Yet KEZAD stopped being a ‘factories only’ zone long ago. A starter package with a licence and one visa costs from 9,450 AED for the first year — one of the lowest rates in Abu Dhabi — and a company can be incorporated within a day. Below are the steps, official 2026 rates and the tax regime.
Why Choose KIZAD
The core argument is the ‘port + land + price’ combination. Few places in the UAE give a manufacturer a deep-water port, an industrial plot and a licence through a single window.
- Direct access to Khalifa Port — one of the fastest-growing ports in the world, connected to sea and overland trade corridors
- Starter package from 9,450 AED for the first year: licence, workstation and one visa, VAT included
- Two jurisdictions in one zone: free zone and mainland (Domestic Economic Zone) — for export and the local UAE market
- Land from 32 AED per square metre per year, plus ready-built warehouses and production facilities
- Licence issued within 24 hours, with no deposits or paid-up share capital
- 100% foreign ownership and free repatriation of profits
Steps to Set Up a Company in KIZAD
For trading and service companies the process is almost entirely online. Industrial projects add a plot allocation and utilities approval stage, so it pays to start with a site consultation.
- Choose the jurisdiction (free zone or mainland) and the activity: manufacturing, trading, logistics or services
- Reserve a trade name through the KEZAD administration
- Prepare incorporation documents — plus a business plan for industrial licences
- Pick your premises: workstation, office, warehouse or land plot
- Pay for the package and receive the licence — straightforward cases are processed within 24 hours
- Obtain the Establishment Card, residence visas and open a corporate bank account
A trading or service company can realistically launch in 1–3 business days. An industrial project with land and construction runs on a different calendar: approvals take anywhere from several weeks to months depending on scale.
Cost of Setting Up a Company in KIZAD (2026)
KEZAD publishes its rates openly on kezadgroup.com — package prices already include VAT. The first-year package covers a licence with up to 5 activities, a shared workstation and a visa quota.
| Cost item | Amount, AED | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Starter package: licence + 1 visa, 1 year | 9 450 | Official KEZAD rate (around 2,575 USD), VAT included |
| Package with 2 visas / 4 visas, 1 year | 11 150 / 14 550 | Two- and three-year packages cost less per year |
| Licence renewal (from year 3) | 5 000 | Industrial, Trading, Service; General Trading — 15,000 |
| Residence visa (Employment Residence) | 1 500 | Per the KEZAD fee schedule; Establishment Card — 1,000 |
| Land lease | 32–45 per m² per year | Industrial and logistics plots in Abu Dhabi |
| Warehouse or production facility | on request | Depends on the area and specification of the unit |
The bottom line: a micro business fits into 11,000–13,000 AED for the first year with one visa. A manufacturing project is costed individually — the budget is driven by the plot, utilities and logistics, not by the KEZAD license cost itself.
Taxation in KIZAD
KEZAD residents operate under the general UAE tax regime: 9% Corporate Tax on profit above 375,000 AED and 0% below the threshold, with VAT at 5%. Manufacturing and logistics companies meet the Qualifying Free Zone Person criteria more often than most: production and processing are on the list of qualifying activities, which means 0% on qualifying income. The mandatory conditions are genuine presence in the zone, audited financial statements and control over the share of other income.
Who KIZAD Is Right For
- Manufacturers — from food processing and building materials to metals and automotive components
- Logistics and distribution operators that need Khalifa Port and Grade A warehousing
- Trading companies and e-commerce businesses that want low fees and a fast start in Abu Dhabi
‘KIZAD wins wherever a business needs land, warehousing and a port in one place: the 9,450 AED package is the cheapest ticket into Abu Dhabi’s industrial infrastructure’, notes the lead lawyer at Dynasty Business Adviser.
Set Up Your KIZAD Company with Dynasty Business Adviser
We will help you choose the KEZAD jurisdiction and licence, secure a plot or warehouse, arrange visas and open a corporate account with a UAE bank. Send us your project outline and we will come back with a precise first-year budget.
Get a consultation
Pricing information is accurate as of the publication date (July 13, 2026) and verified against open sources, including kezadgroup.com; confirm current fees directly with the zone administration before paying.
