DAFZA (Dubai Airport Free Zone)
Premium free zone beside DXB, built for high-value trade and re-export.
What DAFZA is actually known for
DAFZA's entire proposition is the fence line it shares with Dubai International Airport. Cargo can clear and be airside in a matter of hours, which is why the zone fills up with businesses where time and unit value are high: pharmaceuticals, medical devices, electronics, aerospace components, luxury goods and jewellery. It is one of the more expensive zones in the UAE and makes no apology for it — you are paying for the location, and if your goods don't fly, you are paying for something you won't use.
DAFZA sits next to Dubai International Airport, purpose-built for logistics-sensitive, high-value and re-export businesses that benefit from direct airfreight access and customs efficiency. It attracts multinationals in aviation, electronics, pharmaceuticals, jewellery and IT — a higher-cost, prestige zone focused on connectivity and corporate reputation.
Key benefits
- 100% foreign ownership and full repatriation
- 0% personal and corporate tax on qualifying income
- Direct proximity to Dubai International Airport — fast air cargo & customs
- Reduced logistics lead times for import-export and re-export
- Strong reputation with multinationals and regional HQs
- Dual License option to also operate on the Dubai mainland
Business activities & licenses
DAFZA supports a range of license types and activities, including:
- Trade (import / export / distribution)
- Service (IT, consultancy)
- Light industrial (packaging, assembly)
- E-commerce
- General trading (up to ~10 activities)
The clusters that exist here
Activity lists look similar across every free zone. What differs is which industries have genuinely concentrated in one — the counterparties, the suppliers and the people you end up sitting next to.
- Pharmaceuticals and medical devices
- Temperature-controlled handling and rapid airside access make DAFZA a regional distribution point for high-value, cold-chain and time-critical medical product.
- Electronics and IT hardware
- Regional distribution of consumer and enterprise electronics, where inventory carrying cost makes air freight worth the premium.
- Aviation and aerospace
- Parts, MRO support services and aviation-adjacent trading, situated where the aircraft are.
- Luxury goods and jewellery
- High-value, low-volume goods that move by air and need secure handling near the airport.
- E-commerce
- Dubai CommerCity, DAFZA's dedicated e-commerce zone, provides purpose-built facilities for online retail and fulfilment.
Infrastructure and institutions
The things DAFZA has that a competing zone would have to build from scratch:
- Direct adjacency to Dubai International Airport cargo terminals
- Purpose-built office towers, light-industrial units and temperature-controlled warehousing
- On-site customs presence for rapid clearance
- Dubai CommerCity — dedicated e-commerce campus within the DAFZA family
- Part of Dubai Integrated Economic Zones (DIEZ) alongside DSO
Ownership & visas
100% foreign ownership — no local sponsor required.
An office / smart-desk is generally required to issue the licence, which underpins visa eligibility; quota scales with leased space.
Cost & timeline
DAFZA does not publish a complete current public tariff. We obtain a written quote from the authority for your specific activity, visa allocation and workspace.
| Product / charge | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Scality (separate subscription product) | AED 3,000 | Includes: Setup: licence AED 1,000 + establishment card AED 2,000Excludes: Monthly subscription (AED 2,850 per person in the published example), visas, external government charges and VAT |
Important: DAFZA describes its standard business-setup packages as bespoke and tailored — no generic public tariff is published. Scality is a separate subscription product and must not be used as a general DAFZA starting price.
Typical timeline: ~2–4 weeks.
Is DAFZA right for you?
Import-export, re-export, logistics, aviation, electronics, pharma and jewellery businesses that need airport proximity, customs efficiency and a prestige corporate address.
Choose DAFZA if
- Your goods move by air and hours matter to your cost base
- You handle high-value or temperature-sensitive product
- You need customs clearance and warehousing within minutes of the runway
- You are a regional distribution arm of an international manufacturer
Look elsewhere if
- Your freight is sea-borne or bulk — Jebel Ali is the correct answer, and cheaper
- You are a service business with no physical goods; you are paying an airport premium for nothing
- Cost is your primary constraint
What people get wrong about DAFZA
The things that surprise founders after they have already signed — worth knowing before you do.
- No public tariff
- DAFZA does not publish a complete current fee schedule. Pricing is quotation-based and depends on activity, facility type and visa allocation. Anyone quoting you a fixed DAFZA 'from' price without a written quote is estimating.
- Facility type drives the cost
- An office licence and a warehouse licence are different orders of magnitude. Decide your physical requirement before benchmarking.
- Regulated product needs regulated approvals
- Pharmaceuticals, medical devices and food all require Ministry of Health and Prevention or Dubai Municipality approvals in addition to the free zone licence. Build that into the timeline.
What makes DAFZA different
- Located directly beside one of the world's busiest airports.
- Dual License lets DAFZA companies also operate in the Dubai mainland.
Compare alternatives
How DAFZA compares
| Free zone | Emirate | License from* | Typical timeline | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DAFZA This page | Dubai | Quote required | ~2–4 weeks | Import/export · Logistics |
| IFZA → | Dubai | Quote required | License in ~3–5 working days (fast-track available) | Consultants · E-commerce |
| Meydan → | Dubai | AED 12,500/yr | A few days to ~1 week (digital process) | Agencies · Consultants |
| DMCC → | Dubai | AED 20,285/yr | ~1–4 weeks depending on activity and workspace | Commodities · General trading |
* Published entry prices from each authority, verified 1 August 2026 — not quotes, and not directly comparable products. Compare all 17 zones
DAFZA — frequently asked questions
01How much does it cost to set up in DAFZA?＋
DAFZA does not publish a complete current public tariff, so pricing is quotation-based and depends on your activity, visa allocation, shareholder structure and workspace. Incorporate Dubai obtains a written quote from the authority rather than quoting an unverified starting price.
02Can I own 100% of my DAFZA company?＋
100% foreign ownership — no local sponsor required.
03How many visas can I get with DAFZA?＋
An office / smart-desk is generally required to issue the licence, which underpins visa eligibility; quota scales with leased space.
04How long does DAFZA setup take?＋
~2–4 weeks. Timelines depend on document readiness, visa processing and bank onboarding.
05Who is DAFZA best for?＋
Import-export, re-export, logistics, aviation, electronics, pharma and jewellery businesses that need airport proximity, customs efficiency and a prestige corporate address.
06What does DAFZA cost?＋
DAFZA does not publish a complete public tariff, so any specific figure quoted online is an estimate rather than an official price. Cost depends on your activity, whether you take office space or warehousing, and your visa allocation. We obtain a written quote from the authority rather than working from published guesses.
07Is DAFZA worth the premium over other Dubai zones?＋
Only if you use the airport. For a pharmaceutical distributor or an electronics wholesaler moving high-value stock by air, the clearance speed pays for itself in inventory and lead time. For a consultancy, it's an expensive postcode — a service-focused zone will serve you identically for far less.
08What is Dubai CommerCity?＋
Dubai CommerCity is a dedicated e-commerce free zone developed by DAFZA in partnership with Wasl, offering purpose-built office, logistics and fulfilment facilities for online retail. It's a separate campus with its own proposition rather than a package within DAFZA proper.