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Our Methodology

The Dubai Setup provides independent, research-driven guides on company formation, legal structures, licensing, and compliance across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar. This page explains how we collect, verify, and present the information and cost estimates you find on our site, so that you can rely on our content when planning your business setup.

Government and Regulatory Sources

Every piece of information published on The Dubai Setup is traceable to an official government source. We do not rely on secondhand commentary, agency marketing materials, or unverified blog posts. Below is a detailed breakdown of the primary government sources we reference for each jurisdiction.

United Arab Emirates

  • Department of Economic Development (DED): Each emirate operates its own DED responsible for issuing mainland trade licences. We reference DED fee schedules, activity lists, and registration procedures for Dubai (Dubai DED), Abu Dhabi (ADDED), Sharjah, and other emirates. Fee schedules are verified against published DED tariff documents.
  • Free Zone Authorities: Each free zone publishes its own fee schedule, legal structure options, and licensing categories. We reference official documentation from DMCC, JAFZA, RAKEZ, IFZA, Sharjah Media City (Shams), Meydan, ADGM, DIFC, and other zones. Where free zone fees include multiple components (licence, visa, establishment card, office space), we break down each component separately.
  • Federal Tax Authority (FTA): Corporate tax rates, VAT obligations, and tax registration requirements are sourced from FTA circulars, cabinet decisions, and the Federal Decree-Law No. 47 of 2022 on the Taxation of Corporations and Businesses.
  • Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE): Visa costs, labour card fees, and employment regulations for mainland companies are sourced from MOHRE's published fee schedules and ministerial decisions.
  • Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP): Residency visa processing fees and requirements are verified against ICP publications.

Saudi Arabia

  • Ministry of Investment of Saudi Arabia (MISA, formerly SAGIA): MISA is the primary authority for foreign investment licensing in Saudi Arabia. We reference MISA's published licence categories, capital requirements, and the list of activities open to foreign investors. MISA licensing fees and processing requirements are sourced directly from official MISA documentation.
  • Ministry of Commerce (MC): Commercial registration (CR) procedures, fees, and legal entity requirements are sourced from the Ministry of Commerce portal. This includes requirements for LLC (Sharika That Mas'ouliya Mahdoudah), joint stock companies, and branch offices.
  • Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority (ZATCA): Corporate income tax rates, zakat obligations for Saudi-owned entities, withholding tax provisions, and VAT requirements are sourced from ZATCA regulations and circulars.
  • Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (HRSD): Saudization (Nitaqat) requirements, work visa quotas, and labour regulations affecting business setup are sourced from HRSD publications.
  • Special Economic Zones: Fee schedules and incentive packages for zones such as KAEC, Neom, and MODON are referenced from official zone authority publications.

Qatar

  • Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MOCI): Company registration procedures, commercial licence categories, and fee schedules for mainland Qatar are sourced from MOCI publications. This covers LLC (WLL) formation, branch registration, and representative office licensing.
  • Qatar Financial Centre (QFC): The QFC operates as an onshore financial and business centre with its own regulatory framework. We reference QFC's published fee schedules, legal structure options, and the QFC company incorporation process. QFC allows 100% foreign ownership, and its tax rate of 10% on locally sourced profits is documented from QFC Authority publications.
  • Qatar Free Zones Authority (QFZA): Fee schedules and incentive packages for the Qatar Free Zones (including Umm Alhoul and Ras Bufontas) are sourced from official QFZA documentation.
  • General Tax Authority (GTA): Qatar's corporate tax rate (10% on profits above QAR 364,000 for companies outside QFC) and withholding tax provisions are sourced from GTA circulars and the Income Tax Law.

Cost Estimation Methodology

The cost estimates presented on The Dubai Setup, including our Setup Cost Estimator tool, are built using a structured methodology that combines official fee schedules with real-world cost benchmarks. Here is how we arrive at our estimates:

Government fees

All government fees (licence fees, registration fees, visa fees, establishment cards) are sourced directly from official fee schedules published by the relevant authority. These are hard costs that apply uniformly to all applicants and are updated on our site within two weeks of any published revision.

Office space costs

Office space costs vary significantly based on location, type (physical office, flexi-desk, co-working space), and free zone. For free zones that bundle office space with the licence, we use the published package price. For mainland setups that require leased premises, we present a range based on current market data for the most common business districts in each city.

PRO and service provider fees

Professional services fees (PRO services, document attestation, bank account opening assistance) are estimated based on market research across multiple service providers. We present these as typical ranges rather than fixed amounts, and we clearly label them as third-party service costs that are separate from government fees.

Total cost ranges

Our total cost estimates are presented as ranges (minimum to maximum) to reflect the genuine variability in setup costs. The minimum represents the lowest achievable cost using basic options, while the maximum reflects premium choices. We never present a single fixed cost where variability exists.

Legal Structure Analysis

Our guides on legal structures (LLC, free zone entity, branch office, joint stock company) are based on the relevant commercial law of each jurisdiction. We compare structures across multiple dimensions including ownership restrictions, capital requirements, liability protection, and operational scope. These comparisons are factual and sourced from the underlying legislation rather than from promotional materials of any service provider.

Verification and Update Process

We maintain accuracy through the following verification processes:

  • Primary source verification: Every data point is verified against the original official source (fee schedule, legislation, or regulatory publication) before it is published on our site.
  • Cross-referencing: Where possible, we cross-reference information across multiple official channels. For example, a free zone fee schedule may be verified against both the authority's published tariff and its online registration portal.
  • Change monitoring: We monitor government gazettes, official portals, and regulatory announcement channels for changes to fees, regulations, and procedures. When changes are identified, we update our content within two weeks of the effective date.
  • Quarterly review cycle: All content undergoes a full review on a quarterly basis to identify outdated information, broken links, and regulatory changes that may not have triggered our change monitoring system.
  • User feedback: We encourage readers, particularly business setup professionals and entrepreneurs who have recently completed the process, to report inaccuracies. Every report is investigated and, if confirmed, corrected promptly.

Data on this site reflects regulations, fee schedules, and market conditions as of 2026-06-24.

Limitations

Despite our commitment to accuracy, the following limitations apply:

  • Fee variability: Government fees are generally fixed and published, but some costs (PRO services, office leases, bank fees) vary by provider. Our estimates reflect typical market ranges but cannot predict the exact cost you will pay.
  • Regulatory change lag: There may be a brief delay between a regulatory change taking effect and our content being updated. We aim to minimise this gap but recommend verifying critical information with the relevant authority before committing to a specific setup plan.
  • General guidance only: Our content provides general information about business setup procedures and costs. It does not constitute legal, tax, or financial advice. Complex situations (multi-jurisdictional structures, regulated activities, specific visa categories) may require professional consultation.
  • Activity-specific requirements: Certain business activities have additional licensing requirements, approvals, or capital thresholds that go beyond the standard setup process. We note these where known but cannot cover every activity code comprehensively.

Editorial Independence

The Dubai Setup is an independent information platform. We are not a business setup agency and we do not sell company formation services. Our content is produced independently of any service provider, free zone authority, or government entity. While we may earn revenue through advertising and referral partnerships, these commercial relationships never influence our content, cost estimates, or recommendations. Our comparisons and analyses are based solely on publicly available official data.

Contact

For questions about our methodology, data sources, or to report an inaccuracy, please reach out via our contact page.