Ajman Department of Economic Development licences on the mainland, or Ajman Free Zone for commercial, service, e-commerce and industrial companies. PROXPAT prepares the application, approvals and visas.
Page last updated: . Requirements, government fees and processing times are set by the relevant UAE authority and can change.
Company Formation in Ajman
Ajman is the UAE's smallest emirate by area and sits beside Sharjah, within commuting distance of Dubai. Businesses there are licensed either by the Ajman Department of Economic Development (Ajman DED) on the mainland, or by Ajman Free Zone, each with its own rules, fees and documents.
Ajman DED defines a trade licence as the official document permitting a natural or legal person to carry out specific economic activities through an establishment. Applications run through its service centres, e-services and mobile app, and the department lists issuance itself at around 10 minutes once the earlier steps and approvals are complete.
PROXPAT compares Ajman with Sharjah, Dubai mainland and other free zones for your activity, then handles the trade name, approvals, lease, licence and visas.
Ajman Mainland: The Seven Licensing Steps
Ajman DED sets out the licence issuance journey in this order:
Step 1: Reserve the trade name through e-services or a service centre
Step 2: Obtain federal authority approval where the applicant is a foreign investor
Step 3: Obtain government entity approvals for high-risk activities
Step 4: Authenticate the lease with the municipality
Step 5: Pay the fees
Step 6: Issue the memorandum of association, for companies
Step 7: Issue the licence, Chamber membership and signboard permit
Ajman Mainland Fees
The Department of Digital Ajman lists these fee components for issuing a trade licence. Not every item applies to every business.
| Fee item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Economic licence issuance | AED 600 |
| Administrative services application form | AED 50 |
| Commercial name signboard permit | AED 350 |
| Commercial register registration | AED 200 |
| Unified economic activities register registration | AED 200 |
| Advertising signboard specification form approval | AED 100 |
| Commercial register certificate issuance | AED 200 |
| Community contribution to the National Fund for Social Responsibility | AED 1,500 |
| Publishing a limited liability company's official instrument with the Ministry of Economy | AED 3,000 |
| Chamber of Commerce membership | AED 500 to AED 5,000 |
| Documenting a fixed-price contract | Based on the capital in the contract; English translation AED 50 per page |
Please note: rent, external approvals, visas, medical tests, Emirates ID and insurance are not included. Fees are set by Ajman authorities and change periodically; we confirm them for your activity before quoting.
Ownership Rules for Professional Companies in Ajman
For civil business companies carrying out professional activities, Ajman DED sets out the following:
| Partners | Rule |
|---|---|
| UAE citizens | May practise all activities where requirements are met |
| Two or more GCC citizens | May establish a civil business company for professional activities without a local service agent |
| GCC and non-GCC partners together | A UAE citizen local service agent must be appointed, or a partnership formed with a UAE citizen at any percentage |
| Two non-GCC partners | A UAE citizen local service agent must be appointed, or a partnership formed |
Commercial companies follow the federal Commercial Companies Law, which allows full foreign ownership for most activities. See UAE company types and legal forms.
Ajman Free Zone Licence Types
| Licence | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Commercial licence | Commercial activities, issued for 1, 2 or 3 activities, or as a general trading licence |
| E-commerce licence | E-commerce activities, with technical and marketing support from the zone. See our e-commerce licence guide |
| Service licence | Service activities such as consultation, management studies and IT consultation |
| Industrial licence | Industrial operations in line with UAE environmental standards and industrial policy, supported by the zone's warehousing and storage |
| National Industry licence | Industrial companies registered with GCC nationals owning 51% or more, with at least 40% of manufacturing inside the zone; eligible for exemption from customs duties on exports to GCC states |
Ajman Free Zone Ownership Types
| Type | Ownership | Key point |
|---|---|---|
| Free Zone Establishment (FZE) | 100% owned by one individual or one company | Independent legal personality; the Digital Ajman portal lists capital equivalent to USD 50,000 (AED 185,000) |
| Free Zone Company (FZC) | Several partners, individuals or companies | Independent legal personality; partners set each investor's share at licensing |
| Branch of a local company | A company holding a valid licence from any UAE licensing authority | Operates in the zone under the parent's licence |
| Branch of a foreign company | A company established outside the UAE | Branch or representative office for commercial, industrial, professional or service activities |
Please note: capital and package requirements are set by Ajman Free Zone and may differ from older published figures. We confirm the current requirement before you commit.
Documents for Ajman Free Zone
For an FZE or FZC
Passport valid for 6 months
Colour passport-size photograph
No-objection letter from your current sponsor, if you live in the UAE
Feasibility study for industrial, service and electronic activities
AED 100 trade name approval fee
Additionally, for a branch of a local company
Original licence
Original membership certificate
Original commercial register certificate
Board resolution
Additionally, for a branch of a foreign company
Parent company registration certificate attested by the UAE embassy and the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Parent board decision to open the branch and appoint a manager by notarised power of attorney, ratified by the UAE embassy and MOFA
Company incorporation contract certified by the UAE embassy and MOFA
See certificate attestation for the legalisation chain.
Ajman, Sharjah or Dubai?
| If this matters most | Consider |
|---|---|
| Keeping licensing costs and fees transparent and itemised | Ajman, where the fee components are published line by line |
| Industrial land, ports or a large manufacturing base | Sharjah free zones such as Hamriyah or SAIF, or Ajman Free Zone's industrial licence |
| A Dubai address and direct access to Dubai clients | Dubai mainland or a Dubai free zone such as Meydan or DMCC |
| GCC export customs advantages for manufacturing | The Ajman Free Zone National Industry licence, if the ownership test is met |
Where the team lives, where customers are and what premises the activity needs usually decide it. See company formation in Sharjah for the neighbouring option.
How PROXPAT Helps
Ajman mainland versus free zone comparison
Trade name reservation
Federal and activity approvals
Lease authentication and premises
Memorandum of association
Licence, Chamber membership and signboard permit
Branch licensing and document attestation
Establishment card, visas and renewals
After licensing, our PRO services handle the establishment card, work permits and visas. For Ajman DED renewal fees, validity and late rules, see PRO services in Ajman.
Frequently Asked Questions
Compare your options across the UAE.
Explore connected PROXPAT services that support the same client journey.
The licence is the start of the government work, not the end of it
Once the trade licence is issued, the sequence that actually lets you operate begins: the establishment card, the MOHRE and immigration files, your employee quota, then employee visas and work permits. After that it repeats every year — renewals, cancellations when people leave, and licence renewal and amendments.
Companies that would rather not build that function in-house put it on a monthly PRO retainer from AED 700, or use it per transaction. Government fees stay separate and itemised either way.
The first six months after incorporation
- Establishment card issued through immigration
- MOHRE file opened and e-signature completed
- Employee quota checked before hiring
- Offer letters, work permits and entry permits
- Medical, Emirates ID and visa stamping
- Corporate tax and VAT registration where they apply
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Set Up Your Company in Ajman
Trade name, approvals, lease authentication, licence, Chamber membership and visas: PROXPAT manages Ajman mainland and Ajman Free Zone setups end to end.