Free zone company
DAFZA company setup at Dubai Airport Free Zone
DAFZA is the Dubai Airport Free Zone, established in 1996 next to Dubai International Airport. It belongs to the Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority (DIEZ). It suits companies that move high-value or time-sensitive goods by air, and regional offices that want to be beside the airport with a route to mainland customers.
At a glance Fact sheet
- Emirate
- Dubai
- Authority
- Dubai Airport Free Zone, a member of Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority (DIEZ)
- Location
- Next to Dubai International Airport
- Known for
- Air cargo access, trading and regional offices across more than 20 sectors
- Ownership
- Full foreign ownership
- Office options
- Offices, smart desks, light industrial units and retail space
Overview
Dubai Airport Free Zone was established in 1996 beside Dubai International Airport, and the location is the whole point. Goods can land, be stored or lightly processed and fly out again with very little road transport. Clients and head office visitors reach you almost as soon as they leave the terminal.
DAFZA has been a member of the Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority, DIEZ, since that authority was formed in 2021, alongside Dubai Silicon Oasis and Dubai CommerCity. It issues trade, service, industrial and general trading licences, with an e-commerce option on the trade licence. It also has specialist licences for family offices and a Talent Pass for freelancers in media, technology and education.
One feature sets DAFZA apart from many zones: a dual licence arrangement with the Department of Economy and Tourism. It lets a DAFZA company apply for a mainland licence without renting a separate office on the mainland. If you want an airport base and mainland customers too, ask your Caliph consultant whether your activity qualifies.
Why companies choose DAFZA
The airport is your neighbour
Air freight reaches your unit quickly, which suits electronics, pharmaceuticals, jewellery and other goods where speed matters more than volume.
A route to mainland customers
The dual licence with the Department of Economy and Tourism lets eligible companies hold a mainland licence while they operate from DAFZA.
Offices at several levels
Space ranges from smart desks for a small team to standard and premium offices, so the premises can match the size of the company.
Light industrial units for cargo
Units for storage, packaging and assembly sit inside the zone, backed by the airport's cargo handling facilities.
Licences beyond trading
DAFZA licenses single and multi-family offices and offers the Talent Pass for individual professionals.
What to have ready for DAFZA
- Passport copies for every shareholder and the authorised manager
- The proposed company name, activity and licence type
- A short business plan or company profile
- Copies of your UAE residence visa and Emirates ID, where you hold them
- For a branch or a corporate owner: the parent company's incorporation papers and a resolution approving the setup, attested as required
- Your space requirement: office, smart desk or light industrial unit
- Any no objection certificate your activity needs from another government body
DAFZA sets the final checklist by licence and company type. Your Caliph consultant confirms what applies to you.
How DAFZA company setup works
Licence type chosen
Your consultant matches the business to a trade, service, industrial or general trading licence and checks whether the dual licence is relevant.
Company type chosen
You register a free zone company, a branch of an existing company or, for larger plans, a public limited company.
Space selected
We compare offices, smart desks and light industrial units against your team size and the goods you handle.
Application reviewed
The application and documents go to DAFZA. Where the activity requires it, approval from another government body is obtained.
Lease signed and licence issued
The company's manager signs the lease, the agreed payment is made and DAFZA issues the licence and releases the premises.
Visas, bank and dual licence
Caliph handles the establishment card and residence visas, prepares the bank file and, if you qualify, starts the dual licence application.
Good to know
- Depending on your activity, you may need a no objection certificate from a government body outside the zone before DAFZA can issue the licence.
- The dual licence is a second licence from the Department of Economy and Tourism. It has its own conditions, and not every activity is eligible.
- A branch in DAFZA is an extension of its parent company and needs no share capital of its own.
Questions people ask
Where is DAFZA located?
DAFZA is in Dubai, directly next to Dubai International Airport. Its offices, business centre and light industrial units are all within the zone beside the airport, which is why it is popular with air cargo traders and with regional offices that receive frequent visitors.
Is DAFZA part of DIEZ?
Yes. Dubai Airport Free Zone is a member of the Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority, known as DIEZ. The authority was established in 2021 and also covers Dubai Silicon Oasis and Dubai CommerCity. DAFZA itself dates from 1996 and keeps its own name and location.
What is the DAFZA dual licence?
It is an arrangement with the Department of Economy and Tourism in Dubai. A DAFZA company can apply for a mainland licence without leasing a physical office on the mainland, and keep working from its DAFZA premises. Eligibility depends on the activity, so Caliph checks it before you rely on it.
What licence types does DAFZA offer?
DAFZA issues trade licences for importing, exporting, storing and distributing specific products, with an e-commerce option. It also issues service licences, industrial licences for light manufacturing, packaging and assembly, and general trading licences. Family office licences and the Talent Pass for freelancers are available too.
What kind of business suits DAFZA?
DAFZA suits companies whose goods travel by air and are high in value for their size, and companies that want a regional office beside the airport. A business that ships full containers by sea is usually better served by a port zone, and a solo consultant may not need this location.
How does DAFZA differ from JAFZA?
The main difference is the gateway. DAFZA is beside Dubai International Airport and offers offices, smart desks and light industrial units. JAFZA is beside Jebel Ali Port and offers large warehouses and plots of land for sea freight and manufacturing. They also belong to different organisations, DIEZ and DP World.
- Dubai Airport Free Zone: about us
- Dubai Airport Free Zone: business setup process
- Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority: free zones
Reviewed by Caliph Business Solutions on . Rules differ by activity and by authority. Your Caliph consultant confirms what applies to you.
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