Sharjah free zone company setup

Which free zones are in Sharjah?

The UAE government portal lists three Sharjah free zones: Sharjah Airport International Free Zone, Hamriyah Free Zone and Sharjah Media City (Shams). SPC Free Zone and Sharjah Research Technology and Innovation Park (SRTIP) also operate as free zones.

We compare zones for your activity and tell you the cost in writing before you commit.

Which Sharjah free zones license trading, warehousing and manufacturing?

SAIF Zone and Hamriyah Free Zone both issue industrial licenses and offer land from 2,500 sq m.

SAIF Zone issues trade, service and industrial licenses. Its trade license covers a maximum of 3 similar product lines. Its facilities include offices, warehouses and plots of land.

Hamriyah Free Zone issues commercial, service and industrial licenses. It offers pre-built warehouses of 200, 400 or 600 sq m, and industrial land on 25 year renewable leases. Its sectors include industrial manufacturing, logistics, oil and gas, maritime and food.

Good to knowSAIF Zone advertises business setup within 1 hour. That is the authority's own advertised figure. Links does not promise a timeline that an authority decides.

What is the difference between an FZE and an FZC in Sharjah?

An FZE has one owner and an FZC has more than one shareholder. SAIF Zone and Hamriyah Free Zone both use these two forms.

In SAIF Zone the single owner of an FZE can be a natural or a juridical person. SAIF Zone also registers a branch of a UAE company and a branch of a foreign company. Hamriyah Free Zone registers branches as well.

What do Shams and SPC Free Zone offer?

Shams, Sharjah Media City, is a free zone for media and creative industries, and states that it was established in 2017 by Emiri decree. SPC Free Zone, officially Sharjah Publishing City Free Zone, offers more than 2,000 business activities.

Shams allows up to 5 business activities on one license, and its cost calculator offers up to 20 shareholders. It advertises fully online setup in 60 minutes from anywhere in the world. Its FAQ states that the founder has 100% ownership, does not need to be a UAE resident and can obtain dependent visas.

SPC Free Zone advertises zero paid share capital. We do not quote a price here and confirm the current figure with the authority for your case.

Good to knowSixty minutes is Shams' own advertised figure. Links does not promise a timeline that an authority decides.

What is SRTIP?

SRTIP is the Sharjah Research Technology and Innovation Park, also branded SPark. It operates as a free zone focused on innovation, research and technology, and is located next to University City, Sharjah.

Good to knowSRTIP did not publish its legal forms, prices or timelines on the page we checked in September 2026. We confirm them with the authority for your case.

Can a Sharjah free zone company sell on the mainland?

Not directly, as a rule. The UAE government portal states that a free zone company must work through a licensed mainland distributor or establish a mainland branch or company, and that direct mainland sales are generally not permitted without the required mainland licenses or approvals.

Dubai Executive Council Resolution No. 11 of 2025 is a Dubai measure. It lets a Dubai free zone establishment work in Dubai outside its free zone, and does not apply to financial establishments licensed in the DIFC.

Do Sharjah free zone companies pay corporate tax?

Yes, Sharjah free zone companies are within the scope of UAE corporate tax under Federal Decree-Law No. 47 of 2022. The 0% rate applies only to a Qualifying Free Zone Person, and only on its Qualifying Income.

Ministerial Decision No. 229 of 2025 lists the Qualifying Activities. They include manufacturing, processing, logistics services and distribution of goods in or from a Designated Zone.

Consultancy services are not on the list, and transactions with natural persons are an Excluded Activity, with limited exceptions. A Qualifying Free Zone Person pays 9% on taxable income that is not Qualifying Income.

• A Qualifying Free Zone Person pays 0% on Qualifying Income and 9% on taxable income that is not Qualifying Income (Article 3(2)).
• A Qualifying Free Zone Person does not get the 0% band on the first AED 375,000 of taxable income.
• Every Free Zone Person, qualifying or not, must register for corporate tax, file a return within 9 months of the end of the tax period and keep records for 7 years.
• To qualify, a company must, among other conditions, maintain adequate substance in the UAE, derive Qualifying Income, not elect into standard corporate tax, meet the arm's length and transfer pricing documentation rules, and prepare audited financial statements.
• A company that fails any condition loses the status from the start of that tax period and for the following four tax periods.

Good to knowThis page states what the official sources say. It is not tax advice.