This guide sets out how to open a company in DPC in 2026: the stages, verified tariffs, premises requirements and the tax regime. The figures are checked against the official TECOM Group resources and open sources for 2025–2026.
Why businesses choose DPC
It is one of the few Dubai free zones that offers genuine production space for print and packaging.
- TECOM’s core specialisation: publishing, print and packaging manufacturing
- 100% foreign ownership and free profit repatriation, with no local partner
- Formats to match the task: offices, warehouses and open yards — not just desks
- More affordable rents than prestige neighbours such as DMC and DIC
- A single axs portal for licence, lease and visas — fewer trips to the administration
- Access to Qualifying Free Zone Person status with 0% tax on qualifying income
Steps to register a company in DPC
The scheme is standard for TECOM, but production companies also have to choose their premises.
- Define your activities — printing, publishing, packaging, media production — and the company form
- Reserve the name and obtain initial approval within 5–7 days
- Prepare the documents: founders’ passports, business plan, articles of association and shareholder forms
- Pay the registration and licence fees per the administration’s offer
- Choose the premises: office, warehouse or production space matched to your visa quota
- Obtain the licence and establishment card, open an account and arrange residence visas
An office company fits into four to six weeks, going by TECOM zone practice. A production project takes longer: selecting the site, approving equipment and installing it add weeks, sometimes months.
Cost of setting up a company in DPC (2026)
The DPC administration publishes its tariffs on request, especially for warehouses and production space. The baseline for planning is the common TECOM zone tariff set, according to open sources.
| Cost item | Amount, AED | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Registration fee | 3 520 | One-off; common TECOM zone tariff per open sources |
| Licence (annual) | from 15,020 | Per open sources; the exact tariff is on request |
| Office or workstation | around 36,000 | Per year, a guide from neighbouring TECOM zones; in DPC, on request |
| Warehouse / production space | on request | Calculated by floor area and intended use |
| Establishment card | 2 000 | Mandatory for the visa quota |
| Residence visa | 5 370 | Visa 4,220 + medical 760 + Emirates ID 390; refundable deposit 2,500 |
| First-year total | from 26,000 + premises | Registration, licence, card and one visa, excluding rent |
The real budget of a printing house or packaging plant comes down to the premises: floor area, electrical capacity and logistics. Request the administration’s offer before you finalise the business plan — the figures are locked in there.
Taxation in DPC
DPC residents follow the general UAE rules: 9% corporate tax on profit above AED 375,000 per year, and 0% below the threshold. VAT is 5%; registration is mandatory once taxable turnover reaches AED 375,000. Manufacturers and publishers with export revenue and a genuine presence in the zone may qualify for Qualifying Free Zone Person status and a 0% rate on qualifying income. The conditions are set by the FTA — check them before registering.
Who DPC is right for
- Printing houses and packaging manufacturers that need production space and a licence in a single zone
- Publishers and media production companies of regional scale
- Growing studios and agencies looking to balance price with proximity to the TECOM clusters
“In DPC the main variable is the premises: the licence and fees are standard for TECOM, but the floor area, capacity and warehouse logistics can shift the budget several times over. Start with the offer on the site — the rest is technicalities”, notes a senior lawyer at Dynasty Business Adviser.
Set up your company in DPC with Dynasty Business Adviser
We will find the right site for your production or office, agree the licence, and arrange visas and a bank account. Send us a request — we will prepare a launch estimate for DPC tailored to your project.
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Pricing data is current as of the publication date (13 July 2026) and verified against open sources, including dpc.ae and tecomgroup.ae; please confirm tariffs directly with the zone administration before payment.
