RAKEZ (Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone)
One of the UAE's largest, most cost-competitive economic zones.
What RAKEZ is actually known for
RAKEZ is where you go when you need industrial capability without Dubai industrial pricing. Ras Al Khaimah has a genuine manufacturing base — ceramics, cement, pharmaceuticals, glass and building materials are made there at scale, not assembled for a brochure — and RAKEZ was formed by merging the emirate's earlier zones into a single authority spanning business parks and heavy industrial parks. It now hosts well over twenty thousand companies from more than a hundred countries, which is the largest count outside Dubai.
RAKEZ is one of the UAE's largest and most cost-competitive economic zones — home to 20,000+ companies across 50+ industries. Formed in 2017 by merging RAK FTZ and RAK Investment Authority, it serves everyone from solo freelancers to industrial manufacturers, offering both free zone and non-free-zone licensing under one authority, with a representative office in Dubai.
Key benefits
- 100% foreign ownership with no local sponsor
- 0% personal income tax; customs-duty exemption within the zone
- Broad license range including freelancer and industrial
- Strong industrial infrastructure — warehouses and land at low cost
- Fast, largely remote setup (Dubai representative office)
- Competitive pricing versus Dubai zones for comparable facilities
Business activities & licenses
RAKEZ supports a range of license types and activities, including:
- Commercial / trading & general trading
- Service / professional
- E-commerce & media
- Freelancer / individual
- Industrial (manufacturing, processing)
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.
- Manufacturing and industrial
- Al Ghail and Al Hulaila industrial parks offer land and pre-built units for real production, with utility capacity, port access and workforce accommodation designed for it.
- Building materials
- Ras Al Khaimah's ceramics, cement and glass industries are internationally significant, and the supply chain around them is in RAKEZ.
- Pharmaceuticals and chemicals
- Licensed manufacturing with the regulatory approvals and facility standards the sector requires.
- Trading and distribution
- Warehousing and re-export at costs well below the Dubai equivalent, with road access to the whole UAE and onward to Oman.
- SMEs and professionals
- The Business Zone side handles consultancies, agencies and service firms that want a low-cost licence with visa capacity.
Infrastructure and institutions
The things RAKEZ has that a competing zone would have to build from scratch:
- Al Ghail and Al Hulaila industrial parks with land plots for build-to-suit facilities
- Pre-built warehouses and light-industrial units in multiple sizes
- Saqr Port and RAK Ports for bulk and container handling
- On-site staff and labour accommodation within the industrial parks
- Business Zone offices and co-working for non-industrial licences
- RAK ICC available separately for offshore holding structures
Ownership & visas
100% foreign ownership — FZE, FZC and branch structures.
Visa quota scales with facility. Flexi-desk packages allow a small number; offices, warehouses and land unlock larger allocations.
Cost & timeline
Advertised entry offer
| Product / charge | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Entry company-setup offer | AED 6,000 | Excludes: Obtain the package sheet before relying on inclusionsBest for: Cost-sensitive startups and freelancers |
| One-visa all-inclusive package | AED 14,000 | Includes: Licence, UAE residence visa, immigration/e-channel, Emirates ID and medical support, pre-approval and shared workstationExcludes: Nationality/security checks, insurance and activity-specific approvals |
Important: AED 6,000 is an advertised entry offer, not a universal all-in figure. Activity, entity, facility, visa and renewal conditions must be confirmed in writing.
Typical timeline: Registration as fast as 1 day; full setup with visas ~1–3 weeks.
Is RAKEZ right for you?
Startups, SMEs, freelancers and traders wanting a low-cost, flexible base, plus manufacturers needing affordable warehousing and land — a strong pick for cost-sensitive businesses that still want scale.
Choose RAKEZ if
- You manufacture, assemble or process physical goods and need genuine industrial space
- Warehousing cost is a material part of your P&L
- You need workforce accommodation close to the facility
- You want a UAE licence with visa capacity at a lower total cost than Dubai
Look elsewhere if
- You need a client-facing Dubai address — RAK is a 60 to 90 minute drive from Dubai
- You are in a regulated financial activity
- Your customers expect to visit you in Dubai regularly
What people get wrong about RAKEZ
The things that surprise founders after they have already signed — worth knowing before you do.
- Business Zone and Industrial Zone are different products
- A RAKEZ consultancy licence and a RAKEZ factory lease share an authority and almost nothing else. Make sure quotes you compare are for the same zone type.
- Distance is a real cost
- If your team or customers are in Dubai, factor in travel time and the practical difficulty of recruiting people who don't want to relocate or commute.
- Industrial approvals take longer
- Manufacturing licences involve environmental, civil defence and municipality approvals on top of the free zone process. Plan a longer runway than a service licence.
What makes RAKEZ different
- One of the UAE's largest economic zones by company count.
- Offers both free zone and mainland-style licensing under one authority.
Compare alternatives
How RAKEZ compares
| Free zone | Emirate | License from* | Typical timeline | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RAKEZ This page | Ras Al Khaimah | AED 6,000/yr | Registration as fast as 1 day; full setup with visas ~1–3 weeks | Low budget · Industrial |
| 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 |
| SHAMS → | Sharjah | AED 5,750/yr | Registration in as little as 24 hours; add visa processing time | Cheapest · Freelancers |
* Published entry prices from each authority, verified 1 August 2026 — not quotes, and not directly comparable products. Compare all 17 zones
RAKEZ — frequently asked questions
01How much does it cost to set up in RAKEZ?＋
AED 6,000 is an advertised entry offer, not a universal all-in figure. Activity, entity, facility, visa and renewal conditions must be confirmed in writing. Figures are the authority's own published prices as last verified — confirm current pricing before committing.
02Can I own 100% of my RAKEZ company?＋
100% foreign ownership — FZE, FZC and branch structures.
03How many visas can I get with RAKEZ?＋
Visa quota scales with facility. Flexi-desk packages allow a small number; offices, warehouses and land unlock larger allocations.
04How long does RAKEZ setup take?＋
Registration as fast as 1 day; full setup with visas ~1–3 weeks. Timelines depend on document readiness, visa processing and bank onboarding.
05Who is RAKEZ best for?＋
Startups, SMEs, freelancers and traders wanting a low-cost, flexible base, plus manufacturers needing affordable warehousing and land — a strong pick for cost-sensitive businesses that still want scale.
06Is RAKEZ cheaper than Dubai free zones?＋
Materially so for anything involving space. Warehousing and industrial land in Ras Al Khaimah cost a fraction of the Dubai equivalent, and staff accommodation is cheaper too. For a virtual-office consultancy the gap narrows, because the licence is only part of what you're buying.
07Can I operate in Dubai with a RAKEZ licence?＋
You can serve customers anywhere internationally and in other free zones. Selling into the UAE mainland — including Dubai — generally requires a mainland distributor, a branch or a mainland licence, exactly as it would from a Dubai free zone. Your licence being in RAK doesn't change that analysis.
08What is the difference between RAKEZ and RAK ICC?＋
RAKEZ is the free zone: it issues operating licences, leases facilities and sponsors residence visas. RAK ICC is the offshore registry: it incorporates holding companies for asset ownership and structuring, with no visas, no premises and no trading in the UAE. They serve different purposes and are often used together.