Company Setup in Ajman

Two free zones under one authority

Company setup in Ajman centres on the Free Zones Authority of Ajman, which sits behind Ajman Free Zone (AFZ) and Ajman Media City (AMC). They use the afz.gov.ae and amc.gov.ae domains and the same customer portal. Other names, such as Ajman NuVentures Centre, may be offered to you. Ask the Authority whether the zone is licensed by it.

Mainland licences come from the Department of Economic Development in Ajman, which runs its e-services at ajmanded.ae. Ask the department for the premises rule and the fee table for your activity before you budget. The federal rule that lets foreign owners hold 100% of most mainland activities since 1 June 2021 applies in Ajman too, with the strategic-impact exceptions. For the general comparison of routes, read company setup in the UAE.

Ajman Free Zone

AFZ licenses business (commercial), industrial and sole professional activities, the last as freelancer packages in about 40 categories. Legal forms are the FZE, the FZC, a branch of a local company that already holds a UAE licence, and a branch of a foreign company. A foreign company's branch can be 100% foreign owned, and its sales in the UAE go through a UAE-registered agent or distributor. Its sectors include food and beverage, automotive, health, construction and freelancers.

AFZ publishes no package prices and points to a cost calculator. Its FAQ lists fixed fees for items such as cancellation and e-channel renewal, and it gives a one-month grace period for renewal, so ask for the current list with your quote.

The same FAQ sets the limits that tend to surprise founders. Every business package carries its own number of visas, and extra quota needs approval from Immigration. AFZ's pages give different freelancer visa counts, so ask AFZ for the number that comes with your licence. A single licence cannot combine service and commercial activities. Local sales go through authorised distributors. The FAQ also says a freelancer company can use its licence on the mainland, without listing conditions, so ask for them in writing before you rely on it.

Ajman Media City

AMC serves media, technology, consultancy and e-commerce companies. Its package page lists four annual packages, all with up to 10 activities, up to 10 shareholders and co-working space, as of October 2026:

• Business Club at AED 4,999 with no visa, and the same price on renewal
• Visionary at AED 12,999 with 1 visa, renewing at AED 8,999
• Pioneer at AED 17,999 with 2 visas, renewing at AED 10,999
• Innovator at AED 22,999 with 3 visas, renewing at AED 14,999

These are zone packages, not an official tariff, so ask whether VAT is added. The price rises with the number of visas.

Choosing between the two zones

AFZ is built around sectors such as food and beverage, automotive, health and construction, and around freelancers. AMC is built around media, technology, consultancy and e-commerce, and states 100% foreign ownership, no local sponsor and the option to run the business virtually. Pick the zone by activity first. Then compare the visa count you need, the renewal price and how you will sell. AFZ's FAQ also describes an account opening partnership with a UAE bank, which is an introduction, not an account.

Offshore and tax

AFZ lists offshore as a licence category but publishes no offshore regulation or fee table. Offshore registries with published rules sit at JAFZA in Dubai and RAK ICC in Ras Al Khaimah. Before you buy an Ajman offshore company, ask the Free Zones Authority of Ajman for its rules in writing.

Corporate Tax applies to free zone companies too. A company incorporated on or after 1 March 2024 must register within 3 months (FTA Decision 3 of 2024), as of October 2026. The 0% rate is limited to a Qualifying Free Zone Person on qualifying income.

Company setup in other emirates

For comparison, company setup in Sharjah covers five free zones, and company setup in Dubai covers the Dubai mainland and 21 free zones. Umm Al Quwain has a single free trade zone, the UAQ Free Trade Zone.

Frequently asked questions

How many free zones are in Ajman?

Two: Ajman Free Zone and Ajman Media City. Both are run under the Free Zones Authority of Ajman.

Can I get a freelancer licence in Ajman?

Ajman Free Zone offers sole professional licences as freelancer packages. The number of visas depends on the package, and extra quota needs Immigration approval.

What does an Ajman free zone company cost?

Ajman Media City publishes packages from AED 4,999 with no visa to AED 22,999 with three visas, as of October 2026. Ajman Free Zone publishes no package prices and uses a calculator.

Can an Ajman free zone company sell in the UAE market?

Through authorised distributors, according to the Ajman Free Zone FAQ. Direct mainland trading needs a licence from the competent mainland authority, so ask what route applies to your activity.

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