01
100% Foreign Ownership
Most mainland activities no longer need a local sponsor. Free zones have always allowed full ownership.
We handle the license, the paperwork, the visas and the bank account — you focus on the business. Mainland, free zone or offshore, A&A Associate takes you from decision to trading in weeks.
The opportunity
Abu Dhabi is the capital of the UAE and its largest emirate. It holds most of the country’s oil wealth. But that is no longer the whole story.
The emirate is spending heavily to grow beyond oil. Technology, finance, manufacturing, tourism and renewable energy are all expanding. Hub71 backs startups. The Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) offers incentives to new businesses. ADGM has become one of the region’s leading financial centres.
Most mainland activities no longer need a local sponsor. Free zones have always allowed full ownership.
No personal income tax. Corporate tax is 0% up to AED 375,000 profit and 9% above. Qualifying free zone income can stay at 0%.
Federal agencies and giants like ADNOC are headquartered here. An Abu Dhabi license puts you close to that spending.
Choose your route
This is the first decision in any company setup in Abu Dhabi. It shapes your costs, your ownership and where you can trade.
| Mainland | Free Zone | Offshore | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trade anywhere in the UAE | Yes | Inside the zone* | No — international |
| Foreign ownership | 100% for most activities | 100% | 100% |
| Government contracts | Yes | Limited | No |
| Office requirement | Flexible — Tajer needs none | Flexi-desk options | None |
| Best for | Local customers, retail, contracts | Exporters, tech, media, finance | Holding assets, international trade |
*Or across the mainland with a dual license, where eligible.
A simple rule of thumb. If your customers are in the UAE, go mainland. If they are abroad, a free zone usually costs less. If you just need a holding structure, offshore may fit.
Abu Dhabi has several free zones, each built for a sector: ADGM (finance), KEZAD (industry and logistics), Masdar City (clean tech), twofour54 (media) and Abu Dhabi Airport Free Zone (aviation and logistics). See our Abu Dhabi free zone setup page for details on each.
License categories
Your business activity decides your license. Abu Dhabi issues six main types through the Abu Dhabi Registration and Licensing Authority (ADRA), part of the Department of Economic Development (ADDED):
Trading, import, export and retail.
Consultants, engineers, designers and other services.
Manufacturing and processing.
Hotels, travel agencies and tour operators.
Farming and related trade.
Skilled trades and crafts.
One company can hold more than one activity. ADDED lists over 2,000 approved activities, so almost any business model fits somewhere. Choosing the wrong activity means paying to amend the license later — it is the first thing our consultants check.
Build on the right foundation
The second choice is your legal form. The most common are:
Most of our clients end up with an LLC or a free zone entity. But branches and holding structures can save real money in the right situation. We advise on this for free before you commit.
Seven clear steps
Here is the full process. With clean documents, it can take as little as one to three weeks — and eligible activities can get an Instant License faster.
This fixes your license type, fees and approvals.
LLC, sole establishment, branch or free zone entity.
It must follow UAE naming rules and not clash with existing names.
Applied for through the TAMM platform. Some activities also need sector approvals — health, tourism, food and education, for example.
Needed for LLCs and partnerships. It sets out shares and responsibilities.
Lease an office, take a flexi-desk, or skip it with a Tajer license where eligible.
ADRA issues the license. You can then apply for visas and open a corporate bank account.
We run every one of these steps for you, including the government portal work and Arabic documentation.
Prepare your file
For a standard mainland company, keep these ready:
Passport copies of all shareholders and managers
Emirates ID and visa copies, for UAE residents
Passport-size photos
Three proposed trade names
Brief description of your business activity
Memorandum of Association — we draft it for you
Tenancy contract (Tawtheeq) if your activity needs premises
Branches and regulated activities need a few extras, such as parent-company documents or an NOC. We confirm the exact list on the first call.
Plan your investment
Business setup in Abu Dhabi typically costs AED 8,000 to AED 30,000+ for the first year, excluding some visa and office expenses. The final cost depends on your business activity, license type, visa requirements and office space.
Fees change, and the right structure changes the total more than any single fee. Tell us your activity and headcount and we will give you a fixed, written quote — no surprises at renewal. You can also try our cost calculator.
Beyond formation
The license is the start, not the finish. Most new owners need four more things:
For you, family and staff — including Golden Visa options for investors.
We prepare the file banks actually want to see. Bank account opening.
Corporate tax registration is mandatory; VAT applies past AED 375,000 turnover. Corporate tax services.
Required for corporate tax filing. Accounting services.
Because A&A Associate is also an accounting and tax firm, you get all of this from one team instead of three suppliers.
One team, from day one
Plenty of firms will register a company for you. Here is what we do differently:
License, visas, bank account, accounting, tax and legal — one team, one point of contact.
We compare mainland, free zone and offshore against your actual plans before you pay for anything.
Government fees shown separately. No hidden charges at renewal.
Renewals, amendments and approvals handled after setup, not just during it.
Clear answers
Most mainland setups land between AED 15,000 and AED 35,000 all-in for the first year, depending on activity, visas and office. Free zone packages can start lower. We give fixed written quotes after a short call.
Typically one to three weeks with complete documents. Eligible activities can get an Instant License through TAMM much faster.
Yes. Free zones have always allowed it, and since 2021 most mainland activities allow 100% foreign ownership too. A small list of strategic activities still has conditions — we check yours before you commit.
Not always. The Tajer Abu Dhabi license covers many activities with no office at all, and free zones offer flexi-desks. Activities that need premises require a registered Tawtheeq lease.
A mainland company can trade anywhere in the UAE and bid for government work. A free zone company gets 100% ownership and sector-built infrastructure, but generally trades inside its zone or internationally unless it adds a dual license.
UAE corporate tax is 0% on profits up to AED 375,000 and 9% above that. Qualifying free zone companies can pay 0% on qualifying income. Every company must register for corporate tax, even if it owes nothing.
The Abu Dhabi Registration and Licensing Authority (ADRA), under the Department of Economic Development (ADDED). Applications run through the TAMM platform. Free zone licenses come from each zone’s own authority.
Yes. We handle activity selection, trade name, approvals, the MOA, license issue, visas, bank account and your ongoing accounting and tax. You sign; we do the rest.