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Tier 2 · Dubai

Dubai CommerCity

Dubai CommerCity (DCC)

Umm Ramool, Dubai (adjacent to Dubai International Airport DXB) · Est. 2021 · Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority (DIEZ)

AED 30,600/ yr
high confidenceVerified 18 Jul 2026official ↗
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Best for

E-commerce brands, marketplaces and fulfilment/logistics providers that need bonded warehousing, fast DXB air-cargo access and an end-to-end digital-commerce ecosystem in the MEASA region.

Not ideal for

Budget-first solo sellers or non-commerce businesses (consultants, holding companies) that don't need warehousing - cheaper general-purpose zones (IFZA, Meydan, SHAMS) fit better; also firms wanting a published fee menu and a large established business community.

01Capability profile

Six independent dimensions, scored from official zone data.

?
Banking10/15
?
Visa scale13/15
?
Cost (lower=better)10/20
?
Activity breadth8/25
?
Workspace options0/15
?
Location9/10
02Where Dubai CommerCity sits

Tick marks for every zone, Dubai CommerCity highlighted. The shape of the field, not just the rank.

Year 1 cost← lower is better

Dubai CommerCity: 5th percentile (AED 30,600) · Licence + registration, AED.

Setup time← lower is better

Dubai CommerCity: 40th percentile (10 days) · Total estimated days from application to operational.

Visa caphigher is better →

Dubai CommerCity: 25th percentile (25 visas) · Absolute maximum visa allocation. Values above 500 clipped to the right edge so the bulk of the distribution stays readable.

Banking ease← better
Easy
4
Moderate
73
Difficult
15
Very difficult
1

Dubai CommerCity: Moderate · Corporate bank account opening difficulty. Each cell is one zone.

03Costs

Year-one license, renewals, and 5-year totals in AED.

30,600
Year 1 minimum · AED
premium tier
Show in
Base licence
AED 25,000
Registration
AED 5,600
Renewal (year 2+)
AED 25,000
3-year total
AED 80,600
2-year visa cost
AED 3,200
Hidden & one-off costs
Establishment card
AED 2,020
Minimum share capital
AED 1,000
Cancellation fee
AED 1,500
Visa renewal
AED 4,000
Visa cancellation
AED 500
Emirates ID (per visa)
AED 390
Dependent / spouse visa
AED 4,140
Year-on-year fee tracking begins 2026 — changes appear here as they accrue.
Indicative, from published ratesOfficial fee schedule ↗Verified 2026-07high confidence

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04Visas & workspace

Visa caps, workspace options, and family-sponsorship rules.

Visa allocation
Maximum visas
25
Flexi-desk cap
2
Office cap
3
Warehouse cap
5
Family sponsorship
Not available
Freelancer permit
Available
Processing time
~15 days
Workspace options
Virtual office
No
Flexi-desk
No
Dedicated office
No
Warehouse
No
Industrial unit
No
Dedicated office cost
AED 97,145/yr
05Banking & setup

Banking difficulty, partner banks, and setup timeline.

Banking
Difficulty
Moderate
Time to account
~20 days
Minimum deposit
AED 25,000
Corp tax rate
0%
Audit cost (est)
AED 8,000
AML / KYC
standard
Partner banks
Emirates NBDFABMashreqRAKBankWio Bank
Neo-bank options
Mashreq NEOBizWio BusinessRAKBANK RAKstarter
Setup timeline
  1. Registration mode
    Fully online — no in-person visit required
  2. Documents & application
    Passport, visa, business plan — ~3–5 days
  3. Licence issued
    ~5 business days after submission
  4. Bank account active
    Additional ~20 days · Moderate banking
  5. Operational
    Typically ~10 days, up to ~21 days
06Package pricing

4 packages from official fee schedules.

All figures in AED, from official fee schedules. Visa and health-insurance costs are additional.

PackageVisasYear 1Renewal
E-Commerce Starter – Virtual – 0 VisasBest value0AED 12,600AED 9,000
E-Commerce Flexi – 1 Activity – 2 Visas2AED 18,500AED 14,000
Office – Digital Commerce – 3 Visas3AED 28,000AED 22,000
Fulfilment Warehouse – E-Commerce – 4 Visas4AED 42,000AED 34,000
07Permitted activities

Activity categories, restrictions, and approval flags.

1500 activitiesMainland selling: Yes

E-commerce (sell own goods online)

Portal / e-marketplace activity

Up to 20 activities from 4 industry groups on one license

Fulfilment, last-mile delivery and bonded warehousing activities

Categories
Digital CommerceBusiness SetupLogisticsStorageRetailEvent Hosting
Matched industry clusters
techlogistics
Restricted
['Regulated activities (financial servicescryptohealtheducation etc.) need external approvals'"Activities must align with the zone's digital-commerce focus"]
08Jurisdiction & ecosystem

Legal framework, tax status, audit requirements, and zone focus — every value sourced.

Common lawNo
VAT designated zoneNo
QFZP eligible (0% tax)Yes
Inferred · 2026-07-18
Mainland permitYes
Inferred · 2026-07-18
Audit requiredNo
Inferred · 2026-07-18
Economic substancestandard
Inferred · 2026-07-18

This zone offers physical-office options sufficient for a standard QFZP substance posture, though the bar still applies at the entity level (CTGFZP1).

Focus: Digital Commerce, eCommerce, Logistics

200+ companiesmedium communityIncubator: No
Notable companies

DHL Express (last-mile partner, on-site), Hellmann Worldwide Logistics (multi-client warehouse operator), JUSDA (smart warehouse / JusLink AI), qeen.ai (agentic AI partner, 2025), Portmind (AI customs platform partner, 2025)

QFZP, audit, mainland-permit and substance values are sourced where the zone authority or FTA publishes them, and inferred from published zone characteristics otherwise. How we determine these values.

09Strengths & limitations

5 strengths · 3 caveats.

Strengths
  • Only free zone in the MEASA region purpose-built for e-commerce, with bonded warehouses, fulfilment centres and last-mile delivery integrated on one campus
  • 5 minutes from Dubai International Airport; on-site customs team with 24/7 clearance
  • VAT designated-zone status allows goods storage/movement outside VAT scope; 0% corporate tax on qualifying income
  • Dual License with Dubai DET gives mainland market access without a mainland office
  • Official banking partnerships (Mashreq NEOBiz, Emirates NBD) ease account opening for a young zone
Caveats
  • No public fee schedule - all pricing is quote-based, making comparison shopping hard
  • Higher entry cost (~AED 28,000-29,000 with smart desk) than general-purpose zones like IFZA or Meydan
  • Young ecosystem (operational since 2021) with a still-small company community and no virtual-office option - a smart desk lease is mandatory

Not ideal for: Budget-first solo sellers or non-commerce businesses (consultants, holding companies) that don't need warehousing - cheaper general-purpose zones (IFZA, Meydan, SHAMS) fit better; also firms wanting a published fee menu and a large established business community.

10Recent developments

2 policy and pricing updates on record.

  1. 2025-Q3Dubai CommerCity signed a strategic partnership with Amazon.ae to create a dedicated seller services desk within the free zone, providing joint licensing and onboarding support for Amazon marketplace sellers establishing UAE legal entities.
  2. 2024-Q4Dubai CommerCity expanded its fulfilment hub capacity by 35%, adding temperature-controlled storage for beauty, wellness, and food supplement e-commerce sellers.
11Tax considerations

4 tax questions relevant to this zone.

Questions to raise with your tax advisor

  1. Does your planned revenue qualify under the QFZP qualifying-income rules?

    QFZP 0% only applies to qualifying income. Mainland trading or revenue from non-free-zone clients is generally non-qualifying and taxed at 9%.

  2. Will you need audited accounts even if this zone doesn't require them?

    FTA corporate-tax filing typically expects audited accounts for revenue above AED 50M, and banks often request them at much lower thresholds.

  3. How much of your revenue will come from mainland UAE customers, and how does that affect QFZP and 5% VAT obligations?

    Mainland revenue beyond ad-hoc levels can disqualify QFZP and triggers full 9% corporate tax plus standard VAT on supplies.

  4. Do any of your customers, suppliers, or shareholders meet the FTA's related-party definition?

    Related-party transactions need transfer-pricing documentation and may push otherwise-qualifying income into the 9% bracket.

These prompts are due-diligence questions, not tax advice. Confirm every answer with a UAE-licensed tax advisor before incorporating.

12Frequently asked

4 common questions specific to Dubai CommerCity.

13Founder Q&A · 5 questions

Real questions from founders evaluating this zone.

Which free zones are best for e-commerce businesses selling physical products to UAE customers?
For e-commerce businesses selling physical products to UAE customers, free zones like Dubai CommerCity, Dubai Airport Freezone (DAFZA), and Jebel Ali Free Zone (JAFZA) are excellent choices. Dubai CommerCity is specifica…
What are the specific licensing requirements for an e-commerce business selling physical goods from a free zone to customers both within the UAE and internationally?
For an e-commerce business selling physical goods from a free zone, you'll need an e-commerce or trading license from your chosen free zone. If selling to customers within the UAE mainland, you'll also need to register f…
How can you set up an e-commerce business in Dubai free zones?
To set up e-commerce in Dubai free zones, choose a relevant free zone (e.g., DMCC, Dubai CommerCity), apply for an e-commerce license, submit required documents, and register for VAT if turnover exceeds AED 375,000. Setu…
What are the top free zones in the UAE for e-commerce businesses?
Top UAE free zones for e-commerce include DMCC, Dubai CommerCity (dedicated e-commerce free zone), Sharjah Media City (Shams), and Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone (RAKEZ). Each offers competitive licensing fees, digital inf…
What are the benefits of setting up an LLC or free zone entity for an e-commerce business in the United Arab Emirates (UAE)?
LLCs allow direct mainland trading with UAE customers and government contracts but require a local sponsor. Free zone entities offer 100% foreign ownership, tax exemptions, and simplified setup but restrict mainland sale…
14Similar zones in Dubai

3 comparable zones in the same emirate.

15About this data

Last verified 2026-07-18 · high confidence.

Dubai CommerCity data is sourced from official zone authority publications, government fee schedules, and where available, verified against direct communications with the zone. All figures in AED.

Location
Umm Ramool, Dubai (adjacent to Dubai International Airport DXB)
Established
2021
Authority
Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority (DIEZ)
Last verified
2026-07-18
Confidence
high
Methodology
How we score →
Cited source
Fee data sourced from the official fee schedule, fetched 2026-07-18. View source ↗
Per-field citations
How we verify every zone →
16Founder reviews

What founders who've registered here say.

3.8★Google

Founder reviews

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17Take the next step

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