JAFZA Free Zone Company Setup
Jebel Ali Free Zone - built around one of the world's largest man-made harbours, and the default choice for industrial, logistics, and large-scale trading operations.
JAFZA (Jebel Ali Free Zone) is built around direct access to Jebel Ali Port, one of the largest man-made harbours in the world - which makes it the default choice for businesses whose model depends on physical import/export volume rather than services or consulting. It's an established industrial base with decades of infrastructure investment, and it costs more than general trading zones because of it.
Who JAFZA suits best
- Manufacturing and industrial operations needing port-adjacent logistics
- Large-scale import/export and trading businesses
- Logistics and supply chain companies
- Businesses where physical warehouse and distribution infrastructure matters more than office prestige
Licensed activities
- Industrial manufacturing
- Large-scale general trading
- Logistics and warehousing
- Supply chain and distribution services
Cost profile
JAFZA sits in the mid-to-high cost tier, reflecting its port infrastructure and established industrial base. It's generally not the right fit for lean consulting or service setups - for those, a lower-cost zone is more appropriate. See our free zone comparison for how it stacks up against RAKEZ for industrial use cases.
What sets JAFZA apart
Port access is the differentiator no other Dubai free zone can fully replicate - direct proximity to Jebel Ali Port matters concretely for businesses moving physical freight at volume, in a way that office-based zones simply can't offer regardless of price.
Setup process
Activity & licence match
We confirm your activity fits JAFZA's permitted activity list and licence category - the list is weighted toward industrial, logistics and large-scale trading, and certain heavy industrial activities can require an additional environmental or municipal NOC before approval.
Trade name reservation
Reserved directly with Jebel Ali Free Zone.
Application & documentation
Application form, passport copies, and Memorandum of Association submitted. Industrial and large-scale trading licences (JAFZA is adjacent to Jebel Ali Port) can require additional warehouse or land-lease documentation at this stage.
Licence issuance
The JAFZA trade licence is issued by Jebel Ali Free Zone Authority once documents and fees are finalised. For warehouse or industrial facility packages, a separate facility handover typically follows licence issuance rather than happening simultaneously.
Office/facility & visa allocation
JAFZA is built around large-scale logistics and manufacturing - many licences here involve warehouse or industrial land leases rather than a standard office/flexi-desk, with visa quota scaled accordingly.
JAFZA questions, answered.
It depends on your volume and whether port proximity actually matters to your operations. For lower-volume trading without heavy logistics needs, RAKEZ or IFZA are usually more cost-effective.
Yes - industrial and manufacturing is one of JAFZA's core licensed activity categories, backed by warehouse and industrial land availability.
Yes, free zone companies including JAFZA entities can establish a mainland branch or work with a distributor to reach mainland customers directly.
Visa quota is tied to the facility size selected - warehouse and industrial packages generally carry higher allocations than a standard office, reflecting JAFZA's focus on larger-scale operations.
Yes - JAFZA is one of the free zones that requires audited financial statements as a condition of annual licence renewal, alongside DMCC and DAFZA.
Start your JAFZA company setup.
Tell us your activity and we'll confirm the right licence category, cost, and timeline for JAFZA.