What a UAE company really costs

A single headline price rarely covers everything. This guide explains each line you may see on a dated quote. It gives no figures: figures change, so they appear in one place, the calculator, as each is verified, with its source and date.

One-off costs

These are paid when the company is set up.

• Licence fee. The cost of the trade licence for the chosen activity.
• Registration or incorporation fee. The cost of registering the company.
• Refundable deposits. Held and returned later, under conditions the provider states.
• Attestation or legalisation. Official certification that the signatures and seals on a document are genuine, needed for some documents. It appears on a quote only if the provider includes it.

Costs that come back every year

• Establishment card. The company's electronic card with the immigration and labour authorities. It carries the company's registered details, such as its trade name and licence number, and is what lets the company apply for work permits for its employees.
• Workspace. A flexi desk, an office or a warehouse, depending on the package.
• Licence renewal. Renewing the trade licence each year. How it is charged depends on the zone and the package, so read the quote.

Costs per person

• Visa. Charged per person.
• Medical test. Per person. It is required for a residence visa for applicants aged 18 and over.
• Emirates ID. Per person. The identity card issued by the federal identity authority, applied for as part of the residence process.
• Health insurance. Per person, where the quote includes it. The rules on who must be insured, and who must arrange it, differ between emirates.

Some of these are paid once per visa and some come back each year. The line says which.

The provider's service fee

An agent may charge for the work of setting things up. Quotes show it as its own line.

Anything else

Items that fit none of the above appear as "other", with a plain label.

How to read a quote

Look for the date, who gave it, how long it stays valid, and whether each line says how often it is charged. A quote with no date is not one we show.