Key Takeaways
- The zone's Company Regulations (2014) set share capital at AED 300,000 or more, fully paid up, in shares of at least AED 1,000, unless the Authority sets or waives otherwise.
- The START package costs AED 12,500 with one investor visa, Emirates ID and a co-working lease (zone package page, as of October 2026).
- The START page is silent on capital and the licences page says no proof of start-up capital is required, so the zone's pages disagree.
- The zone publishes no tariff, so visa deposits, extra visas and amendments are not on a published price list.
- A UAQ FTZ licence is valid in the zone only; UAE sales go through a licensed agent, representative or distributor.
Two figures matter for the UAQ free zone license cost: AED 12,500 for a package and AED 300,000 for share capital. The first is an advertised price. The second sits in the zone's own regulations, and the zone's pages do not line the two up.
Umm Al Quwain's free zone is the UAQ Free Trade Zone, described with its port, licences and mainland alternative in company setup in Umm Al Quwain. For the national picture, read company setup in the UAE.
UAQ free zone capital under the zone's regulations
The UAQ FTZ Company Regulations (No. 1/14, issued 2014 and still hosted on the zone's site) require share capital of at least AED 300,000, or another minimum that the Implementing Regulations set. Capital must be fully issued and paid up on incorporation, subject to the Registrar's consent. Each share has a par value of at least AED 1,000 (sections 3.7 and 3.8).
Regulation 1.6 lets the Authority relax or waive requirements in whole or in part. The zone's licences page repeats the figure and says the company's minimum capital should be AED 300,000.
Where the zone's own pages disagree
The licences page also says no proof of start-up capital is required, and the START package page says nothing about capital. No page states that START uses a waiver under regulation 1.6, and none withdraws the AED 300,000.
A quote that promises zero capital rests on that silence unless the zone has confirmed a waiver in writing. Ask for the confirmation before you pay.
The answer changes your budget in one of two ways. If the zone confirms that START carries no capital requirement, your cash cost is the package plus extras. If it confirms AED 300,000, you also pay in AED 300,000 of share capital. That money belongs to the company and is not a fee, so ask where and when it is paid in.
The UAQ free zone licence cost in the START package
UAQ FTZ advertises its UAQ START package at AED 12,500, as of October 2026. It includes a licence for up to 10 activities, one investor visa and Emirates ID. A medical fitness test, basic medical insurance, a co-working lease and help opening a bank account come with it. The zone says the licence issues in 1 working day once documents are complete.
START allows up to 5 shareholders, with 100% foreign ownership and no UAE national sponsor. The package renews at the same cost, and instalments are available on request. Approval depends on the zone's classification and document review.
This is a zone package, not a government fee schedule. The zone also runs other promotions with different prices, so quote only the START figure and the date on which you read it.
Lines the package does not price
The zone's rules refer to a tariff, and its downloads page lists forms and regulations but no tariff. Several costs therefore depend on a quote from the zone, as of October 2026.
- The cash deposit for each sponsored employee, required by the zone rules (March 2015 edition, section 14.6).
- Visas beyond the one in START, since the Authority sets each licensee's visa number at its absolute discretion.
- Changes and activity amendments, which the START page says may attract separate charges.
- The yearly Operation Fitness Certificate, which the rules require for renewal.
- The agent or distributor you use to sell in the UAE.
Selling in the UAE adds a cost line
A UAQ FTZ licence is valid in the zone only. For business in the local UAE market, the zone states, you go through an agent, representative or distributor holding a licence from the relevant authority. That agent has a price, and no package includes it.
If most of your customers are on the mainland, compare the full cost with a mainland licence, using the method in company formation cost, line by line. A zone that publishes named packages, such as RAKEZ with its package prices, gives you a second quote to hold against START.
Questions to put to the zone in writing
These answers decide whether your budget is AED 12,500 plus extras or that sum plus AED 300,000 of capital. Send them by email and file the replies with the company records.
- Does the AED 300,000 minimum apply to my licence under START, and under which regulation?
- If it applies, when must it be paid in, and what evidence does the Registrar need?
- What is the cash deposit per sponsored visa, and what does each extra visa cost?
- What do amendments and renewal cost outside the START package, and where is the tariff?
- Which agent or distributor arrangements does the zone accept for UAE sales?
Regulations from 2014 and 2015 can differ from current practice. A lawyer can read them against your shareholder structure before you commit funds.
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