What the government charges
Paid directly by you to the authority, at the published rate. The receipt is issued in your name, not mine.
See the published ratesStart your company,without the markup.
I'm Siraj. I set up mainland and free zone companies across the UAE. You pay my flat fee to me and government fees straight to the authority, so you see both numbers before anything starts.
IFZA
- Company formation across
RAKEZ
SHAMS
Dubai Mainland
Sharjah
Offshore
Business setup
Start your business in the UAE. Pick the structure that fits.
Where you trade, who your clients are and whether you need an office decide the structure. I'll tell you which one fits before you pay anything.
01Mainland · DEDMainland company
Trade anywhere in the UAE, open a shop or office on the high street, and bid for government contracts.Full market accessGovernment clientsVisa quota by officeSee both fees for this setup
02Free zoneFree zone company
Full foreign ownership and a faster licence, set up inside one of 40+ zones such as IFZA, Meydan or DMCC.100% ownershipFast setupSector-specific zonesSee both fees for this setup
03OffshoreOffshore company
A holding structure for assets, IP and international trade. It cannot trade inside the UAE.Asset holdingInternational tradeNo office neededSee both fees for this setupThe fee split
Two numbers. That's the whole invoice.
What I charge
A flat service fee, agreed in writing before any work starts. It covers everything I do, start to finish.
See my fee for your caseWhat nobody charges
No markup on government fees. No bundled extras. No surprise line items on the final bill.
How that worksThis is Siraj Business Expert
Company formation, priced in the open. Your fee and the government's, always on separate lines.
0%
markup on any government fee
3–5days*
typical free zone licence issue
250k+
views on a typical explainer video
1person
from first call to licence in hand
*Working days, once documents are complete. Mainland licences take 1–2 weeks.
Services
Everything a setup needs, from one person.
From the first licence to the bank account, I handle the paperwork at every stage of a UAE company. Every service is quoted the same way: my flat fee, plus the government fee you pay directly.
Formation · most requested
Business setup
Mainland, free zone or offshore, structured around what you actually do.LicensingTrade licence & renewal
Filed and followed up until issued.ResidencyGolden Visa & residency
Eligibility checked before any fee is paid.BankingCorporate bank account
File prepared, banks matched to your profile.DocumentsPRO & document services
Attestations, translations, immigration.PropertyReal estate consultancy
Office and Ejari sorted with your licence.Every serviceThe same splitMy fee · government fee
Rather talk it through
Not sure where to start? Message me on WhatsApp.
Tell me what your business does and where your clients are. I'll reply personally with the setup that fits and both fees.
How it works
Five steps, in the order they actually happen.
You know what is happening, who is doing it and what it costs at every point.
- FreeConsultation
We work out the right structure for what you actually do, before any fee exists.
- Your choiceJurisdiction
Mainland, free zone or offshore, with the cost difference shown side by side.
- My jobDocuments filed
I handle verification, forms and follow-up with the authority.
- Your nameLicence issued
You remain the owner throughout. I never hold your documents.
- Same splitVisa & bank
Residency stamped and corporate banking set up, with the same transparent split.
Ask me directly
Whatever the paperwork, start with a message.
Tap a request. WhatsApp opens with it written, and I reply personally.
Cost calculator
Get your quote. Both numbers, upfront.
Five picks, four contact fields. The tape at the bottom keeps your running total.
What does your business do?Default used
Where should the licence come from?Default used
How many residence visas?Default used
Default used
Do you need an office?Default used
Change any answer and the quote updates instantly. Nothing is saved until you send it.
Example quote
AED 19,150
IFZA · 1 visa · 1 shareholder
- My fee
- AED 2,500
- Government
- AED 16,650
- IFZA licence (government fee)
- AED 12,900
- 1 residence visa (government fee)
- AED 3,750
- My service fee (flat, paid to me)
- AED 2,500
Indicative, based on current published rates. Confirmed line by line at your free consultation.
See what's included and compare jurisdictionsJurisdictions
Where your licence comes from changes what it costs.
Licence-only totals, lowest to highest. Tap one to see the split.
My feeGovernment fee
Free zone · Dubai
IFZA
Best for consultants and service businesses that want low-cost flexibility with a Dubai address and fast issue times.
- Gov fee from
- AED 12,900
- My fee
- AED 2,500
- Total from
- AED 15,400
Licence only, before visas and office. Government fees paid by you, directly.
Siraj IzharFounder · Dubai, UAEWhy Siraj
I started with no capital. I remember what every dirham feels like.
I work as an independent consultant, not an agency. When you message me, I answer personally, not an account manager reading your file for the first time. And because I've been the person counting the setup cost, I structure my fee the only way I'd accept it myself: my number and the government's number, separate, both visible before you commit.
- One person, start to finishNo rotating account team. The person who quotes you is the person who files your paperwork.
- Fees agreed before work startsAgencies quote a lump sum and absorb the detail. You'll see every line before you pay anything.
- Receipts in your nameGovernment fees go from your account to the authority. You hold the proof, not an intermediary.
“You stay the owner. I just handle the paperwork.”
Client words
Helping founders through the paperwork.
ClientClient name pending
“He told me the government fee before I even asked. Nobody else did that.”
ClientClient name pending
“One person answered every message, from first call to licence in hand.”
ClientClient name pending
“The invoice matched the estimate to the dirham. That is why I refer him.”
ClientClient name pending
“I compared four agencies. He was the only one who put both numbers in writing.”
ClientClient name pending
“Licence, visa and bank account done while I was still abroad.”
ClientClient name pending
“No surprise line items at the end. The final bill was the first quote.”
Pricing
The same two numbers, whichever route you take.
Most setups are quoted as one bundled number. This is what changes when the two fees stay apart.
What you getTypical agencyDoing it yourself
Siraj
SirajGovernment fee shown as its own line✕✓✓
Government fee paid by you, receipt in your name✕✓✓
No markup on government fees✕✓✓
Flat fee agreed in writing before work starts✕–✓
Structure advice for your business activity✓✕✓
Forms filed and chased until the licence is issued✓✕✓
One named person from first call to licence✕✕✓
Bank introductions matched to your profile✓✕✓
Mainland
DET licence, local market access, unlimited visa quota by office size.
AED 27,500
- Gov
- AED 25,000
- My fee
- AED 2,500
Free zone
Most common100% ownership, fastest issue times, visa packages from the zone.
AED 5,488
- Gov
- AED 4,888
- My fee
- AED 600
Offshore
Holding and asset structures. No UAE visa, no physical presence.
On request
Estimate this routeTotals from, licence only. Government fees paid by you, directly, at the published rate.
Guides
Read before you pay. Real fees, real timelines.
Questions
Asked before every setup.
What does a Dubai trade licence actually cost?
It depends on the authority. Free zone licences start around AED 4,888 (Ajman) and run to AED 23,785 (DMCC); mainland starts around AED 25,000. That is the government fee, which you pay directly at the published rate. My fee sits beside it as a separate, agreed number.
Do I need to be in Dubai to set up?
For most free zones, no. The company can be formed entirely remotely. If you want a residence visa, you enter the UAE once for biometrics and the medical test. I schedule both into a single short visit.
Mainland or free zone: which do I need?
Mainland if your customers are inside the UAE or you want government contracts. Free zone if you sell internationally or online and want 100% ownership at the lowest cost. The calculator above shows the cost difference for your case.
How long does it take?
Free zone licences are usually issued in 3–5 working days once documents are ready. Mainland takes 1–2 weeks because of extra approvals. Visas add 2–3 weeks after the licence.
Can I open a corporate bank account as a non-resident?
It is possible but slower. With a residence visa, most of my clients have an account open within 2–6 weeks. I prepare the compliance file and introduce you to banks that fit your profile and nationality.
What exactly is your fee for?
Structure advice, preparing and filing every form, chasing the authority until the licence is issued, coordinating translations and attestations, and the bank introduction. It is flat, agreed before we start, and it never includes a markup on any government fee.