Sharjah Airport International Free Zone (SAIF Zone) Guide 2026
SAIF Zone is one of Sharjah leading free zones, located adjacent to Sharjah International Airport. Here is the 2026 guide.
In this guide:
About SAIF Zone
- Location: Adjacent to Sharjah International Airport; 15 minutes from Dubai
- Companies: 7,500+ companies from 160+ countries
- Launch year: 1995; one of UAE oldest established free zones
- Specialization: Trading, logistics, light manufacturing, services
SAIF Zone Licence Types
- Trading licence: Import, export, distribution; suitable for commodity traders
- Service licence: Professional services, consulting, IT services
- Industrial licence: Light manufacturing and processing
- E-commerce licence: Available for online trading businesses
SAIF Zone vs. SHAMS (Sharjah Media City)
- SAIF Zone: Better for trading, manufacturing, and physical goods businesses; larger infrastructure
- SHAMS: Better for media, content creation, and consulting businesses; lower cost
- Choose SAIF: If you need warehousing, workshop space, or airport-adjacent location
SAIF Zone Costs
- Annual licence fee: AED 10,000-18,000 depending on activity and office type
- Flexi-desk: Available; lower-cost entry point
- Physical office: From AED 15,000/year for small office
- Warehousing: From 200 sq m units; AED 50-80/sq m per year
SAIF Zone Advantages
- Airport access: Sharjah Airport customs clearance
- Cost: Lower than Dubai free zones for equivalent space
- Established ecosystem: 30 years of infrastructure development