Quick answer: A RAKEZ (Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone) licence costs roughly AED 6,500–8,500 for the licence only (no visa), or AED 12,000–14,500 all-in with one investor visa, establishment card, medical, Emirates ID and basic insurance. Authority fees are set by RAKEZ and change without notice, so treat these as 2026 ranges rather than fixed prices — and always separate the government fee from any consultancy service fee.
Key takeaways
- RAKEZ licence-only pricing sits at roughly AED 6,500–8,500, mid-range among Northern Emirates free zones.
- With one investor visa included, budget AED 12,000–14,500 all-in — that figure is what advertised "from AED X" banners usually leave out.
- RAKEZ suits industrial, trading and warehousing businesses; cheaper zones (Ajman, SPC) suit consultants and e-commerce.
- The common hidden extras are the establishment card, visa, medical test, Emirates ID and insurance — not the licence.
- A RAKEZ address is still far cheaper than a Dubai free zone (IFZA/Meydan start around AED 12,500 for the licence alone).
What is RAKEZ and what does a RAKEZ licence cost?
RAKEZ — the Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone — is one of the UAE's largest free zones, offering trade, service, industrial and educational licences with 100% foreign ownership and no requirement for a local partner. A RAKEZ licence cost starts at roughly AED 6,500 for a licence only and rises with your activity type, facility needs and visa allocation.
RAKEZ is popular for a specific reason: it is one of the few Northern Emirates zones with genuine industrial and warehousing infrastructure at a competitive price. If your business needs a physical unit, a workshop, or a storage facility — not just a desk — RAKEZ usually beats the cheaper consultant-focused zones. For a lighter service or trading company, it competes directly with Ajman and SPC.
Before you compare, understand how the number is built. Every UAE free-zone quote has two parts: the authority (government) fee, which RAKEZ sets and can change at any time, and a professional service fee if you use a consultancy to handle the setup. We state those two separately in every quote, and you should expect any honest provider to do the same. When a banner shows one headline figure and nothing else, the visa and immigration costs are almost always missing.
RAKEZ license cost breakdown for 2026
Here is the realistic 2026 pricing for RAKEZ against the other Northern Emirates zones, so you can see where it sits.
| Zone | Licence only (AED) | Licence + 1 investor visa, all-in (AED) | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ajman e-commerce licence | 4,880 | — | Online/e-commerce only |
| Ajman (ANC) | 5,500 – 6,800 | 10,500 – 12,500 | Tightest budgets |
| SPC (Sharjah) | 5,750 – 6,500 | 11,000 – 13,000 | Consultants, freelancers |
| SHAMS (Sharjah) | 5,900 – 7,000 | 11,500 – 13,500 | Media, creative |
| RAKEZ | 6,500 – 8,500 | 12,000 – 14,500 | Industrial, trading, warehousing |
| IFZA (Dubai) | 12,500 – 14,000 | 16,000 – 18,500 | Dubai address |
| Meydan (Dubai) | 12,500 – 15,000 | 17,000 – 20,000 | Premium Dubai branding |
All-in means the licence, establishment card, one investor visa, medical test, Emirates ID and basic medical insurance — the complete cost of getting one shareholder legally set up and residence-ready. This is the number you should plan your budget around, because it is the one a "from AED 6,500" advertisement quietly omits.
The pattern is clear: the cheapest genuine UAE licence sits in the Northern Emirates at around AED 5,500–7,000, RAKEZ is comfortably inside that band, and a Dubai-proper free zone is roughly double. If you have seen a Dubai zone advertised near AED 5,500, the figure is either wrong or missing most of its components. You can compare zones side by side on our Northern Emirates free zones page.
Why is the RAKEZ licence-only price not the price you pay?
Because the licence is only the first of several government fees, and a company with no visa cannot sponsor its owner to live in the UAE. The AED 6,500–8,500 licence-only figure is real, but it applies to a company that exists on paper and issues zero residence visas.
Here is what typically gets added on top once you want to actually operate and live in the country:
- Establishment (immigration) card — required before RAKEZ can issue any visa at all.
- Investor or employment visa — the entry permit, status change and stamping.
- Medical test — a mandatory fitness screening for the visa.
- Emirates ID — the government identity card; the fee scales with visa length (see below).
- Medical insurance — mandatory for the visa holder, priced by age and cover.
None of these are hidden by RAKEZ itself — they are standard UAE immigration steps. But they are frequently hidden by marketing, which is why the honest number to compare across zones is the all-in figure in the table, not the headline. Our free zone company formation team quotes both lines separately so there are no surprises at the visa stage.
How the Emirates ID and insurance fees actually work
The Emirates ID fee is set by the government and depends on your visa duration, not on RAKEZ. There is no one-year Emirates ID card — the shortest card runs two years, and these are the exact government fees:
| Component | Typical cost (AED) |
|---|---|
| Emirates ID (2-year visa) | 286 |
| Emirates ID (5-year visa) | 686 |
| Emirates ID (10-year / Golden Visa) | 1,186 |
Basic medical insurance for a two-year visa typically runs AED 1,600–3,000 per year, more for older applicants or broader cover. These are per-person costs, so a company adding several visas scales them accordingly.
Does RAKEZ include a visa quota?
Yes — your RAKEZ visa quota is tied to the facility you choose, not simply to the licence. A flexi-desk or shared workstation usually allows a small number of visas (often two to a few), while a dedicated office or warehouse unlocks more, because the immigration authority links visa eligibility to physical space.
This is the most misunderstood part of free-zone pricing. If you want six visas, you cannot stay on the cheapest flexi-desk package — you will need to upgrade to an office, and that changes both your licence-plus-facility cost and your visa capacity. So the right question to ask before you pay is not "how much is the licence?" but "how many visas do I need, and what facility does that require?" That single question is usually what separates a quote that holds from one that balloons after signing. Our visa services team maps quota to facility before you commit.
How to set up a RAKEZ company: step by step
Setting up in RAKEZ follows a predictable sequence. Here is the process from decision to trade licence.
- Choose your activity and licence type. Trading, service, industrial or educational — your activity determines the licence, the approvals required, and sometimes the facility.
- Decide your visa count and facility. Flexi-desk for one or two visas, or an office/warehouse for more. This step sets your real budget.
- Reserve your company name. RAKEZ checks the name against its naming rules and availability.
- Submit documents for initial approval. Passport copies and application forms go to RAKEZ for review.
- Sign the lease and pay the authority fees. You receive your licence and, for LLC-style structures, the incorporation documents.
- Apply for the establishment card. This is mandatory before any visa can be processed.
- Process the investor visa. Entry permit, medical test, Emirates ID biometrics and visa stamping follow in sequence.
The company itself is often ready within days once documents are clean; the visa stage adds one to three weeks depending on medical and Emirates ID scheduling.
Document checklist
- Passport copy (valid at least six months) for each shareholder
- Passport-size photo against a white background
- Proposed company names (two or three options)
- Brief business plan or activity description (for certain regulated activities)
- Existing UAE visa or entry-stamp copy, if you are already in the country
- Emirates ID copy, if you already hold one
RAKEZ vs Dubai free zones: is the saving worth it?
For most trading and industrial businesses, yes — RAKEZ delivers the same 100% ownership and UAE free-zone status as a Dubai zone at roughly half the licence cost. The trade-off is address prestige and proximity: an IFZA or Meydan licence gives you a Dubai address that some clients and banks prefer, at AED 12,500–15,000 for the licence alone versus RAKEZ's AED 6,500–8,500.
If your customers never see your registered address, the Dubai premium buys you little. If you rely on a Dubai-branded presence to win business, it may be worth it. There is no single right answer — it depends on your activity, your clients and your banking plan. If you are still weighing zones, our guide on mainland vs free zone walks through the decision, and you can model your own numbers with the cost calculator.
FAQ
How much does a RAKEZ license cost in 2026?
A RAKEZ licence costs approximately AED 6,500–8,500 for the licence only with no visa, or AED 12,000–14,500 all-in with one investor visa, establishment card, medical, Emirates ID and basic insurance. Authority fees are set by RAKEZ and can change, so treat these as current 2026 ranges rather than fixed prices.
Is RAKEZ cheaper than a Dubai free zone?
Yes. A RAKEZ licence at roughly AED 6,500–8,500 is about half the cost of a Dubai free zone such as IFZA or Meydan, which start around AED 12,500 for the licence alone. The trade-off is a Ras Al Khaimah address instead of a Dubai one, which matters only if your clients or bank specifically value a Dubai location.
Does the RAKEZ license price include a visa?
No. The licence-only price of AED 6,500–8,500 does not include any residence visa. A visa is added separately and brings its own costs — establishment card, entry permit, medical test, Emirates ID and insurance — pushing a one-visa setup to roughly AED 12,000–14,500 all-in. Always confirm whether a quote is licence-only or all-in.
How many visas can I get with a RAKEZ license?
Your RAKEZ visa quota depends on your facility, not just the licence. A flexi-desk typically allows a small number of visas, while a dedicated office or warehouse allows more, because immigration links visa eligibility to physical space. Decide how many visas you need before choosing your package, as it directly affects both cost and facility.
What is the cheapest way to start a business in the UAE?
The cheapest genuine UAE licence is typically an Ajman Free Zone e-commerce licence at AED 4,880 (online activity only, no visa). For general activities, Northern Emirates zones like Ajman, SPC and RAKEZ start around AED 5,500–8,500 licence-only. RAKEZ specifically is best when you need industrial, trading or warehousing infrastructure rather than the absolute lowest price.
Are RAKEZ government fees fixed?
No. RAKEZ authority fees are set by the free zone and can change without notice, so any published figure — including the ranges here — is a current 2026 estimate rather than a guarantee. A consultancy service fee, if you use one, sits on top of the government fee and should always be quoted to you as a separate line.
Planning a RAKEZ setup and want the real all-in number for your activity and visa count? DBM separates every government fee from our service fee, so you know exactly what you are paying — with no approval promised that no consultancy can guarantee. Book a free consultation via our contact page or message us on WhatsApp at +971 50 504 6228, and we will quote your RAKEZ licence, visas and facility in one clear breakdown.