Executive summary: Compare renewal visibility, known renewal amounts and quote-based gaps across reviewed UAE free zones. The August 2026 review verified renewal data for 7 of 18 priority zones. The critical finding: renewal costs frequently differ from Year 1 — IFZA renews at AED 17,100 vs Year 1 AED 14,900 (15% higher), while SPC Free Zone renews at AED 11,720 vs Year 1 AED 13,165 (lower). For 11 of 18 zones, no public renewal figure was found across three or more sources — a current authority quote is required.
Key renewal findings — August 2026
- IFZA renewal spike: Year 1 AED 14,900; renewal AED 17,100 (1+2-source). The 15% gap is the largest Year 1-to-renewal divergence in the reviewed dataset. Using Year 1 as a Year 2+ budget understates the cost by AED 2,200 per year.
- SPC Free Zone lower renewal: Year 1 AED 13,165; renewal AED 11,720 (official + 2-source). Renewal is lower — the opposite of the IFZA pattern.
- Fixed-rate zones: ANCFZ, Ajman Media City and UAQ FTZ all renew at the same rate as Year 1 for their named packages — no promotional discount to expire.
- RAKEZ renewal range: AED 12,000–14,320 (2-source). Year 1 promotional pricing may not carry to renewal.
- 11 of 18 zones: quote-based renewal. Do not use Year 1 as a proxy for renewal without confirming directly with the authority.
Renewal cost data — August 2026
Source confidence: renewal rows use verified official, official plus independent-source, indicative public or quote-based labels. Treat complete renewal and three-year values as verified only where the row explicitly says the renewal evidence supports that calculation.
| Zone | Year 1 (reference) | Renewal cost | 3-Year total | Confidence | Key renewal note | Reviewed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ANCFZ | AED 4,888 (0-visa) | AED 4,888 (same as Year 1) | AED 14,664 (official) | Verified official | Fixed renewal matches Year 1. No discount to expire. | Jul 2026 |
| Ajman Media City | AED 4,999 (0-visa) | AED 4,999 (same as Year 1) | AED 14,997 | Verified official | Fixed renewal. Budget AED 4,999 per year. | Jul 2026 |
| UAQ FTZ | AED 7,000 (0-visa named package) | AED 7,000 (same as Year 1) | AED 21,000 | Verified official | UAQ Start (1-visa) renewal is quote-based. Zero-visa renewal matches Year 1. | Jul 2026 |
| SPC Free Zone | AED 13,165 (1-visa standard) | AED 11,720 (lower than Year 1) | AED 36,605 | Official + 2-source | Renewal is AED 1,445 lower than Year 1. Publishing tier renewal: quote-based. | Jul 2026 |
| RAKEZ | AED 14,000 (1-visa package) | AED 12,000–14,320 (indicative) | Quote-based | 2-source | Year 1 promotional discount may not apply at renewal. Use upper range for conservative planning. | Jul 2026 |
| IFZA | AED 14,900 (1-visa) | AED 17,100 — HIGHER than Year 1 | Quote-based — use AED 17,100 for Year 2+ | 1+2-source verified | Largest renewal gap in reviewed dataset. Do not use AED 14,900 as Year 2 budget. | Jul 2026 |
| Hamriyah Free Zone | AED 15,000–25,000 (1-visa) | AED 12,000–18,000 (indicative) | Quote-based | Indicative (3-source) | Range varies by activity and facility. Renewal may be lower than Year 1. | Jul 2026 |
| DMCC | AED 27,049 (freelance permit, 1-visa) | Quote-based — JLT flexi-desk AED 16,000+ annually | Quote-based - confirm current package | Current quote required | Mandatory desk fee recurs annually. Current DMCC renewal quote required. | Jul 2026 |
| SAIF Zone, JAFZA, Dubai South, Meydan, Dubai Media City, Dubai Internet City, Dubai Silicon Oasis, Masdar City, Dubai CommerCity, Creative City Fujairah, twofour54, RAK Innovation City: renewal is quote-based — no confirmed public renewal figure found across 3+ sources (July 2026). | ||||||
Why renewal costs differ from Year 1
- Promotional discounts expire: Many zones offer Year 1 introductory pricing. Renewal reverts to standard rates.
- Visa fee escalation: Emirates ID and health insurance costs may increase annually even when the licence fee stays fixed.
- Mandatory facility costs: For zones requiring physical space (DMCC, JAFZA, DAFZA), facility rent may increase on renewal.
Rule: Request a written renewal quote at least 60–90 days before licence expiry. Never assume renewal equals Year 1 without confirming with the authority.
Version and citation
Version date: August 2026. Cite as: UAE Freezone Compare, UAE Free Zone Renewal Cost Index 2026, August 2026. Send corrections to info@uaefreezonecompare.com or use the Request correction page.
Related resources
Renewal Cost Guide | Renewal Cost Calculator | Full Cost Index | Visa Cost Index
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Written by: UAE Freezone Compare Research Team | Reviewed: August 2026
Download the Renewal Cost Index Dataset
The CSV includes free zone, package, Year 1 cost, renewal cost, three-year planning status, hidden-cost risk, confidence and source type fields. Use these files with the visible confidence labels and methodology notes on this page; do not treat quote-based rows as verified prices.
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