Updated July 2026 · DIFC Registrar of Companies fees
DIFC Company Cost
From AED 104,079 — the UAE's most expensive licence, for the businesses that need it.
A DIFC operational or holding company costs from AED 104,079 in government fees. That is not a mass-market price and DIFC does not pretend otherwise: you are buying a common-law jurisdiction with its own courts and regulator, which is decisive for funds, family offices and regulated finance — and irrelevant for almost everyone else.
Government cost from
AED 104,079
zero-visa operational / holding company · DIFC
- Zero visaAED 104,079
- With 1 visaAED 108,579
- Setup timeSeveral weeks
- Ownership100% foreign
Trusted by Founders, Family Offices, and Global Enterprises.
In brief: A DIFC operational or holding company costs from AED 104,079 in government fees with no visas, AED 108,579 with one visa, AED 113,079 with two and AED 117,579 with three — each visa adds a flat AED 4,500. DIFC is a common-law financial centre with its own registrar, the DFSA regulatory framework and the independent DIFC Courts. That structure is decisive for funds, family offices, regional headquarters and regulated financial services, and unnecessary for a trading or consultancy business, which can operate from a Dubai free zone for under AED 20,000. A lower-cost DIFC Prescribed Company or Foundation is available from about AED 25,000 for pure structuring. Avyanco's professional fee is quoted separately.
What it costs — line by line
These are the government line items. Ranges are real variation by activity and legal form, not padding — where a figure genuinely moves, we show the span rather than a flattering minimum.
| Government item | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Zero-visa operational / holding company | AED 104,079 | Licence, incorporation and registrar fees |
| With 1 residence visa | AED 108,579 | Each visa adds a flat AED 4,500 |
| With 2 residence visas | AED 113,079 | Visa steps are predictable at DIFC |
| DIFC Prescribed Company (SPV) or Foundation | from AED 25,000 | Structuring vehicles — no visas, far lower cost |
| Typical start — operating company with one visa | AED 108,579 | Government cost; office space in DIFC is additional |
What each visa adds
| Item | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Each residence visa | + AED 4,500 | Flat and predictable across all tiers |
Indicative government costs as at July 2026. They exclude Avyanco’s professional fee, office rent, VAT where applicable and external-approval charges for regulated activities. Government fees are set by the authorities and change — confirm the live figure for your activity and visa mix before budgeting.
What the price includes — and what it doesn’t
Most “cheap setup” quotes fall apart here. This is the honest split.
Included in the figures above
- Licence and incorporation with the DIFC Registrar of Companies
- A common-law jurisdiction with the independent DIFC Courts
- Operation under the DFSA regulatory framework
- Establishment card so the company can sponsor visas
- A DIFC district address and access to its financial ecosystem
Additional, quoted separately
- Office space in DIFC — a premium Dubai commercial lease
- DFSA authorisation for regulated financial activities, which is a separate process with its own capital requirements
- Visas for dependants — spouse and children are priced separately
- Corporate bank-account opening and minimum balances
- Audit, which is mandatory in DIFC, plus tax registration and bookkeeping
- Avyanco's professional service fee, quoted separately
Download the complete DIFC fact sheet
The table above answers the headline question. The fact sheet answers the next ten — every visa tier priced out, what year two costs, and how it stacks up against the cheaper free zones. It is the same one-pager our advisers send to clients, and it is free.
Free PDF · instant download
Download the full DIFC fact sheet
The one-page sheet our advisers quote from — every number, on one page. Yours free.
- Every cost priced for 0, 1, 2 and 3 visas
- Operational company vs SPV vs Foundation, compared
- Renewal and annual compliance costs
- Document checklist and realistic timeline
What actually moves the price
Two companies registered on the same day can differ by more than AED 10,000. These are the factors that decide where you land in the range.
Whether you need common law at all
The only question that matters here. DIFC's English-law framework, courts and regulator are worth six figures to a fund, a family office or a regulated financial business. To a trading company they are worth nothing, and a Dubai free zone does the same job for under AED 20,000.
Structure type
An operational or holding company starts at AED 104,079. A Prescribed Company (SPV) or Foundation — for holding assets, IP or shares rather than trading — starts around AED 25,000. Picking the wrong one is the most expensive mistake available on this page.
Regulated or unregulated
If your activity needs DFSA authorisation, that is a separate application with its own capital requirements, compliance officers and timelines. The licence fee is the smallest part of that budget.
Office space
DIFC office space is priced at the top of the Dubai market and is typically the largest ongoing line, exceeding the licence itself within the first year for most tenants.
Ongoing compliance
Audit is mandatory in DIFC. Budget for annual audit, accounting and any regulatory reporting from the outset — it is not optional the way it is in some free zones.
How long it takes
- 1
Week 1 — Structure
We confirm whether you need an operational company, or whether an SPV or Foundation at a quarter of the cost achieves your objective.
- 2
Week 1–2 — Application
Name reservation and the application to the DIFC Registrar of Companies.
- 3
Week 2–4 — Approvals & documents
Constitutional documents, shareholder and director due diligence, and any DFSA engagement for regulated activity.
- 4
Week 4–6 — Licence issued
Incorporation completed and the licence issued.
- 5
After licensing — Establishment card & visas
Immigration card, then entry permit, status change, medical and Emirates ID per person.
- 6
Ongoing — Audit & compliance
Annual audit, accounting, corporate tax registration and regulatory reporting where applicable.
Get a quote with the government fees shown separately
Tell us the activity and how many visas you need. You will get a written figure that separates what goes to the authorities from what goes to us — no bundled “all-in” number hiding the difference.
Compare before you commit
Cost is one input. Where you can trade, who your customers are and what banking you need matter just as much. Read the difc page for the structure itself, then compare the alternatives:
Cost FAQs
How much does a DIFC company cost?
From AED 104,079 in government fees for an operational or holding company with no visas, rising to AED 108,579 with one visa, AED 113,079 with two and AED 117,579 with three. A DIFC Prescribed Company (SPV) or Foundation, for structuring rather than trading, starts around AED 25,000. Avyanco's professional fee is quoted separately.
Why is DIFC so much more expensive than other free zones?
You are buying a jurisdiction, not an address. DIFC operates English common law with its own independent courts and the DFSA as regulator — a genuinely different legal environment from the rest of the UAE. For funds, family offices and regulated finance that is decisive. For a trading or consultancy business it is an expensive irrelevance.
Do I need DIFC, or would a normal free zone do?
If you are not doing regulated financial business, not running a fund, and not structuring significant family or group assets, a normal Dubai free zone almost certainly does the job — for under AED 20,000 rather than over AED 100,000. We would rather tell you that than sell you a DIFC company you do not need.
What is the difference between a DIFC operational company and an SPV?
An operational company trades, employs and sponsors visas. A Prescribed Company (SPV) or Foundation holds assets — shares, property, IP — and does not trade or sponsor visas. The SPV starts around AED 25,000 against AED 104,079, so choosing correctly is the single biggest saving available in DIFC.
Does the price include Avyanco's fee?
No. Every figure here is government cost paid to the DIFC Registrar and related authorities. Our professional fee is quoted separately and transparently.
How long does DIFC incorporation take?
Several weeks, longer if DFSA authorisation is required for a regulated activity. Due diligence on shareholders and directors is more thorough than in a standard free zone, so document quality drives the timeline.
Is audit mandatory in DIFC?
Yes. DIFC companies must be audited annually. Budget for audit, accounting and any regulatory reporting from the start — this is a recurring cost that some cheaper free zones do not impose in the same way.
Can a DIFC company sponsor residence visas?
An operational or holding company can, and each visa adds a flat AED 4,500. Prescribed Companies and Foundations cannot — they are structuring vehicles with no visa allocation.
Does a DIFC company pay corporate tax?
UAE Corporate Tax applies at 0% up to AED 375,000 of taxable income and 9% above it. A qualifying free-zone person can access 0% on qualifying income subject to strict conditions. DIFC entities are within the UAE Corporate Tax regime — being in DIFC does not exempt you.
DIFC or ADGM?
Both are common-law financial centres with their own courts and regulators. ADGM's operational company starts at AED 48,226 against DIFC's AED 104,079, so ADGM is materially cheaper. DIFC has the deeper Dubai financial ecosystem and longer track record. If your counterparties and staff are in Dubai, DIFC often wins despite the cost; if not, ADGM deserves a serious look.
Pricing note. Figures on this page are indicative government costs as at July 2026, published so you can budget realistically. They are set by the relevant UAE authorities, vary by activity, legal form, visa mix and office type, and change over time. They exclude Avyanco’s professional service fee, office rent and any external-approval charges. This is general guidance, not a quotation — confirm your specific position with us before acting.