This guide gives you a current picture for 2026: the steps to open a company in DKP, verified fees, the GoFreelance option for independent professionals and the tax regime. The figures are cross-checked against official TECOM Group resources and open-source data.
Why businesses choose DKP
The zone is tightly focused on education and workforce services — that is its main advantage.
- A dedicated environment for training centres, HR agencies and workforce-development consultants
- 100% foreign ownership and free profit repatriation with no local partner
- GoFreelance permit at AED 7,500 a year for trainers, coaches, researchers and education consultants
- Right next to DIC and DMC — corporate clients for training and staffing are on your doorstep
- Licence, tenancy and visas handled through the single axs portal, with no paperwork hassle
- Access to Qualifying Free Zone Person status with 0% tax on qualifying income
Steps to register a company in DKP
The workflow follows the TECOM standard: model approval first, then incorporation and visas.
- Choose your activities — training, HR consulting, recruitment — and the company form (usually an FZ-LLC)
- Reserve the name and obtain initial approval from the authority in 5–7 days
- Prepare the documents: founders’ passports, a business plan, the articles of association and shareholder forms
- Pay the registration and licence fees per the authority’s offer
- Sign the lease for a desk or office with the visa quota you need
- Collect the licence and establishment card, open an account and process residence visas
Allow four to six weeks for the full cycle, in line with TECOM zone practice: up to a week for initial approval, three to five business days for the establishment card and another five to seven days for the visa with Emirates ID. For education programmes, add time to clear approvals with Dubai’s sector regulators.
Cost of opening a company in DKP (2026)
DKP releases its official price list on request once it has reviewed your application. For planning, use the standard TECOM zone fees drawn from open sources for 2025–2026.
| Cost item | Amount, AED | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Registration fee | 3 520 | One-off; standard TECOM zone fee per open sources |
| Licence (annual) | from 15,020 | Per open sources; exact fee on request |
| Workspace (dedicated desk) | around 36,000 | Per year, neighbouring TECOM zone rate; on request at DKP |
| Establishment card | 2 000 | Required for the visa quota |
| Residence visa | 5 370 | Visa 4,220 + medical 760 + Emirates ID 390; refundable 2,500 deposit |
| GoFreelance permit | 7 500 | For independent professionals; visa 4,600 for one year or 5,042 for two |
| First-year total | from 48,000 | Estimate for a company with one workspace; visas separate |
A freelancer needs only AED 7,500 for the permit plus AED 2,000 for the establishment card and AED 4,600 for the annual visa — around AED 14,100 in total. Companies budget from the office up: the authority sets the price in its offer.
Taxation in DKP
DKP residents fall under the general UAE tax regime: 9% corporate tax on profit above AED 375,000 a year, and 0% below that threshold. VAT is 5%, and registration is mandatory once taxable turnover reaches AED 375,000. Companies with qualifying activities and genuine substance in the zone can obtain Qualifying Free Zone Person status and pay 0% on qualifying income. The FTA updates the requirements regularly — check them as of your registration date.
Who DKP suits
- Training centres, language schools and corporate-learning providers
- Staffing and recruitment agencies serving companies in the neighbouring TECOM zones
- Coaches, trainers and researchers — via the GoFreelance permit, with no office lease
“DKP is chosen for its predictability: TECOM’s procedures have been refined over years, and with the right document set the process runs without surprises. The main delays come not from the authority but from education-programme approvals and banking compliance”, notes a senior lawyer at Dynasty Business Adviser.
Open a company in DKP with Dynasty Business Adviser
We will help you choose your activities, clear approvals, obtain your DKP licence and open a UAE bank account. Send us a request and we will prepare a personalised quote and a launch roadmap.
Get a consultation
Pricing is current as of the publication date (13 July 2026) and verified against open sources, including dkp.ae, tecomgroup.ae and gofreelance.ae; confirm fees directly with the zone authority before payment.
