Free zone
Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone company formation
The cost-effective free zone for international and industrial business.
At a glance
- Year-1 authority fee (from)
- AED 11,000≈ $2,997
- Residence visas
- Yes — 0 on the starter package up to ~6 on general trading
Estimate. Government fees pass through at cost on your real proposal.
Calculate your all-in cost →Key facts
- Location
- Ras Al Khaimah (≈45–60 min north of Dubai)
- Established
- 2017 (merger of RAK FTZ + RAKIA)
- Foreign ownership
- 100% — no local partner
- Share capital
- No minimum required
- Office
- Flexi-desk up to warehouses + land; flexi-desk satisfies licensing
- Activities
- 3,000+ across 50+ sectors
- Residence visas
- Yes — quota scales with package and office size
- Setup time
- ≈3–7 working days once documents are in
- Known for
- Lowest serious entry cost; manufacturing, warehousing, e-commerce
RAKEZ (Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone) is where most cost-conscious founders should start. It is the cheapest serious free zone in the UAE that still issues UAE residence visas, and its activity list — over 3,000 across more than 50 sectors — is broad enough for the overwhelming majority of online, service, and trading businesses.
Ras Al Khaimah sits about 45–60 minutes north of Dubai. For a business serving clients abroad, the physical location is irrelevant: you bank in the UAE, you hold a UAE residence visa, and you operate remotely. What you save versus a Dubai-issued free zone goes straight to your year-one bottom line.
We file in RAKEZ more than any other free zone precisely because the price-to-credibility ratio is the best on the market for a standard operating company. It is also the rare authority that can issue both free-zone and RAK-mainland licences — a genuine edge if you later need local-market access.
What RAKEZ actually is
RAKEZ was formed in 2017 by merging the RAK Free Trade Zone with the RAK Investment Authority. That history matters: it means one authority can issue you either a free-zone licence (international + in-zone trade) or a RAK-mainland licence (local trade within Ras Al Khaimah) — a flexibility most free zones don't offer.
It now hosts 30,000+ companies. The cheap land and warehouse stock make it the default home for anything physical — manufacturing, logistics, e-commerce fulfilment — while the broad activity list keeps it attractive for consultants and online businesses that just want the lowest viable cost with a visa.
What it costs in 2026
Treat these as indicative ranges; the exact number depends on your activity, visa count, and office tier, and we confirm it on your proposal. Government fees pass through at cost.
- Zero-visa starter licence: from roughly AED 6,000 (no visa allocation).
- One-visa professional / commercial licence: roughly AED 12,000–16,500 all-inclusive.
- General trading with flexi-desk: roughly AED 37,000+ depending on package.
- Renewal is close to the initial fee — there is no aggressive year-two jump on the lower tiers.
- First-year extras sit on top: visa medical, Emirates ID, document attestation, courier.
How setup works
- Pick the activity + package (this drives cost and visa quota).
- Reserve the company name and submit KYC documents.
- Licence issues in roughly 3–7 working days.
- Establishment/immigration card is issued, then residence visa: entry permit, medical, Emirates ID, stamping.
- Open the business bank account — included in our Launch package via the bank intro letter.
Best for
- Online businesses + remote service providers selling to international clients
- Manufacturers, warehousing, and e-commerce fulfilment that want cheap land + space
- Solo founders + lean teams wanting the lowest viable cost with a visa
- First-time UAE setups where speed + price beat a Dubai address
Not ideal for
- Businesses that must trade directly with UAE-resident customers (need mainland)
- Premium-positioning businesses that specifically want a Dubai free-zone address
- Pure holding structures with no operations (use RAK ICC, DIFC or ADGM)
What to watch out for
It can't sell into the UAE mainland directly
A RAKEZ free-zone licence trades inside the zone and internationally. To invoice UAE-resident customers you need a mainland distributor or a mainland branch — and that mainland income is taxed at 9%, not the free-zone 0% lane.
A RAK address can add banking friction
Some banks and clients perceive Dubai zones as more premium. It's rarely a blocker — we open RAKEZ accounts regularly — but expect slightly more scrutiny than a DMCC or DIFC address.
Headline price isn't the all-in
The licence figure excludes the visa medical, Emirates ID, attestation, and courier. Budget the all-in, which is what our calculator and proposal show.
Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone — FAQ
Is RAKEZ a Dubai free zone?
No — RAKEZ is issued in Ras Al Khaimah, about an hour north of Dubai. For an international or online business this makes no practical difference: you still get a UAE residence visa, a UAE bank account, and you operate remotely. You just pay less than a Dubai-issued free zone.
Does RAKEZ include a residence visa?
The zero-visa starter package includes none; standard professional and commercial packages include one, and general-trading packages can allow up to around six. Quota scales with your package and office size. Use the setup cost calculator to model your exact visa count.
How long does a RAKEZ company take to set up?
The licence itself is typically issued in 3–7 working days once your documents and KYC are in. The residence visa (entry permit, medical, Emirates ID, stamping) adds a couple of weeks on top.
Is RAKEZ good for an e-commerce or trading business?
Yes — it's one of the strongest fits. The broad activity list covers e-commerce and general trading, and the cheap warehouse and land options make it ideal for businesses that hold or ship physical stock. For selling to UAE-resident customers you'd still pair it with mainland.
Can I open a UAE bank account with a RAKEZ company?
Yes. We open business bank accounts for RAKEZ companies regularly — it's included in our Launch package via the bank intro letter. Banks favour a clear activity description and some demonstrable substance.
Is Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone right for you?
Run the 5-min diagnostic and we’ll confirm the fit + email the realistic all-in cost in one business day. Not sure between jurisdictions? That’s exactly what the call is for.