RAKEZ (Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone) is the UAE’s most established northern-emirates free zone, offering the best cost-to-quality ratio outside of Dubai. Here is the complete 2025 guide.
What is RAKEZ?
RAKEZ was formed in 2017 from the merger of RAKIA (Ras Al Khaimah Investment Authority) and RAK FTZ (Ras Al Khaimah Free Trade Zone). It is owned by the Ras Al Khaimah government. RAKEZ is home to 13,000+ companies from 100+ countries. RAKEZ operates across multiple zones: Business Zone (Ras Al Khaimah city area), Industrial Zone (Al Hamra and Khor Khuwair), Al Hamra Free Zone (adjacent to Al Hamra Marina and mall), and Academic Zone (education and training institutions).
RAKEZ Package Types 2025
Business Centre package: professional and service businesses, virtual office included, from AED 9,000-15,000/year. Executive package: flexi-desk or private office, higher visa quota, from AED 15,000-25,000/year. Industrial package: factory or warehouse space, from AED 15,000-50,000+/year. Visa slots: 1-3 included in Business Centre packages. More visas available per industrial unit size. Activities: 2,500+ activities across professional services, trading, manufacturing, education, and hospitality.
RAKEZ Advantages
Key reasons businesses choose RAKEZ: 25-40% lower cost than equivalent Dubai free zones (IFZA, DMCC), large industrial and manufacturing zones (RAK has a strong ceramics and construction industry base), RAK Ceramics HQ (the world’s largest ceramics company is RAK-based, giving credibility to the industrial ecosystem), Al Hamra community (marina, retail, residential — a well-developed RAK community), and Saqr Port access for heavy cargo.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RAKEZ | Instant licence Basic / SME package | AED 14,000 all-inclusive (SME package with 1 visa, official); AED 6,000 Biz Starter (0-visa coworking, official rakez.com) Confidence: Verified official price |
Quote-based renewal Confidence: Needs confirmation |
Quote-based 3-year total Confidence: Needs confirmation |
Basic no visa; all-inclusive option includes 1 residence visa | Co-working facility on basic; office, warehouse or facility options available | Verified official price | Official authority offer page | Current package / renewal confirmation required | June 2026 |
| What is included | Basic package lists one shareholder, one business activity and co-working facility; RAKEZ homepage lists an all-inclusive option with 1 residence visa. |
|---|---|
| What is not included | Warehouse, office, extra activities, visas beyond package, insurance and regulated approvals unless quoted. |
| Hidden-cost risk | Facility, activity, visa and promotion terms can change the final amount and renewal. |
| Banking difficulty | Medium |
| Best fit | SMEs, trading, light industrial, warehouse-led, e-commerce and cost-sensitive service businesses. |
Family and Dependent Visa Scope
RAKEZ lists spouse, child and newborn dependent visa routes through its own e-service flow, but the company licence package and dependent residence workflow are still separate checks. Confirm the sponsor residence, relationship documents, applicant status, medical or Emirates ID steps, insurance, deposits, in-country processing and the current authority route before payment.
| Dependent visa check | Planning guidance | Source confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Sponsor status | The sponsor should hold a valid UAE residence route before dependent residence is planned. | Official ICP/GDRFA procedural sources; confirm category-specific terms. |
| Family documents | Marriage, birth, kinship, passport, photograph, housing and income evidence may be requested depending on category and emirate. | Official procedural sources; document format and attestation can vary. |
| Medical, Emirates ID and insurance | Residence processing may include medical testing, Emirates ID and health insurance steps depending on age, applicant status and authority process. | Official procedural sources; final component list must be checked. |
| Cost and timing | RAKEZ publishes dependent-visa component and package signals for its own process, but VAT, deposits, urgent processing, in-country charges and status can change the final invoice. | Official RAKEZ e-service plus ICP/GDRFA context; current quote required. |
Useful sources: ICP residence permit service, GDRFA family entry visa service, GDRFA family residence service, RAKEZ dependent visa e-service. See visa cost planning, document checklist and corrections.
Compare Before Choosing
Shortlist this profile against the other common options before choosing on headline price alone. The three-way guide compares DMCC, IFZA and RAKEZ on cost exposure, visa planning, banking readiness and fit by setup scenario.
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.