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Tier 2 · Abu Dhabi

Tawazun Industrial Park

Tawazun Industrial Park (TIP); hosts 'The Free zone dedicated to the military and security sector in Tawazun Industrial Park' (UAE Ministry of Economy free-zone listing name)

Al Ajban (northeast Abu Dhabi, between Abu Dhabi and Dubai; PO Box 136565) · Est. 2012 · Tawazun Council for Defence Enablement (formerly Tawazun Economic Council)

AED 30,000 – AED 48,950/ yr
high confidenceVerified 18 Jul 2026official ↗
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Best for

Defence, security, aerospace and advanced/dual-use manufacturers (OEMs and their supply chains) that need secure industrial facilities, regulator proximity and UAE defence-market access.

Not ideal for

General traders, freelancers, startups outside the defence/strategic-manufacturing scope, and any business needing transparent online pricing, flexi desks or rapid self-serve setup.

01Capability profile

Six independent dimensions, scored from official zone data.

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Banking10/15
?
Visa scale15/15
?
Cost (lower=better)10/20
?
Activity breadth12/25
?
Workspace options0/15
?
Location8/10
02Where Tawazun Industrial Park sits

Tick marks for every zone, Tawazun Industrial Park highlighted. The shape of the field, not just the rank.

Year 1 cost← lower is better

Tawazun Industrial Park: 7th percentile (AED 30,000) · Licence + registration, AED.

Setup time← lower is better

Tawazun Industrial Park: 65th percentile (7 days) · Total estimated days from application to operational.

Visa caphigher is better →

Tawazun Industrial Park: 83th percentile (200 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

Tawazun Industrial Park: Moderate · Corporate bank account opening difficulty. Each cell is one zone.

03Costs

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

30,000
– 48,950
Year 1 range · AED
mid tier
Show in
Base licence
AED 20,000
Registration
AED 10,000
Renewal (year 2+)
AED 20,000
3-year total
AED 70,000
2-year visa cost
AED 3,200
Hidden & one-off costs
Establishment card
AED 1,000
Visa renewal
AED 2,000
Visa cancellation
AED 1,000
Emirates ID (per visa)
AED 370
Dependent / spouse visa
AED 2,500
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
200
Flexi-desk cap
0
Office cap
10
Warehouse cap
1
Family sponsorship
Available
Freelancer permit
Not available
Golden visa
Available
Green visa
Available
Medical required
Yes
Processing time
~3 days
Workspace options
Virtual office
No
Flexi-desk
No
Dedicated office
No
Warehouse
No
Industrial unit
No
05Banking & setup

Banking difficulty, partner banks, and setup timeline.

Banking
Difficulty
Moderate
Time to account
~14 days
Minimum deposit
AED 15,000
Corp tax rate
0%
Audit cost (est)
AED 15,000
UBO filing
Required
AML / KYC
enhanced (defence & dual-use sector: Tawazun Council industrial compliance regime plus bank export-control screening)
Partner banks
First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB)ADCBContact zone authority for banking guidance
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
    ~3 business days after submission
  4. Bank account active
    Additional ~14 days · Moderate banking
  5. Operational
    Typically ~7 days, up to ~21 days
06Package pricing

3 packages from official fee schedules.

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

PackageVisasYear 1Renewal
Industrial Unit – Defence & Aerospace – Office IncludedBest value5AED 35,000AED 28,000
Advanced Manufacturing Facility – Large Plot10AED 65,000AED 55,000
R&D Laboratory Unit – Tech4AED 30,000AED 24,000
07Permitted activities

Activity categories, restrictions, and approval flags.

not published as a count (prior pack '8' unsourced); official site lists 12 focus-sector clusters activitiesDual license: Yes

Defence & security manufacturing (free-zone activities per Feb 2023 designation: electronic & technological activities, precision/clear-cut metal industries, safety & security, R&D, logistics services)

Space & aviation activities (per Tawazun 2025 foresight cluster list)

Dual-use / advanced high-tech manufacturing welcomed alongside core defence

Categories
Small ArmsAmmunitionPyrotechnicsElectronicsRadar SystemsLand SystemsBasic Metal IndustryPrecision ManufacturingOil and Gas Support ServicesMaintenance Services (MRO)TestingResearch & Development
Matched industry clusters
techindustriallogistics
Restricted
["Activities outside defence/security/strategic manufacturing scope are not the zone's focus"'Commercial trading/retail licences of general free-zone type not offered']
Require approval
All military/security products and activities - Tawazun Council conformity & licensing (Resolutions 15 & 16 of 2024 on military/security products and evaluation centres)Abu Dhabi Civil Defence approvalsMinistry of Economy / ADDED registrations (TIP one-stop shop expedites)
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: Defence & security manufacturing, Aerospace & space, Land systems & vehicles, Small arms & ammunition, Electronics & radar, Precision & advanced manufacturing, Oil & gas support services, MRO & testing, R&D / dual-use technology

45 (per WAM/The National, May 2026); zone's own 2025 figure: 41 tenants companiessmall (41 tenants / 7,511 employees - boutique sector cluster) communityNetworking events: Yes
Notable companies

L3Harris, RUAG, Caracal (EDGE), Al Tariq (formerly Tawazun Dynamics, EDGE), LAHAB Defence Systems (EDGE), Milanion, Nimr (EDGE), Tawazun Precision Industries (EDGE), Burkan Munitions Systems, Raytheon Emirates (production/assembly facility), Saab (production centre), Calidus, International Golden Group (EDGE)

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

11 strengths · 4 caveats.

Strengths
  • ["The UAE's flagship defence & security industrial cluster: 22.61 km2 secure park
  • 2.8 km2 free zone
  • 41 tenants incl. L3Harris
  • RUAG and EDGE entities"
  • 'Purpose-built industrial product ladder (incubator 450 sqm -> LIU 1
  • 000 -> MIU 2
  • 000 -> HIU 2
  • 800 sqm -> custom land plots) with utilities and 24/7 FM on site'
  • '12-24 months rent-free on long-term industrial land; duty-free machinery/raw-material imports and tariff-free GCC/MENA access'
  • 'Direct proximity to regulator and end customer (Tawazun Council manages UAE defence procurement); one-stop shop incl. on-site Amer visa services'
  • 'Specialised defence financing routes via EDB and Strategic Development Fund']
Caveats
  • Zero public pricing: licence, lease and visa costs are bespoke and only available on inquiry
  • Narrow sector gate: only defence, security, aerospace and aligned strategic manufacturers admitted; security clearances add time
  • Not a VAT designated zone; standard 5% VAT and 0%/9% QFZP corporate tax rules apply
  • No flexi-desk/virtual-office or freelance products - unsuitable for asset-light service businesses

Not ideal for: General traders, freelancers, startups outside the defence/strategic-manufacturing scope, and any business needing transparent online pricing, flexi desks or rapid self-serve setup.

10Recent developments

2 policy and pricing updates on record.

  1. 2025-Q1Tawazun Economic Council announced expanded industrial plots within Tawazun Industrial Park for advanced manufacturing tenants participating in the UAE's defence localisation strategy, targeting 50% local content in defence procurement by 2030.
  2. 2024-Q4Tawazun Industrial Park added a dedicated robotics and autonomous systems cluster as part of Abu Dhabi's push to develop sovereign capability in defence technology manufacturing.
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 Tawazun Industrial Park.

13Similar zones in Abu Dhabi

3 comparable zones in the same emirate.

14About this data

Last verified 2026-07-18 · high confidence.

Tawazun Industrial Park 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
Al Ajban (northeast Abu Dhabi, between Abu Dhabi and Dubai; PO Box 136565)
Established
2012
Authority
Tawazun Council for Defence Enablement (formerly Tawazun Economic Council)
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 →
15Founder reviews

What founders who've registered here say.

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16Take the next step

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