Form a Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone (RAKEZ) company at the UAE's most affordable premium-zone price point. 5 specialised zones, 15,000+ member companies from 100+ countries, and direct port access via Saqr Port.
Industries thriving in RAKEZ
The Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone (RAKEZ) is the UAE's largest free zone by company count — over 15,000 active companies from 100+ countries. Formed in 2017 by merging RAK Free Trade Zone and RAK Investment Authority, RAKEZ now operates five specialised sub-zones serving every industry from manufacturing to media.
RAKEZ's appeal: premium free zone benefits at the lowest entry price in the UAE. Setup from AED 11,500 — comparable to Ajman Free Zone but with a stronger reputation, better banking acceptance, and direct access to Saqr Port (one of the UAE's largest bulk cargo terminals). The drive from Dubai is just 60–80 minutes.
Companies registered
Nationalities served
Activity categories
Tax holiday
RAKEZ is governed by the Ras Al Khaimah government — a stable, AAA-rated emirate with one of the UAE's longest free-zone track records.
Premium free zone benefits, broad industry access, and the lowest entry pricing among reputable UAE free zones.
From AED 11,500 — 30–45% cheaper than DMCC, DAFZA, or DIFC for comparable benefits.
Business Zone, Industrial Zone, Academic Zone, Media Zone, RAK FTZ — each engineered for a specific industry.
No local sponsor required — RAKEZ has always permitted full foreign ownership.
0% corporate tax on qualifying free-zone income. Personal income remains 0%. 50-year guaranteed tax holiday.
Direct logistics access to the UAE's largest bulk cargo port — over 60M tonnes handled annually.
RAKEZ's industrial zone offers cost-competitive land allocations for manufacturing & processing operations.
Dedicated zone for education providers — the only UAE free zone with formal university and training infrastructure.
Most packages include 1–6 visas. Family sponsorship and dependant visas readily available post-investor visa.
Move capital and profits in and out of the UAE freely — no withholding tax, no currency controls.
Each RAKEZ sub-zone is engineered for a specific industry — pick the one that matches your activity and infrastructure needs.
The flagship RAKEZ zone for service businesses, consultancies, and digital companies. The lowest-cost entry point.
For manufacturing, processing, and assembly. Affordable industrial plots, pre-built warehouses, and direct port access.
Dedicated free zone for universities, training providers, and ed-tech companies. Includes campus infrastructure.
For broadcasting, content production, gaming, and creative agencies. Lower-cost alternative to Dubai Media City.
The original free trade zone — for trading, distribution, and warehousing operations. Direct Saqr Port logistics.
Premium offices and dedicated company headquarters at RAKEZ's flagship business park — Grade-A real estate.
RAKEZ issues licenses in four broad categories — most clients combine 2–4 activities under a single license.
For consulting, advisory, and most digital businesses. The most flexible category — supports up to 4 grouped activities.
For import-export, e-commerce, and trading operations. Combines well with Saqr Port logistics infrastructure.
For manufacturing and processing. RAKEZ Industrial Zone offers some of the most affordable industrial plots in the UAE.
RAKEZ specialty — dedicated educational infrastructure for universities, training, and e-learning providers.
Our 6-step process gets your RAKEZ license issued in 3–5 working days.
Match activity to Business / Industrial / Media / Academic / FTZ
Pick legal form & activity codes
Reserve trade name with RAKEZ
Application, KYC & sector approvals
RAKEZ issues trade license & establishment card
Visa stamping & bank account opening
RAKEZ accepts digital onboarding for service and trading licenses. Industrial and educational licenses require additional sector approvals.
Personal presence in the UAE is required only for visa biometrics (1 day) and bank account opening (1–2 days).
Get Document ChecklistEvery business is different — your jurisdiction, visa needs, banking requirements, and timeline shape the final cost. Tell us about your plans and we’ll send a transparent, all-in quote within one business day.
RAKEZ has five sub-zones with materially different fee structures — Business is cheapest, Industrial gets you port access, Academic is unique to RAKEZ. Fairway maps your activity to the optimal sub-zone and ensures your banking pre-approval doesn't slow you down.
Talk to a SpecialistDirect RAKEZ portal access — fastest premium-zone turnaround in the UAE.
We pick Business / Industrial / Media / Academic / FTZ for optimal cost and benefits.
Pre-vetted banking channels: RAKBank, ENBD, Mashreq, ADCB.
Renewals, amendments, PRO, and accounting under one engagement.
RAKEZ Industrial gave us the manufacturing footprint, port access, and customs setup we needed — at half the cost of JAFZA. Fairway negotiated the plot, opened the RAKBank account, and closed our first export contract within 90 days of license issuance.
Quick answers to the questions we hear most often. Have a different question? Just WhatsApp us.
RAKEZ is the UAE's largest free zone by company count and is well-recognised by all UAE banks and most international counterparts. It's not as marquee-positioned as DMCC for commodities or DAFZA for aviation, but for general trading, services, and manufacturing it has comparable banking acceptance and zero compliance disadvantages.
60–80 minutes by car from Downtown Dubai, depending on traffic and which sub-zone. Most RAKEZ clients live in Dubai or Sharjah and visit RAKEZ only for licensing, biometrics, and occasional administrative matters. The license itself doesn't require RAK residency.
They're now the same — RAK Free Trade Zone (RAK FTZ) merged with RAK Investment Authority (RAKIA) in 2017 to form RAKEZ. The "RAK FTZ" sub-zone within RAKEZ continues to focus on trading and warehousing, while other sub-zones serve services, industrial, media, and education.
Excellent. RAKEZ Industrial Zone offers some of the most affordable industrial plot allocations in the UAE, with direct access to Saqr Port (60M tonnes annual capacity). For light-to-medium manufacturing it competes directly with Sharjah's industrial zones and JAFZA's industrial plots — at a lower cost.
Service and trading licenses are issued in 3–5 working days. Industrial and educational licenses requiring sector approvals take 7–14 days. Visa stamping adds another 10–14 days.
Solo Founder packages start at AED 11,500 — the lowest premium free zone entry point in the UAE. With 1 investor visa added, the total reaches ~AED 15,500. SME-grade packages with 2 visas start at AED 21,500.
For B2B services and digital products — yes, with VAT registration. For physical goods sold direct-to-consumer in the UAE mainland, you'll typically need a local distributor or a mainland branch. Fairway designs the right channel mix during setup.
Yes. We have direct relationships with RAKBank (RAKEZ's home bank), Mashreq, ENBD, ADCB, plus international banks accepting RAKEZ companies. Most accounts activate within 10–14 working days post-licensing.
Tell us your setup preferences and our consultants will calculate a transparent, all-in quote within one business day. No spam, no high-pressure sales — just a clear path to your setup.
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