Warehouses, plots, showrooms and offices beside one of the region's largest ports: PROXPAT sets up FZE, FZCO and branch companies in Jebel Ali Free Zone with the right licence type and activity groups.
Page last updated: . Requirements, government fees and processing times are set by the relevant UAE authority and can change.
JAFZA Company Formation in Dubai
Jebel Ali Free Zone (Jafza), part of DP World, is built for businesses that move physical goods: trading, logistics, manufacturing, automotive, FMCG, food, electronics and healthcare distribution. Its offering runs from co-working desks and offices to warehouses, showrooms, plots of land and customised developments.
Like other UAE free zones, Jafza has no foreign ownership restrictions and is governed by its own free zone authority, which issues operating licences and regulates companies in the zone. What makes it different is the combination of licence types for trading, industrial and logistics activity with the facilities those activities need.
PROXPAT helps you choose the formation type, licence type and activity groups, prepares the application and shareholder documents, and handles the establishment card and visas once the licence is issued. Compare other options in our free zone company formation guide.
Formation Types at Jafza
| Formation | Owners | Key rules published by Jafza |
|---|---|---|
| Free Zone Establishment (FZE) | One shareholder, an individual or a company | A limited liability company with liability limited to paid capital and a legal personality distinct from its shareholder; the director and shareholder can be the same person, with an optional separate manager |
| Free Zone Company (FZCO) | Minimum 2 and maximum 50 shareholders, individuals, companies or both | Liability limited to paid capital; separate legal personality |
| Branch | An existing UAE or foreign company | A board resolution establishing the branch and guaranteeing full financial commitment, plus a notarised and attested power of attorney |
| Offshore company | Registered through a Jafza registered agent | Certificate of incorporation only; cannot conduct commercial activity with persons within the UAE. See offshore company formation |
Jafza also publishes conversion routes between FZE and FZCO, from branch to FZE or FZCO, and from offshore to free zone company. See UAE company types for how these compare with mainland forms.
Licence Types and Activity Limits
Jafza states that its business licences start at AED 5,000. The licence type depends on what the business does, and trading and service licences are tiered by how many activities and activity groups they cover.
| Licence | For | Activity limits |
|---|---|---|
| Trading licence | Trading in physical goods and providing services | Type 1: up to 7 activities in one group. Type 2: up to 12 activities across two groups. Type 3: unlimited activities across three or more groups, classified as general trading |
| Service licence | Businesses whose primary activity is providing a service without holding physical inventory | Type 1: up to 7 activities in one group. Type 2: up to 12 activities across two groups |
| Industrial licence | Manufacturing or producing goods in the UAE | Per the approved activity list |
| Logistics licence | Companies providing logistics and supply chain services | Logistics services must be verified by Jafza |
Please note: the AED 5,000 figure is Jafza's starting price for the licence itself. Facility lease, registration, visas and deposits are separate, and the total depends on the solution you select.
Jafza companies also receive recognition under the Dubai Unified License (DUL), which Jafza describes as the official recognition of a business identity and authorisation to conduct economic activities in Dubai.
Facilities You Can Select
Co-working and workstations
Office space
Showrooms
Retail outlets
Warehouses
Plots of land
Customised development
Jafza workers residence
The facility is part of the setup, not an add-on: after documents and payment, the final step is signing the lease agreement for the selected solution. Choose the facility against your visa needs and storage requirements, because both are harder to change later.
Documents Required: Individual Shareholders
Jafza lists these documents for FZE and FZCO applications by individuals:
Jafza application form
Environment, Health and Safety (EHS) application form
One-page project summary or business plan
Know Your Customer (KYC) form
Ultimate Beneficial Owner (UBO) form, required under Cabinet Decision No. 58 of 2020
Appointment letter for the director, manager and secretary
Passport copies of the shareholder(s), manager and secretary, valid for at least six months
Business profile of the shareholder
- The director, manager and secretary must be at least 21 years old.
- Anyone already holding a UAE residence visa needs a no-objection letter on company letterhead signed by their current sponsor, plus a copy of their visa.
- Jafza advises if any document needs attestation and may request additional documents.
Documents Required: Corporate Shareholders
Where the shareholder is a company, Jafza requires the following in addition, notarised and attested by the UAE embassy or consulate:
Original certificate of incorporation or certificate of good standing
Memorandum and articles of association of the shareholding company
Board resolution approving the Jafza company, the share capital allocated and the appointment of the director, manager and secretary
Appointment of a legal representative, if any, and a power of attorney
If the parent company is outside the UAE and there is no UAE embassy in its country, Jafza accepts documents notarised and attested by a GCC or Arab embassy there, followed by attestation at the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs. See certificate attestation.
Step-by-Step Jafza Company Setup
Step 1: Register interest online with Jafza
Step 2: Choose formation type, licence type and activities
Step 3: Submit the signed application and documents
Step 4: Select the facility and pay setup fees
Step 5: Sign the lease agreement
Step 6: Receive the licence and move into the facility
Step 7: Obtain the establishment card
Step 8: Apply for employee and investor visas
Rules Worth Knowing Before You Apply
| Topic | What Jafza states |
|---|---|
| Share capital | No prescribed minimum for an FZE or FZCO, but share capital must be sufficient for the licensed activities |
| Licence validity | Each licence is valid for one year from issue and must be renewed every year |
| Beneficial ownership | A UBO form is required under Cabinet Decision No. 58 of 2020 |
| EHS | An Environment, Health and Safety application is part of every submission |
| Officer age | Director, manager and secretary must be 21 or older |
Jafza or Another Free Zone?
| Your business mainly needs | Usually points to |
|---|---|
| Warehousing, re-export, logistics or light manufacturing near a major port | Jafza |
| A trading licence covering many unrelated product groups | Jafza Type 3 trading (general trading) |
| A consultancy, digital or service company with no stock | Meydan or IFZA |
| Commodities trading with a JLT address | DMCC |
| A cost-led industrial or trading base outside Dubai | RAKEZ or Ajman Free Zone |
How PROXPAT Helps
Formation and licence type recommendation
Activity group selection within licence limits
Business plan and business profile preparation
KYC, UBO and EHS forms
Corporate document notarisation and attestation
Facility selection and lease coordination
Establishment card and visa processing
Annual licence renewal and conversions
After setup, our PRO services cover work permits, visas and renewals.
Frequently Asked Questions
Complete your free zone setup.
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
More in Free Zones
Set Up Your Company in Jebel Ali Free Zone
Formation type, licence tier, activity groups, documents, facility lease, establishment card and visas: PROXPAT manages the full Jafza setup.