once your documents and approvals are complete. Mainland formation and regulated activities take longer — we give you a timeline for your case at consultation.
- Businesses served
- 1,000+Businesses served
- Countries served
- 50+Countries served
- Client retention
- 98%Client retention
- Average response
- 24–48 hrsAverage response
The Right UAE Business Structure. Chosen Before You Spend a Dirham.
Starting a business in the UAE is more than choosing a licence. The right jurisdiction influences your ownership, banking, visas, taxation and long-term growth.
Corpenta evaluates your business activity, ownership structure and expansion plans before recommending the most suitable Mainland, Free Zone or Offshore solution. From company formation and licensing to banking, visas and compliance, every step is managed by one dedicated team—giving you complete clarity, transparent pricing and a seamless launch from day one.
What we handle
Everything you need to launch in the UAE.
From company formation to banking, visas and compliance — we manage every step so you can focus on building your business.
Company FormationMainland, Free Zone or Offshore. Structured around your goals.Explore
Corporate BankingWe prepare your profile and connect you with the right banking partners.Explore
Residence & Golden VisaResidency solutions for you, your team and your family.Explore
Accounting & VATBookkeeping, VAT registration and filing. Stay compliant, always.Explore
Trade LicenceNew licences, renewals and amendments — handled end to end.Explore
Corporate ComplianceOngoing compliance, reporting and government obligations.Explore
Why Corpenta
A partner that stays with you.
- One dedicated advisorA single point of contact from day one and beyond.
- Transparent pricingA written cost breakdown before any paperwork is filed.
- Banking & visa supportWe prepare the bank application and arrange the visas.
- End-to-end managementWe handle approvals, documents and government formalities.
- Ongoing complianceWe stay with your business long after the licence is issued.
Your business. Our commitment.
Built on trust. Backed by experience. Focused on your growth.
What would you like to start?
Tell us your goal.
Tell us what you are trying to do and we will point you at the right structure — before you pay for one.
- 01Set up a companyMainland, free zone or offshore, matched to what you actually plan to do.Explore
- 02Get a visa or Golden VisaInvestor, employment and family residence, and the Golden Visa where you qualify.Explore
- 03Open a bank accountCorporate account introductions, with the documentation prepared to the bank's standard.Explore
- 04Expand or restructureAmendments, branch registration and liquidation when the shape of the business changes.Explore
Business setup services
Every part of business setup, covered.
- Mainland Company FormationTrade anywhere in the UAE and bid for government work, with 100% ownership on most activities.Details
- Free Zone Company Formation100% ownership, fast setup and cost-efficient packages across 40+ UAE free zones.Details
- Offshore Company RegistrationHolding, asset-protection and international trading structures — no visa, no office required.Details
- Branch Office RegistrationExtend an existing foreign or UAE parent into the market without incorporating a new entity.Details
- Trade Licence & RenewalNew licences issued and existing ones renewed on time — before penalties start accruing.Details
- Amendments & RestructuringShare transfers, activity changes, name changes, capital increases and shareholder exits.Details
- Liquidation & DeregistrationClose cleanly — final audit, clearances, visa cancellation and licence deregistration.Details
Our difference
Why founders choose Corpenta.
We would rather tell you the structure you need than the one that pays best. Everything below is checkable before you commit to anything.
- Decisions backed by facts, not salesWe look at your activity, your ownership and where your customers are before recommending a structure — and we will say when a cheaper one fits.
- Complete cost clarity, upfrontGovernment fees, our fee and anything optional are itemised separately in writing. Government fees are paid to the authority and shown at cost.
- One relationship, from start to renewalThe same consultant stays with the file through formation, banking, visas and every renewal after. Not a ticket queue.
- Licensed, and named on the licenceTrade licence 67338, issued by Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority (DIEZ). Check it against the register before you speak to us.
Choosing a structure
Mainland, free zone or offshore?
Compare the three side by side before you commit to one.
| Attribute | MainlandTrade anywhere in the UAE | RecommendedFree ZoneFastest route for international business | OffshoreHolding and asset protection |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ownership | 100% foreign ownership on most activities | 100% foreign ownership, always | 100% foreign ownership |
| Ideal for | Retail, contracting, professional services and government tenders | International trade, consulting, e-commerce, media and tech | Holding shares or property, asset protection, international invoicing |
| Local market access | Direct — no distributor required | Via a mainland distributor, branch or dual licence | None — cannot trade within the UAE |
| Visa eligibility | Quota assessed against your registered office space | Fixed allocation per package, upgradeable | None |
| Office requirement | Physical premises with a registered Ejari tenancy | Flexi-desk or shared workstation usually sufficient | Registered agent address only |
| Corporate tax | Standard regime: 0% to the threshold, 9% above | 0% on qualifying income if you meet the QFZP conditions | Depends on activity and residence — assessed case by case |
| Set-up speed | Moderate — notarisation and external approvals add time | Fastest — often a few working days once documents are complete | Fast, and the cheapest to maintain |
| Mainland details | Free Zone details | Offshore details |
Mainland
Trade anywhere in the UAE
- Ownership
- 100% foreign ownership on most activities
- Ideal for
- Retail, contracting, professional services and government tenders
- Local market access
- Direct — no distributor required
- Visa eligibility
- Quota assessed against your registered office space
- Office requirement
- Physical premises with a registered Ejari tenancy
- Corporate tax
- Standard regime: 0% to the threshold, 9% above
- Set-up speed
- Moderate — notarisation and external approvals add time
Recommended
Free Zone
Fastest route for international business
- Ownership
- 100% foreign ownership, always
- Ideal for
- International trade, consulting, e-commerce, media and tech
- Local market access
- Via a mainland distributor, branch or dual licence
- Visa eligibility
- Fixed allocation per package, upgradeable
- Office requirement
- Flexi-desk or shared workstation usually sufficient
- Corporate tax
- 0% on qualifying income if you meet the QFZP conditions
- Set-up speed
- Fastest — often a few working days once documents are complete
Offshore
Holding and asset protection
- Ownership
- 100% foreign ownership
- Ideal for
- Holding shares or property, asset protection, international invoicing
- Local market access
- None — cannot trade within the UAE
- Visa eligibility
- None
- Office requirement
- Registered agent address only
- Corporate tax
- Depends on activity and residence — assessed case by case
- Set-up speed
- Fast, and the cheapest to maintain
The process
How we help you launch in the UAE.
A clear, proven sequence built around your goals. One consultant, every step, from the first call to the licence in your hand.
- 01
Free consultation
We map your business activity, ownership, visa needs and budget, and shortlist the jurisdictions that genuinely fit.
- 02
Jurisdiction & activity confirmed
You get a written comparison with total cost, visa quota and office requirement for each option, then approve one.
- 03
Name reservation & initial approval
We reserve your trade name and secure initial approval from the licensing authority for your chosen activities.
- 04
Documentation & MOA
We prepare, notarise and submit the memorandum of association, shareholder documents and any activity-specific approvals.
- 05
Licence issued
Your trade licence and establishment card are issued and handed over, with digital copies filed for your records.
- 06
Post-licence launch
Visas, Emirates ID, corporate bank account, tax registration — and a named consultant who stays on the file through renewal.
No surprises. Know your costs upfront.
Two questions — what you plan to do and where you want to be licensed — and the calculator returns the range for the licence, the government fees and our own, itemised separately.
- 01
Select your setup
Your activity and where you want to be licensed.
- 02
See the range
Licence, government fees and our fee, broken out.
- 03
Compare the routes
Mainland, free zone and offshore against your activity.
- 04
Talk to a consultant
Someone confirms the exact figure in writing.
An indicative range, not a quote — the same wording the calculator itself carries.
Questions
Business Setup — the questions asked first.
If yours is not here, ask it on the form below and a consultant answers it directly.
Free download
The UAE Business Setup Guide 2026
Everything we tell clients in the first consultation, written down: how to choose between mainland, free zone and offshore, what each really costs over three years, and the mistakes that cost people months.
- Mainland vs free zone vs offshore, compared honestly
- The three-year cost of a licence, not just year one
- Why bank applications get declined — and how to avoid it
- Visa quotas and how office space determines them
- Corporate tax and VAT: what applies to you and when
- A document checklist you can work through before you start
Next step
Let us talk about your business setup.
Share a few details and a consultant comes back with a straight answer, an estimated cost and a realistic timeline. Free, and with no obligation.
Personalised guidance
Matched to your activity and ownership.
Clear cost breakdown
Government fees and our fee, separately.
Realistic timeline
What actually happens, and when.
Ready to start your UAE business?
Tell us what you are trying to build and we will map the licence, the visas, the banking and the timeline — free, and with no obligation.