Free zones in Sharjah compared, SAIF, Hamriyah, SHAMS, SPC

Comparing free zones in Sharjah on price runs into a problem at once: only one of the five prints itemised prices. What each zone is built for, which figures the zones publish themselves and what changes when you want to sell on the Sharjah mainland are set out below. The national comparison of routes is in company setup in the UAE.

The five free zones in Sharjah at a glance

All five have an official site, and they differ more in purpose than in price.

Zone	Built for	Licences	Visa rule the zone publishes
SAIF Zone	Trade, service, industrial, jewellery	Trade, service, industrial	8, 5 or 3 by facility, content dated about 2020
Hamriyah Free Zone	Oil and gas, industrial, maritime, food	Commercial, service, industrial	1 to 12 by package
SHAMS	Media, creative, e-commerce, trading	Media package, Standard package	Subject to office eligibility
SPC Free Zone	Publishing, e-commerce, consulting	Publishing and e-commerce tier, standard tier	Visa allocation listed as a priced item
SRTIP SPark	Research, innovation, technology	Commercial, service, industrial, consultancy, research permits	Immigration support, no quota stated

SAIF Zone and Hamriyah for trade and industry

SAIF Zone issues trade, service and industrial licences to FZEs, FZCs and branches. Its site ties the visa quota to the facility and states AED 150,000 minimum capital for an FZE or FZC. Both figures come from content dated about 2020, so confirm them with the zone before you rely on them. SAIF Zone publishes no prices.

Hamriyah Free Zone Authority sells 15 packages, from a start-up package with 1 visa to a 40 sqm Supreme package with 12 visas (zone site, October 2026). It says package rates vary with the number of product categories or service activities selected, and it publishes no prices.

SHAMS and SPC for media, publishing and e-commerce

SHAMS, set up by Amiri decree in 2017, offers a Media and a Standard package, each issued as an LLC with 100% foreign ownership. Its FAQ says it accepts full payment upfront. Prices appear only through a cost calculator, so the total depends on the visas and add-ons you choose. Ask for a written quote.

SPC Free Zone prints itemised numbers. As of October 2026, its blog (updated on 1 October 2026) lists annual packages from AED 5,750 for the publishing and e-commerce tier and AED 6,875 for the standard tier. Each has up to five activities. SPC states a year-one total with one investor visa of about AED 13,165 on the first tier and AED 14,290 on the standard tier. These are zone packages, not a government tariff.

SRTIP SPark for research and technology

SRTIP, the Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park, suits research, innovation and technology companies. It lists commercial, service, industrial and consultancy licences plus research and innovation permits, with flexible offices and co-working. Its pages give no fees and no minimum capital, so a quotation is the only price source.

Which Sharjah free zone prices are public

Only SPC publishes itemised prices, and none of the five publishes a government tariff. SHAMS advertises its Media licence from AED 5,760 on its start page and gives totals through a calculator that labels its results as estimates. Hamriyah, SAIF Zone and SRTIP show no prices. SPC's own FAQ gives a renewal range of AED 10,000 to AED 20,000, and the renewal line is worth getting in writing.

Compare quotes line by line, using the cost structure in the guide to how much it costs to set up a company in the UAE. The lines are the licence, visa allocation, establishment card, registration, medical test and renewal. Two packages at the same headline price can hold different visa counts.

Selling into the Sharjah mainland

A Sharjah free zone licence does not by itself allow trading on the mainland. SAIF Zone says its licence is valid only inside the zone and that a branch outside needs local authority approval. SHAMS says a branch or subsidiary elsewhere in the UAE is subject to the relevant authorities' approval. The Sharjah Department of Economic Development (SEDD) lists a free zone company branch among its services. It asks for a no-objection letter from the Department of Free Zones and a local agent contract (SEDD FAQ, October 2026).

SPC's marketing and SRTIP's FAQ both state that a dual licence is available. SRTIP gives no requirements, and SEDD publishes no scheme for all Sharjah zones. Ask the zone and SEDD in writing which route applies to your activity; the mainland side is covered in the guide to mainland company setup in the UAE.

Four questions decide the choice: where your customers are, how many visas you need, which sector the zone serves and whether you must trade on the mainland. If mainland customers matter, start with the two zones that state a dual licence, SPC and SRTIP, and ask SEDD what it requires. For the others, plan a branch through SEDD. Because most Sharjah zones publish packages and not tariffs, an adviser can compare the quotes line by line and put the dual licence question to the zone in writing.

AdvisoryHub may receive a fee when you request an introduction; it does not affect the information on this page.

---

More Company Setup Guides

← Back to Company Setup in Sharjah

Related Company Setup Guides

• UAE free zone list by emirate, with authorities and websites
• Company formation cost in Dubai and the UAE, line by line
• Business setup in mainland UAE, LLC rules, ownership and cost
• Trade license Dubai and the UAE, types and how to apply
• Free zone company Dubai, choosing a zone, visas and tax
• RAKEZ free zone packages, visas and the Dual License wording
• Ajman Free Zone licence, visas, freelancer and cost
• DMCC company registration, costs, visas and who it suits