Choose the best setup for your UAE business
Schedule your consultation to choose the right jurisdiction — Free Zone or Mainland
Minimum taxes –
maximum opportunities
maximum opportunities
576.000
Abu Dhabi and Dubai rank first in the Tax Friendly Cities Index 2025
companies are registered in the UAE
ONCOUNT aligns with the UAE national strategy "We the UAE 2031"
Dubai is more than just a hub for innovation and trade — it’s a city shaping the economy of the future. The national strategy "We the UAE 2031" aims to transform Dubai into the #1 global business hub and double the UAE’s GDP to AED 3 trillion.
Companies already operating in the Emirates — or those just planning their entry — gain access to government initiatives, investment opportunities, support programs, and international markets
Companies already operating in the Emirates — or those just planning their entry — gain access to government initiatives, investment opportunities, support programs, and international markets
«A wave of directors has left Britain with the United Arab Emirates the most popular destination».
«A highly competitive corporate tax rate of 9 per cent – one of the lowest compared to the global average of 23 per cent – will help the UAE not only reaffirm its reputation as a leading global hub for business and investment…»
«The UAE is expected to attract the highest number of migrating millionaires in 2025 as rising tax pressures and regulatory changes drive a record 142,000 high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) to relocate globally»
The right legal structure is not just a formality.
It determines:
We’ve simplified this step: here’s a flowchart to help you understand which structure suits your business best — Mainland or Free Zone
It determines:
- the cost of starting and running your business
- whether you can operate locally or only export
- access to office space, visas, and banking
- your reporting requirements and tax burden
We’ve simplified this step: here’s a flowchart to help you understand which structure suits your business best — Mainland or Free Zone
Where does your UAE business journey begin?
Retail (shops, showrooms)
Restaurants, cafes, catering
Beauty salons, spas, massage studios
Maintenance, cleaning, B2C field services
Construction and contracting
Restaurants, cafes, catering
Beauty salons, spas, massage studios
Maintenance, cleaning, B2C field services
Construction and contracting
Medical services, dentistry, labs, pharmacies
Car rental, logistics, delivery within UAE
Import/export with distribution in the UAE
Government contracts or physical office in the city
Car rental, logistics, delivery within UAE
Import/export with distribution in the UAE
Government contracts or physical office in the city
Are you planning to operate in one of the following areas?
*This is a general recommendation and does not constitute legal advice
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
Will you hire more than 15 employees?
Do you want to choose any location in the city for your office?
- Can operate across the entire UAE
- Suitable for working with all clients, including government
- You can choose any office or warehouse location (requires EJARI)
- Licence issued by DED (Dubai Economy)
- Tax: 5% VAT + 9% Corporate Tax
- Must comply with MOHRE rules (WPS, quotas, labour law, etc.)
Mainland company
Free Zone company
- Can work with clients both inside and outside the UAE
- Office not required (but can be rented within your zone if needed)
- Simplified reporting — but audit may be required for licence renewal
- To expand your team, you’ll need extra visa quotas
- Choosing the right Free Zone is key to your business success
The UAE offers more than 40 Free Zones — each designed for specific industries, with unique conditions and varying price points.
Below are 9 of the most popular zones, covering the main business needs
Which Free Zone is right for your business?
Click on image to zoom on
Gathers information about your business and selects the right jurisdiction
Prepares all documents and applications for company setup
Arranges power of attorney and legalisation of documents
Prepares all documents and applications for company setup
Arranges power of attorney and legalisation of documents
Choose your company name and business activities
Provide registration documents as per your chosen jurisdiction
Provide registration documents as per your chosen jurisdiction
Step 1: Choosing jurisdiction and preparing documents
1–2 days
How a company is opened in the UAE
What ONCOUNT does
What you do
Prepares MoA and EJARI (legal address)
Issues your trade licence and Immigration Establishment Card
Issues your trade licence and Immigration Establishment Card
Review and sign registration documents
Step 2: Obtaining the licence
10–20 days
What ONCOUNT does
What you do
Organises fast-track medical test and biometrics
Gets your Emirates ID
Gets your Emirates ID
Undergo medical exam and get doctor's approval
Submit biometric data
Submit biometric data
Step 3: Visa & Emirates ID
6–10 days
What ONCOUNT does
What you do
Selects banks, prepares banker brief, and translates bank statements for the past 6 months
If needed, attend an interview with the banker
Step 4: Opening a corporate bank account
20–40 days
What ONCOUNT does
What you do
Registers your company for corporate tax and onboards it for accounting
Pay for accounting and tax services for the first quarter
Step 5: Register for Corporate tax
5–7 days
What ONCOUNT does
What you do
Contact us
The One Tower — 15 floor office 14 Sheikh Zayed Rd — Dubai — United Arab Emirates
Call us: +971 589 217 784
info@oncount.com