Ajman Free Zone Company Setup in 2026

Ajman Free Zone (AFZ) gives you a UAE company with 100% foreign ownership, more than 3,500 licensed activities and a base close to Ajman Port. The zone is a Designated Zone for VAT, and a company in the zone that meets the free zone conditions pays 0% corporate tax on its qualifying income.

The hard part is planning the cost. AFZ does not publish its license prices, so each license is priced through its cost calculator, and visa fees come on top. The zone also requires the general manager to be a UAE resident, which matters when every owner lives abroad.

With us, the setup is simple. We form the company ourselves, and one team takes care of the license and legal form, your KYC pack, the visas and the corporate tax registration. We also plan the resident manager role with you. Our service starts from €1,899, with AFZ's fees on top and quoted with your setup. Your company is ready in about a week from a complete file.

Why Set Up a Company in Ajman Free Zone

A company in Ajman Free Zone gives you full foreign ownership, a wide choice of licenses and Designated Zone status close to a seaport. The setup runs online, and the federal free zone tax rules apply. It suits traders, light industry, e-commerce and service companies that need a real UAE base.

100% Ownership of an Ajman Free Zone Company

AFZ lists 100% company ownership among its main advantages, so you need no local partner, and its FAQ states that shareholders do not have to live in the UAE. A company can also be a shareholder, which suits a holding company structure.

More Than 3,500 Licensed Activities

AFZ offers more than 3,500 activities across commercial, service, industrial, e-commerce, freelancer and pioneer licenses. Commercial and service activities need separate licenses, but one company can hold both.

A Designated Zone Close to Ajman Port

Cabinet Decision No. 59 of 2017 lists AFZ as a Designated Zone. For VAT, goods stored inside it can be treated as outside the UAE, which helps importers and re-exporters. Its warehouses sit close to Ajman Port and Customs.

0% Tax on Qualifying Free Zone Income

Federal corporate tax is 0% on the first AED 375,000 of taxable income and 9% on the rest. An AFZ company with Qualifying Free Zone Person status pays 0% on its qualifying income, so we check your activity against the rules first. Our guide to free zone company formation in the UAE explains the national rules.

What Is Ajman Free Zone

Ajman Free Zone is the emirate of Ajman's government free zone, run by the Ajman Free Zone Authority. The authority licenses companies, leases offices, warehouses and land, and handles establishment cards and visas, mostly through its online customer portal.

The Ajman Free Zone Authority

AFZ's business communities include Ajman Boulevard, Al Zorah, China Mall and the Car Market. Its focus sectors include food and beverage, automotive, health and beauty, construction, agriculture and education. The authority also registers offshore companies, which follow separate rules.

Ajman Free Zone Company Types

AFZ offers four company types: the Freezone Establishment (FZE), the Freezone Company (FZC), the branch of a UAE company and the branch of a foreign company. The type decides who owns the company and which documents you send, not how it is taxed.

Freezone Establishment (FZE)

AFZ describes an FZE as an entirely independent corporate entity. Its document list covers one owner: a passport valid for at least 6 months, a colour photo, and a visa copy and no objection letter if the owner lives in the UAE. It suits a single founder.

Freezone Company (FZC)

An FZC is the form for founders who set up a company together, and AFZ asks for the same documents from each partner. A company can also be a partner with its memorandum or articles and a board resolution.

Branch of a UAE or Foreign Company

A company licensed by another UAE authority can open an AFZ branch with its trade license, memorandum and board resolution. A foreign company's branch is 100% foreign owned, but AFZ says it sells only through a UAE registered agent or distributor. See the types of companies in the UAE.

Ajman Free Zone License Types

An Ajman free zone license covers the activities you choose: commercial, service, industrial or e-commerce, plus one-person freelancer and pioneer packages. Pick it by how the company earns money, because banks and customs check it.

Ajman Free Zone Trade License

AFZ names its trade license the Business License. It covers storing, importing, exporting and distributing products, and general trading covers all goods except diesel, oil, crude oil, cars and garments. Importing needs a Custom Code Letter from AFZ. See our guide to the UAE trade license.

Service and E-Commerce Licenses

A service license covers services rather than goods. An e-commerce license covers online sales, with co-working in the E-Commerce Hub, but AFZ says its holders need a different license to import goods. See ecommerce payment gateways for card payments.

Industrial License

The industrial license covers importing raw materials, manufacturing the listed goods and exporting them. It pairs with a warehouse or a plot of land for your own facility.

Freelancer and Pioneers Packages

The Freelancer Package, a Sole Professional License, covers freelancers in 40 categories, with a residence visa and family sponsorship. The Pioneers Package is the other one-person option. See the Ajman free zone activity list for every activity.

Ajman Free Zone License Cost

AFZ does not publish new license prices. Its cost calculator asks for your activity, shareholders, visas and office, then emails an estimate. Its catalogue lists license renewal from AED 4,878.75, and some packages can be paid over up to 6 months. We put the zone's figure in your written quote.

Read more: banking for import and export trading companies.

Ajman Free Zone Visa Quota and Visa Cost

Each AFZ package carries its own visa quota, and extra quota depends on the space you lease. The first residence visa costs from about AED 6,450 in AFZ service fees, before the medical, the Emirates ID and insurance. Zero-visa packages also exist.

Ajman Free Zone Visa Cost

AFZ's service catalogue lists starting prices, with the invoice setting the final amount: establishment card from AED 750, e-channel from AED 2,300, work entry permit from AED 1,000 and residence visa from AED 2,400. The card and e-channel are paid per company, so each extra visa costs less.

How the Visa Process Works

Each visa holder gets an entry permit, a medical test and Emirates ID biometrics. AFZ accepts medicals only from Al Hamidiya Health Center in Ajman, and stamping takes up to 4 days, or 2 days on urgent service.

Ajman Free Zone Office Options

AFZ leases space only to the companies it licenses, from shared co-working in the Business Centre to offices, warehouses from 100 square metres and land on leases of 20 years or more.

Business Centre, Hubs and Offices

The Business Centre is the closest option to a flexi desk, with shared co-working, meeting rooms and a lounge. Hubs for freelancers, e-commerce and AI robotics add co-working, and furnished or executive offices suit teams that need a room.

Warehouses, Land and Accommodation

Pre-built warehouses start from 100 square metres with easy port access, and the Eco-Friendly Zone adds Gold LEED certified units near Ajman Port and Customs. Manufacturers can lease land for 20 years or more and house staff on site.

Ajman Free Zone Company Formation for Non-Residents

AFZ is open to foreign founders. Shareholders do not have to live in the UAE, and most of the setup runs online. The one rule to plan early is that the general manager must be a UAE resident, and we plan that role with you from the start.

The Resident General Manager Rule

AFZ's FAQ says shareholders need not be UAE residents, but the general manager must be. An owner can take a residence visa through the company and act as manager. If no owner plans to move, the company appoints a manager who already lives in the UAE, and we build that into the application before filing.

Legalising Documents From Abroad

Documents from abroad need legalisation, because the UAE is not a party to the Apostille Convention. A parent company's articles, for example, go to the UAE embassy in the country that issued them, then to the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs for attestation. We list every document that needs this in the first week.

Your Home Country's Tax Rules

Your home country may still tax the company if you run it from there, or through its controlled foreign corporation rules. For the wider steps, see our guide on how to set up a company as a non-resident.

Ajman Free Zone Business Setup Step by Step

Setup follows AFZ's three stages: choose the business type, submit the application with documents, then receive the license and a bank letter. The visas, tax registration and bank account come after that, and we run every step with you.

Before You Start

First, settle what you sell, where your buyers are and how many people need a visa. A service company with clients abroad can often start in the Business Centre, while a company that holds stock needs a warehouse or land.

We Choose the License, Form and Facility

We pick the license, the FZE, FZC or branch form and a facility with the visa quota you need. We also check your activity against the 0% qualifying list and flag any outside approval it needs.

We Prepare the Documents and File

We build the KYC pack once, submit the application on AFZ's portal, answer its questions and pay its fees. AFZ then issues the license, a registration kit and a bank letter.

We Arrange the Card, Visas and Tax Registration

We apply for the establishment card, the e-channel and each entry permit, then set up the medical and Emirates ID in order. We also register the company for corporate tax inside the 3 months set by Federal Tax Authority Decision No. 3 of 2024.

Documents for Ajman Free Zone Company Registration

Each owner and manager sends:

• Passport and photo: A passport copy valid for at least 6 months and a colour photo.
• Visa copy and no objection letter: Only if you already live in the UAE.
• Proof of address: A recent utility bill or bank statement in your name.
• Activity and source of funds: A short business plan and where the starting capital comes from.

A corporate shareholder also sends its memorandum or articles and a board resolution, legalised and attested. The same file later goes to the bank. See our list of documents needed to open a business bank account.

Ajman Free Zone Company Setup Cost in 2026

You pay two things: our service, from €1,899 for a standard company, and AFZ's government fees. AFZ prices the license package for each setup, and its published service fees let you budget the visas.

That price covers advice on the license, legal form and facility, your KYC pack, the application, the card and e-channel requests, the visa paperwork, the tax registration and the bank file. Trusts, foundations, funds, regulated and high-risk structures are quoted separately.

The license package is the one figure AFZ does not publish, so we get it in writing before you pay. Our page on company formation costs compares other countries.

First-Year Cost by Company Profile

Accounting is extra in every profile, and a company that claims 0% adds a yearly audit.

How Long Ajman Free Zone Company Setup Takes

With us, setup takes about a week from a complete file. AFZ's own service estimates are short: 8 hours each for the establishment card, the e-channel, the entry permit and the residence visa. The pace is set by the paperwork before filing and the visa steps after it.

What Slows It Down

Three things add time: legalising corporate documents from abroad, a no objection certificate when another authority must approve the activity, and visa stamping, which takes up to 4 days on normal service. We begin these on day one, alongside the rest of the file.

Read more: company formation with a bank account.

Tax and Compliance for an Ajman Free Zone Company

An Ajman free zone company follows the federal corporate tax rules. Qualifying income is taxed at 0% for a Qualifying Free Zone Person, and other taxable income follows Cabinet Decision No. 116 of 2022, at 0% up to AED 375,000 and 9% above it. Registration and a yearly return apply to every company, even at 0%.

Qualifying Free Zone Person Conditions

The test sits in Article 18 of Federal Decree-Law No. 47 of 2022. The company needs adequate staff, assets and spending in the zone, must earn qualifying income, must keep transfer pricing records and must not elect for the normal rates. Its non-qualifying revenue has to stay below the lower of 5% of total revenue or AED 5 million. A company that fails any condition loses the 0% rate for that tax period and the 4 periods after it.

Qualifying Activities in a Designated Zone

Ministerial Decision No. 229 of 2025, published on 28 August 2025, sets out the qualifying activities. Manufacturing, processing, holding shares, logistics and distribution in or from a Designated Zone are among them. For AFZ traders, distribution qualifies when the goods enter the UAE through the zone and go to a buyer who resells or processes them. Sales to individuals are an Excluded Activity, so consumer e-commerce income usually falls outside the 0% rate. Our page on Designated Zones in the UAE explains the VAT side.

Audit, Returns, VAT and Substance

Under Ministerial Decision No. 84 of 2025, any company claiming Qualifying Free Zone Person status must have audited accounts. Returns are due 9 months after the tax period ends. VAT runs at 5%: registration is mandatory once taxable supplies pass AED 375,000 and optional above AED 187,500. The Economic Substance Regulations no longer apply, since Cabinet Decision No. 98 of 2024 repealed them.

Read more: countries with the lowest corporate tax rates.

Business Banking for Ajman Free Zone Companies

An Ajman free zone company can open a UAE bank account, and the zone issues a bank letter with the license. Its FAQ says it has partnered with Mashreq Bank to help, and our banking partners open multi-currency accounts remotely in days.

UAE Banks for Ajman Free Zone Companies

Mashreq's NeoBiz account costs AED 99 or AED 199 a month with no minimum balance, and Mashreq says it opens in 1 day. Wio Business says an account is ready in 3 working days. Emirates NBD wants at least one signatory who lives in the UAE. Central Bank Regulation C 2/2026, in force since September 2026, requires banks to open a low-risk SME account within 3 business days. A new company owned from abroad can need longer, so we include contracts and invoices in the bank file. See opening a free zone company bank account in the UAE and why banks reject business account applications.

Faster Accounts Through Our Banking Partners

Our banking partners are regulated payment institutions and EMIs, not banks. An AFZ company can open a multi-currency account with them remotely in a few days. They ask for no minimum balance and no resident signatory, and their published plans cost about €30 to €100 a month. We send them the KYC pack we built for the zone. See business bank account vs EMI account.

Start with the partner account, so invoicing can begin straight away, then apply to a UAE bank with the same file. When cash builds up, read what cash management is.

Read more: multi-currency business accounts.

Ajman Free Zone vs SHAMS, RAKEZ and Umm Al Quwain

Ajman Free Zone competes with SHAMS in Sharjah, RAKEZ in Ras Al Khaimah and the Umm Al Quwain Free Trade Zone on price and speed. All four follow the same federal tax rules. The other three publish an entry price, while AFZ prices each setup and stands out for warehouses and land beside Ajman Port.

With us, the price and the timeline do not change between the four zones, so the choice rests on each zone's own fees, package contents and Designated Zone status.

Ajman Free Zone vs SHAMS

SHAMS sells a media package at AED 5,750 a year with no visa, a good fit for media companies. AFZ is a Designated Zone and SHAMS is not, so Ajman suits companies that import and store goods. See Sharjah free zone business setup.

Ajman Free Zone vs RAKEZ

RAKEZ's Instant Licence Basic costs AED 6,000 for one shareholder and one activity, and its Lite package with one residence visa costs AED 12,000. RAKEZ suits a founder who wants one simple license at a known price. AFZ suits companies with several activities or goods to store near a port. See RAKEZ company formation.

Ajman Free Zone vs Umm Al Quwain Free Trade Zone

UAQ Free Trade Zone sells UAQ START for AED 2,266 a month, including a license for up to 10 activities, an investor visa, the Emirates ID and co-working. It says it is a designated free zone under Cabinet Decision No. 54 of 2023. Ajman suits companies that need warehouses, land or an industrial license. See Umm Al Quwain free zone company setup.

Who an Ajman Free Zone Company Is Wrong For

An AFZ company works best for traders, light industry, e-commerce and service companies that sell abroad or move goods through the zone. A few cases need a different plan, and we tell you so before anything is filed.

If most of your customers are in the UAE, a free zone company reaches them through distributors, and an Ajman mainland license may fit better, as our guide to business setup in Ajman explains. If you sell mostly to consumers, that income usually does not get the 0% rate.

If you only want to hold assets, with no visas, staff or office, an Ajman offshore company is often simpler. Regulated financial firms need a regulator's license, which we quote separately.

Common Mistakes in Ajman Free Zone Business Setup

Most setup problems start with early choices, not with the zone itself. Each mistake below costs time or money later, and each one is simple to avoid before filing.

Leaving the Resident Manager Until Later

It is easy to plan a zero-visa company and only then find that AFZ needs a general manager who is a UAE resident. The application then waits while a manager is found or a visa is added, and a first visa costs from about AED 6,450 in AFZ fees. Decide on the manager before you pick the package. If an owner takes the role, choose a package with a visa quota. If not, appoint a manager who already lives in the UAE, and we add them to the file before filing.

Using an E-Commerce License to Import Goods

An e-commerce license looks like the natural choice for an online shop. AFZ says e-commerce license holders need a different license to import goods, so a seller who ships stock into the UAE cannot rely on it alone. Fixing it later means a second license and a second fee. If you hold stock, plan a commercial license from the start, because it covers importing, storing and distributing.

Missing the Corporate Tax Registration Deadline

The 3-month deadline runs from incorporation, even before the first sale and even when you expect to pay 0%. A late registration costs AED 10,000, more than twice AFZ's starting renewal fee. Our setup includes the registration, so it is filed on time.

Bottom Line

Ajman Free Zone gives you 100% foreign ownership, more than 3,500 activities and a Designated Zone close to Ajman Port. The FZE, FZC and branch forms cover single founders, partners and groups, and the space runs from the Business Centre to warehouses and land.

Three things need an early plan: the resident general manager, the visa budget and the 0% conditions, and we handle all three with you. AFZ prices new license packages for each setup, and its published fees put the first visa from about AED 6,450. We form your AFZ company from €1,899, with the zone's fees on top and quoted with your setup. One team takes it to a license in about a week. For the national picture, read our guide to company formation in the UAE, or start your UAE company with us.

Sources

• Ajman Free Zone, Start your business and advantages (2026)
• Ajman Free Zone, Start your business in three steps (2026)
• Ajman Free Zone, Type of business, FZE, FZC and branches (2026)
• Ajman Free Zone, Business license types (2026)
• Ajman Free Zone, Products and facilities (2026)
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