Ajman Free Zone Business Setup: The Complete 2025 Guide to Starting Your UAE Company the Smart Way
Most people think setting up in the UAE means either paying Dubai-level prices or getting stuck with a silent local partner who takes 51%. Wrong. Right now, thousands of business owners quietly run profitable companies from Ajman Free Zone with zero taxes, 100% ownership, and packages that start below AED 6,000. No catch, no hidden sponsor, no nonsense.
This 1,300-word guide gives you every single detail you actually need in 2025: real current prices, exact steps, visa quotas, bank accounts that open fast, common traps, and the advantages nobody talks about on Instagram. Read it once, save tens of thousands, and launch in under two weeks.
Why Ajman Free Zone Suddenly Became the Smart Choice
Ajman is the smallest emirate, but its free zone punches way above its weight.
- 25–30 minutes from DXB Airport
- Direct highway link to Sharjah, Dubai, and the new Etihad Rail freight terminal
- Own deep-water port with 50–60% lower handling charges than Jebel Ali
- Electricity rates are almost half of Dubai Internet City
- Office rents starting at AED 180/sqm (compare that to DIFC’s AED 400+)
In 2024–2025, the authority launched three new specialized clusters:
- E-commerce & Logistics Hub
- Creative & Media City
- Healthcare & Pharma Zone
That pushed total registered companies past 18,000, with Indians, Chinese, Pakistanis, Brits, and Russians leading the pack.
Full List of Licenses and What They Actually Let You Do
- Commercial License: Buy, sell, import, export, distribute anything legal
- General Trading License: Trade in almost every product category under one roof (slightly higher fee)
- E-commerce License: Perfect for Amazon FBA sellers, Shopify stores, and digital products
- Service/Consulting License: Management consulting, IT services, marketing agencies, and education
- Professional/Freelance Permit: Designers, developers, journalists, trainers (lowest cost option)
- Industrial License: Assembly, packaging, labeling, light manufacturing
- Holding License: For owning shares or real estate in other UAE companies
You can combine up to 6–8 activities from the same group on one license, and change or add later for AED 1,000–2,000.
Real 2025 Prices, No Consultant Markup
Official packages straight from the authority portal (November 2025):
Zero Visa Packages (perfect for digital nomads & solo founders)
- Flexi Desk (shared): AED 5,500–6,500
- Virtual Office only: AED 3,999 (new in 2025)
1–3 Visa Packages
- Smart Office 15 sqm: AED 12,000–14,500
- Smart Office 25 sqm: AED 16,000–18,500
4–8 Visa Packages
- Executive Suite 35–65 sqm: AED 24,000–38,000
Warehouses & Factories
- 150–300 sqm light industrial units: AED 35–45 per sqm
- 1,000+ sqm warehouses: AED 28–32 per sqm
- MECHANICAL workshops with 7–14-meter height are also available.
First-year medical insurance and an establishment card are included in most packages now. Renewal drops 10–20% from year two.
The Exact 9-Step Process That Takes 5–14 Days
- Visit ajmanfreezone.ae and click “Start Your Business”
- Fill pre-approval form (takes 3 minutes)
- Choose 2–3 trade names – Arabic + English versions accepted
- Upload passport copy, digital photo, and short description of activities
- Receive payment link (pay by card or bank transfer)
- Sign Memorandum & Lease Agreement electronically
- Get License + Establishment Card in PDF, same day or next
- Apply for investor/employee visas through the portal
- Do medical & Emirates ID at the free zone clinic (walk-in, same morning)
That’s literally it. No notary, no chamber of commerce visits, no physical signing required anymore.
Visa Rules Explained Simply
- Every 9–10 sqm of physical office = 1 residence visa
- Flexi-desk = 1 visa
- 25 sqm office = 3 visas
- Warehouses give 1 visa per 50–60 sqm
- Investor visa now valid 10 years (aligned with golden visa rules)
- Dependents (spouse + kids) count as extra visas against your quota
- Overstayers no longer block new visas after paying the fine online
Medical test costs AED 350, Emirates ID AED 370 for 3 years.
Best Banks That Open Accounts Fast in 2025
These banks have relationship managers inside or next to the free zone:
- Mashreq NeoBiz – 100% online, opens in 48–72 hours
- Wio Bank – Zero monthly fees for first year, great for startups
- RAKBANK Business – Likes traders, fast limits
- Emirates NBD One-Stop Shop inside the free zone building
- Ajman Bank – Very friendly with new companies
Documents needed: license, lease, establishment card, passport copies, 3-month personal bank statements (some waive this now).
Little-Known Advantages That Save Real Money
- Same-day customs code – start importing the day you get your license
- Direct container unloading at Ajman Port (saves AED 2,000–4,000 per 40ft container vs Dubai)
- Cheaper staff housing in Ajman city (AED 2,500 studio vs AED 6,000 in Dubai Marina)
- Chinese and Indian trade delegations have permanent offices here – perfect for sourcing
- You can hold bank accounts in Chinese Yuan, Indian Rupees, or Russian Rubles without conversion fees
- VAT registration threshold still AED 375,000 – stay below and pay nothing
The 7 Biggest Mistakes Newcomers Make (And How to Avoid Them)
- Paying consultants AED 15,000–25,000 when the authority does it for AED 6,000
- Choosing flexi-desk then needing 4 visas six months later (forces expensive upgrade)
- Adding 20 activities “just in case” and paying triple fees
- Opening a personal bank account first instead of corporate (delays everything)
- Renting warehouse without checking 3-phase power and floor load capacity
- Forgetting to cancel previous UAE visas (blocks new ones)
- Believing Instagram ads that promise “license in 24 hours with 5 visas for AED 9,999” – they’re fake
Who Should Choose Ajman Free Zone in 2025
Perfect match for:
- Amazon/online sellers wanting their own UAE entity
- Trading companies moving stock through the region
- Consultants and agencies tired of golden visa games
- Light manufacturers escaping China+1 tariffs
- Startups that need a real UAE address and bank account fast
Skip it if you need a massive factory (go to KIZAD) or want to sell directly to UAE consumers (mainland LLC might be better).
Conclusion
Ajman Free Zone removed almost every barrier that used to scare people away from the UAE. You get the same tax benefits and reputation as Dubai, but at 40–60% lower cost and twice the speed.
Real companies, some doing eight-figure turnover, started right here with the AED 6,000 flexi package and scaled up when ready.
Stop overthinking. Go to the official portal today, pick your package, and have your UAE company running before next weekend.
The emirate might be small, but the opportunity just got massive.
