RAK Airport Free Zone (RAKFTZ) — Budget Industrial Free Zone Guide 2026
RAK Airport Free Zone (RAKFTZ) is a free zone adjacent to Ras Al Khaimah International Airport, offering one of UAE’s most affordable industrial and trading licences for manufacturing, light industry, and import-export businesses. This guide covers RAKFTZ for 2026.
RAK Airport Free Zone Overview
- Location: adjacent to Ras Al Khaimah International Airport; 70km north of Dubai
- Operator: RAK Airport Authority
- Scale: smaller free zone; focused on manufacturing and industrial companies
- Distinction from RAKEZ: RAKEZ (Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone) is the larger, more established RAK free zone; RAKFTZ is smaller but has direct airport access
- Specialisation: manufacturing, light industrial, trading, logistics with air cargo emphasis
RAKFTZ Pricing 2026
- Licence (trading + services): AED 5,000-8,000/year (very competitive)
- Office flexi-desk: AED 8,000-12,000/year
- Warehouse: AED 20,000-40,000/year (very competitive for industrial space)
- Company formation: AED 3,000-5,000
- All-in Year 1: AED 15,000-25,000 including licence, office, and 1 visa
RAKFTZ vs RAKEZ
- RAKEZ: larger, more established, more banking relationships, more activities permitted, better brand recognition globally; costs more
- RAKFTZ: smaller, cheaper, direct airport access, better for air cargo businesses; less well-known internationally
- Choose RAKFTZ when: air cargo-related business; need physical warehouse at lowest possible UAE cost; purely seeking visa + trading licence cheaply in RAK
RAKFTZ Air Cargo Advantage
- RAK International Airport: handles growing cargo volumes; Emirates SkyCargo uses RAK for some Middle East distribution
- Northern Emirates distribution: RAKFTZ companies can serve UAE Northern Emirates (UAQ, Fujairah, Ajman) more efficiently than Dubai-based free zones
- Northern Emirates supply chain: many Northern Emirates manufacturers and retailers prefer suppliers based in RAK for delivery time and cost reasons
Banking with RAKFTZ
- RAKBank: Ras Al Khaimah-headquartered bank; natural banking partner for RAKFTZ companies; good business account options
- WIO Bank: digital; accepts RAKFTZ companies; fast onboarding
- Note: fewer banking options than IFZA or DMCC; for companies needing sophisticated banking, RAKEZ (not RAKFTZ) is a better choice
Pricing Evidence & Source Notes
Use this profile as a planning guide, not a final invoice. Confirm the current package, activity wording, visas, office or flexi-desk requirement and renewal amount before payment.
| Free Zone | Package | Year 1 Cost | Renewal Cost | 3-Year Total | Visa Option | Office / Flexi Requirement | Year 1 Confidence | Source Type | Conflict Status | Last Reviewed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RAK Airport Free Zone (RAKFTZ) — Budget Industrial Free Zone 2026 | Current authority package | Quote-based - confirm current package Confidence: Needs confirmation |
Quote-based renewal - confirm current package Confidence: Needs confirmation |
Quote-based 3-year total - depends on renewal Confidence: Needs confirmation |
Depends on package and office allocation | Authority quote required | Authority quote required | Current package / renewal confirmation required | June 2026 |
| What is included | Confirmed only after authority or partner quote. |
|---|---|
| What is not included | Visas, insurance, medical, Emirates ID, office upgrades, amendments and cancellation unless quoted. |
| Hidden-cost risk | Confirm establishment card, visas, office/flexi desk, insurance, renewal and cancellation before payment. |
| Banking difficulty | Medium - depends on activity and documents |
| Best fit | Founders comparing this free zone against activity, visa, office, banking and renewal requirements. |
Source evidence: Review source | Methodology | Corrections.
Prices can change based on free zone authority updates, activity selection, visa count, office or flexi-desk requirement, shareholder structure, establishment card, immigration file, medical test, Emirates ID, insurance, banking support and consultant service fees. Last reviewed June 2026. Always request a current quote before payment. View methodology or compare all rows in the UAE Free Zone Cost Index.