Downtown Dubai skyline at sunset
Free zone guide

Dubai South free zone business setup near Al Maktoum Airport

The Dubai South Free Zone is the free zone inside Dubai South, a master development near Al Maktoum International Airport, regulated by Dubai Aviation City Corporation (DACC). We check your activity against the zone's official list, prepare and submit your application, and flag any approvals your goods, space or mainland plans need before you commit.

WhatsApp an adviserBook a consultation
Overview

How Dubai South company setup works

The Dubai South Free Zone covers the business zones of Dubai South, which describes itself as Dubai's largest single urban master development, focused on an aviation and logistics ecosystem. Dubai South points to its location near Al Maktoum International Airport and key transport hubs, and says the airport will be the world's largest when fully operational.

Dubai Aviation City Corporation (DACC), a public corporation governed by Dubai Law No. (10) of 2015, regulates the free zone. Its Free Zone Rules define the free zone as all Dubai South zones under the jurisdiction and management of DACC and Dubai World Central Corporation (DWCC), established by Law No. (11) of 2015. DACC's Registration and Licensing Department handles licenses, and its Free Zone Management handles visas, permits and access cards.

You can register a DWC-LLC company with one to fifty shareholders, a branch of a company from inside or outside the UAE, or a sole establishment for freelance work. Licenses fall into seven categories: logistics, industrial, trading, service, freelancer, e-commerce and general trading. Every company and branch must keep a valid lease, while a lease is optional for a sole establishment.

The free zone is split into areas with different jobs. The Business Park at the free zone entrance holds offices and business centres, the Logistics District holds warehouses and the EZDubai e-commerce zone, and the Mohammed Bin Rashid Aerospace Hub (MBRAH) near the airport specialises in aviation and aerospace. We match your activity to the right area before anything else.

Setup planner

Is your activity on Dubai South's official list?

Search your activity to see whether Dubai South lists it and which approvals it names, then get a setup plan in 4 short steps. A consultant sends your quotation.

Get my setup planOr browse the activity finder
Who it's for

Who Dubai South suits

  • 01

    Air cargo and freight forwarders

    Companies that want Logistics District space, where Dubai South says the Freight Forwarding Zone has direct access to Al Maktoum International Airport cargo terminals.

  • 02

    E-commerce and fulfilment businesses

    Online sellers and fulfilment operators looking at EZDubai, the zone's dedicated e-commerce area inside the Logistics District.

  • 03

    Service firms and startups

    Businesses that need a Business Centre unit or a Business Park office and visas, without a warehouse.

Our part

What we do, and what we don't

Clear boundaries, so you know exactly what you're paying for and who decides each step.

Included

  • A check that Dubai South lists your exact activity, and which approvals it names
  • A comparison with one or two other zones, if another fits you better
  • Application forms prepared, typed and submitted to Dubai South
  • Document checks, plus translation and attestation guidance for corporate shareholders
  • Follow-up with the zone until it makes a decision
  • Post-license guidance on your establishment card, visas and corporate tax registration

Not included

  • We don't issue Dubai South licenses; the zone's authority decides.
  • We don't decide bank account applications; banks apply their own policies.
  • Work outside the free zone needs separate approvals; we explain the options, the authorities decide.
  • We don't give legal or tax advice on complex group structures; a licensed adviser can.
Documents

Documents you'll need

  • Passport copies for all shareholders and the manager
  • Emirates ID and residence visa copies, if you live in the UAE
  • Your chosen activities and a shortlist of trade name options
  • A short business plan or activity description, if the zone asks for one
  • For corporate shareholders: certificate of incorporation, constitutional documents, a board resolution and a good standing letter, attested for UAE use

Dubai South sets its own document list; we confirm it for your activity before you apply.

Fees and timing

Two fees, shown separately

  • Government fees, paid at cost

    Set by Dubai South and paid at cost. Your consultant sends a written quotation with every fee before you pay.

  • Global Sky PRO service fee

    Quoted in writing before we start, so you know the full cost up front.

  • Timing

    Depends on your activity, any approvals and how quickly documents and attestations are ready. We give you a realistic plan once your activity is confirmed.

Process

How it works, step by step

Each step shows who does what, so you always know where things stand.

  • You
  • Global Sky PRO
  • Authority

  1. Step 1: Tell us your activity and plans

    You

    Share what you will do, where your customers are, how many visas you need and what workspace suits you.

  2. Step 2: Check Dubai South's official list

    Global Sky PRO

    We confirm your exact activity is on Dubai South's list, note any approval it needs and compare other zones if they fit better.

  3. Step 3: Approve your quotation

    You

    Your consultant sends a written quotation with every zone fee and our service fee. Send the documents on your checklist.

  4. Step 4: Prepare and submit

    Global Sky PRO

    We type the application, check every document for consistency and submit the file to Dubai South.

  5. Step 5: Zone review and decision

    Authority

    Dubai South reviews the application, may ask for more information and decides whether to issue the license.

  6. Step 6: License and next steps

    Global Sky PRO

    Once the license is issued, we guide you through the establishment card, residence visas and corporate tax registration.

Good to know

Details that save time

Dubai South free zone company and license types

The Dubai South Companies Regulations 2025 allow three entity types, and the Free Zone Rules set seven license categories. A Company is a limited liability company with one to fifty shareholders, and its name ends in DWC-LLC. A Branch is a branch of any company inside or outside the UAE, and a Sole Establishment is owned by one natural person for freelance services.

  • Logistics: storage, transportation, distribution, sorting, forwarding, clearing, and order and inventory management
  • Industrial: light manufacturing such as blending, mixing, purifying, assembling, repacking or wrapping
  • Trading and general trading: import, export, sale, distribution and storage of the items on the license
  • Service: the service activities listed on the license, carried out within the free zone
  • E-commerce: marketing, buying or selling goods or services over the internet
  • Freelancer: freelance activities through a sole establishment

Business Park, Logistics District workspace and visas

To apply for a license you reserve a registered office in the free zone, and that space then drives your visa quota. Dubai South's Free Zone Rules state that Free Zone Management grants one visa for every six square metres of leased space, or another area set by internal policy. You can request more visas if you expand your premises.

  • Business Centre: furnished units with reception, secretarial support and meeting rooms, aimed at startups and SMEs
  • Business Park: 11 buildings at the free zone entrance with ready-to-move-in offices and shell and core space
  • Warehouses: single-user Freight House and Logistics House, and multi-tenant Freight Complex and Logistics Complex units
  • EZDubai: supply, e-fulfilment, last mile, and return and repair centres, plus Business Blocks offices and data centre plots
  • Dubai South Business Hub: listed on Dubai South's setup page as a business license, visa and flexi-desk option

Logistics District, airport cargo and customs

Dubai South's Logistics District is built for moving goods by air, sea and road. The zone says it includes a Freight Forwarding Zone with direct access to Al Maktoum International Airport cargo terminals, and a Contract Logistics Zone with access to Jebel Ali Port via a bonded logistics corridor. EZDubai, the dedicated e-commerce zone, covers 920,000 square metres according to the Free Zone Rules.

Customs rules still apply inside the zone. Companies that import and export must register with Dubai Customs, and every entity moving goods in or out of the free zone must register on the Masary e-gate system. A company licensed elsewhere in the UAE can also apply for a Storage Permit to lease a warehouse or open yard here for storage only.

Selling to and working on the Dubai mainland

A Dubai South trading company cannot sell straight onto the UAE mainland. The Free Zone Rules say a trading company that wants to market products directly to the local market must do so through a distributor or retailer that is authorised and registered locally. The Rules also expect free zone entities to conduct all or a substantial part of their business inside the free zone.

For services or a presence on the Dubai mainland, Dubai Executive Council Resolution No. 11 of 2025 applies. The Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) may authorise a branch within the emirate, a branch operating out of the free zone, or a temporary permit for specific activities, each with the free zone authority's approval. Dubai South's Business Park page also mentions a dual licensing option, which we confirm for your activity before you rely on it.

In the other direction, a company licensed on the mainland or in another UAE free zone can apply for an Operation Permit to extend its operations into Dubai South.

Dubai South vs JAFZA vs DAFZA: logistics district, port or airport

All three are Dubai free zones built around a transport hub, but the hub differs. Dubai South is built around Al Maktoum International Airport, Jebel Ali Free Zone (JAFZA) around Jebel Ali Port, and Dubai Airport Freezone (DAFZ, often searched as DAFZA) sits next to Dubai International Airport. If your business runs on air cargo or e-commerce fulfilment, Dubai South's Logistics District is the natural place to start.

  • Dubai South: regulated by DACC; DWC-LLC, branch or sole establishment; Business Park, Logistics District and EZDubai
  • JAFZA: DP World's flagship free zone, run by the Jebel Ali Free Zone Authority; FZE, FZCO, PLC, branch or offshore; warehouses and land
  • DAFZ: established in 1996 next to Dubai International Airport and a member of the Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority; offers a dual license with DET
  • Dubai South and JAFZA both describe a customs bonded corridor linking Jebel Ali Port with Al Maktoum International Airport

Questions to answer before you choose Dubai South

Headline offers rarely tell the whole story. We answer these for your activity before you decide.

  • Is your exact activity on Dubai South's official list, or only something close to it?
  • Does the activity need approval from another regulator first?
  • Which workspace options are available, and how many visas does each allow?
  • What does renewal involve each year, and which costs recur?
  • Will most of your customers be in the zone, abroad or on the mainland?
Compare zones

Other free zones to compare

If this zone doesn't fit your activity, visas or budget, one of these may. Each guide is checked against the zone's own website.

Swipe to see all 8 zones

Logos and names are trademarks of their owners, shown only to identify each free zone. Facts are from each zone's own website, checked on 4 November 2026.

FAQs

Dubai South: your questions

Short answers here. Your situation may differ, so ask us before you decide.

Still have a question?

An adviser replies during opening hours, Mon–Sat 10:00–21:00.

Ask on WhatsApp
Is Dubai South a free zone?

Yes, Dubai South contains a free zone. The Dubai South Free Zone is regulated by Dubai Aviation City Corporation (DACC), whose Free Zone Management provides visas, NOC letters, access cards and work permits. Its Customer Portal covers incorporation and registration, licensing, visa issuing, access cards and NOCs, so your company's setup and yearly servicing both run through the zone.

Source: Dubai South: free zone services

What is a DWC-LLC company in Dubai South?

A DWC-LLC is the limited liability company you register in the Dubai South Free Zone. Under the Dubai South Companies Regulations 2025 it can have one to fifty shareholders, and its name must end in DWC-LLC. The other options are a branch of a company based inside or outside the UAE, or a sole establishment owned by one person for freelance work.

Source: Dubai South: Companies Regulations 2025

How many visas can a Dubai South company get?

Dubai South links visas to the space you lease. Its Free Zone Rules state that Free Zone Management grants one visa for every six square metres of leased space, or another area set by internal policy. You can request more visas if you expand your premises, and Free Zone Management can adjust the allocation to your needs. We check the quota for your unit before you sign.

Source: Dubai South: Free Zone Rules 2025

Can a Dubai South trading company sell directly on the UAE mainland?

Not directly. Dubai South's Free Zone Rules say a trading company that wants to market products directly to the local market or UAE mainland must do so through a distributor or retailer that is authorised and registered locally. For services or a branch on the Dubai mainland, Executive Council Resolution No. 11 of 2025 sets the routes, each needing the free zone authority's approval.

Source: Dubai South: Free Zone Rules 2025

Is Dubai South free zone near Al Maktoum International Airport?

Yes. Dubai South says its Logistics District includes a Freight Forwarding Zone with direct access to Al Maktoum International Airport cargo terminals, and a Contract Logistics Zone linked to Jebel Ali Port by a bonded logistics corridor. The district also offers warehouses, built-to-suit facilities and office solutions, which suits air cargo and fulfilment businesses.

Source: Dubai South: logistics

How much does Dubai South business setup cost?

It depends on your activities, the license term, your workspace and how many visas you need, because Dubai South ties visas to the space you lease. Rather than quote a headline package, your consultant sends a written quotation with every Dubai South fee and our service fee shown separately, so you can see what goes to the zone and what goes to us before you commit.

Source: Dubai South: Free Zone Rules 2025

Related
Get started

Talk to us about dubai South

Send your details and we'll reply with the documents you need and every fee involved.

Send your enquiry

Takes a minute. We reply with the next steps and every fee involved.

Licenses are issued by the relevant authority (DET for Dubai mainland, or the chosen free zone authority). Global Sky PRO prepares and submits your application. Last reviewed 31 October 2026 by the Global Sky PRO team.

Official sources

Get free consultation