Ras Al KhaimahEst. 2017Updated Nov 2026
Quick answer
RAKEZ (Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone) is the government authority that licenses free zone and non-free zone companies across several business and industrial areas in Ras Al Khaimah. It suits cost-conscious founders, small traders and consultants, and also manufacturers who need land or warehouses. A no-visa licence starts from around AED 6,000 a year, and a one-visa setup typically lands around AED 12,000 to 15,000 in fees before medical and ID costs. A licence is usually issued within a few working days once documents are complete.
Prices checked 7 November 2026
In 2026 a RAKEZ licence typically starts from around AED 6,000 without a visa, and each residence visa adds about AED 4,500 to 6,000 once immigration, medical and ID fees are counted. These are market estimates gathered from public package pages and setup providers, not an official RAKEZ tariff, so confirm the current fee on a quotation before you pay.
| Cost item | Typical estimate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Licence and registration (zero-visa package) | Around AED 5,500 – 6,500 | Includes registration and a flexi facility in most promotions |
| One-visa package | Typically AED 12,000 – 14,000 in total | Price depends on facility type and promotions |
| Establishment card and immigration file | Approximately AED 1,000 – 1,500 | |
| Residence visa per person (all-in) | Around AED 4,500 – 6,000 | Employee visas sit lower, investor or partner visas a little higher; status change adds a bit |
| Executive office upgrade (optional) | Roughly AED 15,000 – 30,000 a year | Varies by zone and size |
| Warehouse lease (optional) | Quoted per square metre; small units from around AED 30,000 a year | Al Hamra Industrial units start from about 150 sqm |
| Annual licence renewal | Typically AED 5,500 – 6,500 for a zero-visa licence | Visa packages renew higher; late penalty about AED 50 per day |
A lean one-visa company usually spends about AED 15,000 to 20,000 in year one once medical, ID and card fees are added. Hidden costs to plan for include the immigration deposit if your package does not cover it, insurance for the visa holder, attestation of corporate documents for corporate shareholders, audited accounts if you claim the free zone tax rate, and the AED 50 per day penalty if renewal slips. Non-free zone entities also pay chamber and RAK economic department charges, which RAKEZ collects but does not set.
Market estimates from our research, not a quote. Cost Calculator
Ras Al Khaimah set up RAKEZ in 2017 to bring two older bodies under one roof: the RAK Free Trade Zone, which had been licensing small companies since around 2000, and the RAK Investment Authority, which handled industrial land. The result is one regulator that can give a solo consultant a desk and a steel fabricator a 20,000 square metre plot, using the same application system.
What makes RAKEZ different from most Dubai free zones is its physical spread. Instead of one tower cluster, it runs a set of separate areas. Al Nakheel Business Zone hosts the head office and business centres used by SMEs and freelancers. Al Hamra Business Zone offers more desks and offices closer to the main highway. Then there are three industrial areas: Al Ghail for large-scale manufacturing on plots of 5,000 square metres and above, Al Hamra Industrial Zone for light and high-tech industry with ready warehouses, and Al Hulaila for heavier industrial work. An academic zone covers schools and training providers.
Another feature founders often miss is the dual licensing option. RAKEZ can register a free zone entity, which mainly trades internationally and with other free zone companies, or a non-free zone entity, which is set up to deal with the local Ras Al Khaimah market. The non-free zone route links into the RAK Department of Economic Development and the chamber, so it brings extra third-party fees, but it can save you from opening a separate mainland company later.
The community is very mixed. You will find e-commerce sellers, recruitment and marketing agencies, general traders shipping to Africa and South Asia, and food, building-material and packaging factories. India is one of the largest source markets, and RAKEZ ran a multi-city roadshow there in early 2026. Industrial tenants range from small workshops in pre-built units to international groups building their own plants.
Growth has been fast. Official UAE news agency coverage in April 2026 reported roughly 19,000 new companies registered with RAKEZ during 2025, a rise of more than 40 percent on 2024. Recent additions include self-storage units and open yards at Al Hamra Industrial Zone, plus new industrial park agreements with Chinese and European manufacturers. For a small company this mostly means a busy system, so submit clean documents to avoid queues.
Buy online and upload your passport straight away, or request a tailored quote.
Ras Al Khaimah Trade Licence — Basic
RAKEZ price: AED 6,010
You save AED 1,890
Not included
Ras Al Khaimah Trade Licence — Standard
If bought separately: AED 8,585
You save AED 3,435
Not included
Ras Al Khaimah Trade Licence — Premium
If bought separately: AED 11,366
You save AED 4,156
Not included
RAKEZ price = the official 1-year price in the RAKEZ 2025 factsheet for the same package. Our prices include card fees. Going direct to RAKEZ? Their own bank account service costs over AED 2,000, and urgent processing costs extra. Government medical test and Emirates ID fees may apply. The final price is confirmed before payment.
The same RAKEZ licence with up to 10 activities and 50 shareholders, a coworking facility and 2-year visas. Pick the number of visas and your plan.
Basic
Not included
Standard
Not included
Premium
Not included
RAKEZ price = the official 1-year price in the RAKEZ 2025 factsheet for the same package. Our prices include card fees. Going direct to RAKEZ? Their own bank account service costs over AED 2,000, and urgent processing costs extra. Government medical test and Emirates ID fees may apply. The final price is confirmed before payment.
| Package | Visas | Activities | Office | Price (from) | Actions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
RAKEZ Licence Only — 10 Activities Offer | 0 | 10 | Flexi-desk | AED 4,119 | |
RAKEZ Starter (no visa) | 0 | 3 | Flexi-desk | AED 6,180 | |
RAKEZ Licence + 1 Visa — 5 Activities Offer | 1 | 5 | Flexi-desk | AED 7,725 | |
RAKEZ 1 Visa Package | 1 | 3 | Flexi-desk | AED 11,021 | |
RAKEZ 2 Visa Package | 2 | 5 | Flexi-desk | AED 15,347 |
Prices are “from” estimates and subject to free zone fees. Confirm the final quote with our advisor before you pay.
Buy, sell, import and export goods.
Sell your skills and services.
Manufacture, assemble and process.
Sell online from your own store or marketplaces.
Work for yourself, legally, with a visa.
Content, publishing, film and influencers.
Hold shares, assets and IP.
Not sure your exact activity is allowed? Ask an advisor on WhatsApp.
Decide whether you need a desk in Al Nakheel or Al Hamra, an office, or industrial space, because the facility controls your visa allocation and price. Industrial founders should ask for site availability early, since good plots and ready warehouses can be waitlisted.
Select your activities from the RAKEZ activity list and confirm whether you want a free zone or non-free zone entity. Some activities, such as food, healthcare, education or chemicals, need an external approval, so ask whether yours does before paying.
Send passport copies, a photo, contact details and three trade name choices, either directly or through an advisor. Names must follow RAKEZ rules: a personal name has to be written in full, and RAKEZ may reject or suggest alternatives.
After pre-approval you receive the lease agreement, company documents such as the memorandum of association and the invoice. Signing is usually digital, and the declared share capital is written into the documents rather than deposited.
Once paid, the licence and certificate are issued electronically, often within a few working days. You then get access to RAKEZ Portal 360, which you use for later amendments, visa requests and renewals.
Request the establishment card, then the entry permit or status change for each visa holder. The person completes a medical test and Emirates ID biometrics, and the visa is stamped electronically.
Use your licence, MoA and visa to apply to a bank. Register for corporate tax with the Federal Tax Authority within the deadline, and for VAT if your sales pass the threshold.
You can upload these securely after checkout.
RAKEZ ties the number of visas you can hold to the facility you rent. A flexi desk normally supports only one or a very small number of visas, smart desks and offices allow more, and warehouses and land plots scale with the size of the unit. Package names change often, so read the visa number printed on the quotation, not on an old blog.
The process starts with your establishment card. RAKEZ then issues an entry permit for someone outside the UAE, or a change of status for someone already in the country. After entry, the person does a medical fitness test and Emirates ID biometrics in Ras Al Khaimah or at an approved centre, and the residence visa is issued for two years in most cases.
Owners can hold an investor or partner visa, while staff receive employment visas. Dependants such as a spouse and children can be sponsored separately once the sponsor meets the salary rules. If you plan to grow beyond your allocation, ask RAKEZ for the price of moving to the next facility size, because adding visas usually means upgrading space rather than paying a simple fee.
Minimum share capital: no fixed minimum for most activities
RAKEZ is one of the older and larger licensing authorities, so UAE banks see its licences often. That helps, but it does not replace a clear file. Banks will look at your activity, where your money comes from, who your customers are and whether you live in the UAE. A flexi desk company with no visa and only foreign clients may be asked for more paperwork or offered a digital account first.
Ras Al Khaimah has its own home-grown lender, and the large national banks and newer digital banks also onboard RAKEZ companies. Prepare a short business plan, sample invoices or contracts, proof of address and your shareholders' CVs, and expect the review to take a few weeks.
Ras Al Khaimah is the most northern emirate on the west coast, roughly 45 to 75 minutes by road from the northern edge of Dubai depending on traffic and which RAKEZ area you use. The Emirates Road and the Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road connect the business zones to Sharjah and Dubai. The Al Hamra areas sit close to the main highway and to Ras Al Khaimah International Airport, while Al Nakheel is near the older city centre.
Industrial tenants benefit from Saqr Port in the north of the emirate, which handles bulk and container cargo, and from road links to Oman. Dubai International and Sharjah airports are both reachable in about an hour, which matters for founders who travel often.
Most consultancies, agencies and small traders without stock choose a desk or office in Al Nakheel or Al Hamra Business Zone. If you will hold goods, look at the warehouse units in Al Hamra Industrial Zone so storage and licence sit together.
A free zone entity mainly trades outside the UAE or with other free zone companies. A non-free zone entity is licensed to deal with the local Ras Al Khaimah market as well, but it pays extra chamber and economic department fees each year.
No. RAKEZ states that there is no grace period, so the licence is late from the day after the expiry date. Start the renewal at least a month before expiry so documents and payments clear in time.
The RAKEZ renewal checklist sets a late renewal charge of AED 50 per day from the licence expiry date. Third-party fines on your immigration file, chamber membership or RAK economic department licence can come on top, and RAKEZ does not cover those.
Yes, flexi desk packages can include a visa, but the allocation is small, often just one. If you need several staff visas, a smart office, executive office or warehouse gives you a larger quota.
Yes. Al Hamra Industrial Zone offers pre-built warehouses from small units of around 150 square metres up to very large sheds, plus open yards and self-storage. Land plots for your own building are mainly in Al Ghail and Al Hulaila.
It can serve clients across the UAE in many service activities and can sell goods to the mainland through a local distributor or importer of record. For direct onshore trading in Dubai you would usually need a Dubai mainland licence or branch.
Yes. You keep the same company and licence number and apply through Portal 360 to change facility. You pay the difference in rent and any amendment fee, and your visa allocation rises with the new space.
No. RAK ICC is a separate Ras Al Khaimah registry for international business companies that do not get UAE residence visas or office space. RAKEZ issues operating licences with facilities and visas.
Expect roughly AED 4,500 to 6,000 per person for a RAKEZ residence visa once the entry permit or status change, medical test and Emirates ID are added. Investor and partner visas tend to cost a few hundred dirhams more than employee visas, so confirm the current fee for your case.
For a one-visa company RAKEZ is usually several thousand dirhams cheaper in year one, with market quotes near AED 12,000 to 14,000 against roughly AED 17,000 to 21,000 at IFZA. IFZA gives you a Dubai address in Dubai Silicon Oasis, which some clients and banks prefer, so weigh the saving against where you and your customers actually are.
A zero-visa RAKEZ licence usually renews for around AED 5,500 to 6,500, while packages with visas renew higher because the facility and quota cost more. Visa renewals every two years are a separate bill, so add them to your year-three budget.
RAKEZ packages start from an estimated AED 4,120 for a licence without visas. Visa packages cost more. Annual renewal is estimated from AED 6,180. Confirm the latest fees with our advisor before you pay.
Around 5 working days for the licence once your documents are complete. Residence visas usually take 1–3 more weeks.
Up to 6 visas, depending on the package and office type you choose.
Yes. Free zone companies can be 100% foreign-owned.
Usually not for the licence — it can be done online. You will need to be in the UAE for the visa medical test and Emirates ID biometrics.
Researched by the Freezone King advisory team, last checked 7 November 2026. Freezone King is an independent business setup advisor, not part of RAKEZ. Fees change; confirm before you pay.
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