UAE Free Zone

Independent guide. Not affiliated with any UAE government authority or free zone.

Best free zone for a small manufacturing or assembly unit

Independent shortlistFacts last verified 23 October 20266 zones

Manufacturing needs an industrial licence and a facility that allows production. Many zones that are cheap for service companies have no industrial units at all, so start from facilities, not price.

Short answer

RAKEZ, KEZAD and Ajman Free Zone all offer industrial licences with land and warehouses. Dubai Silicon Oasis and DAFZ have light industrial units inside Dubai. Hamriyah suits heavy industry with port access.

What to compare

Industrial licence
Production needs an industrial activity, not a trading or service one.
Light industrial units, warehouses or land
Check the unit sizes and power supply the zone offers for your process.
Port access for raw materials and exports
Matters more as volumes grow.
Mainland sales
Selling into the UAE mainland raises customs and corporate tax questions; see our mainland guides.

The shortlist

Not in a paid order. Each reason comes from the zone's profile on this site, which lists its sources and the date we checked them.

  1. RAKEZ

    Ras Al Khaimah

    Industrial licences with industrial land and warehouses, plus a wide licence range if you also trade.

    Published entry price
    AED 6,000
    Set up remotely
    Yes
    Facilities
    Co-working, Serviced office, Office, Warehouse, Land
    Banking notes

    Nothing published We have found no bank partnership announced by this zone and no reliable reports yet. Banks assess the company, its owners and its activity, so ask the zone which banks its companies use.

    Last verified 23 October 2026 · Full profile and sources

  2. KEZAD

    Abu Dhabi

    Industrial land and pre-built warehouses near Khalifa Port, plus an Abu Dhabi dual licence option.

    Published entry price
    AED 9,450
    Set up remotely
    Not stated
    Facilities
    Shared workstation, Office, Warehouse, Land
    Banking notes

    Nothing published We have found no bank partnership announced by this zone and no reliable reports yet. Banks assess the company, its owners and its activity, so ask the zone which banks its companies use.

    Last verified 23 October 2026 · Full profile and sources

  3. AFZ

    Ajman

    Industrial licences, warehouses and land near Ajman Port for light manufacturers.

    Published entry price
    Not published
    Set up remotely
    Not stated
    Facilities
    Business centre, Co-working, Office, Warehouse, Land
    Banking notes

    Nothing published We have found no bank partnership announced by this zone and no reliable reports yet. Banks assess the company, its owners and its activity, so ask the zone which banks its companies use.

    Last verified 23 October 2026 · Full profile and sources

  4. DSO

    Dubai

    Light industrial units, warehouses and land inside a Dubai technology park.

    Published entry price
    Not published
    Set up remotely
    Not stated
    Facilities
    Co-working / workstation, Office, Warehouse, Light industrial unit, Land
    Banking notes

    Nothing published We have found no bank partnership announced by this zone and no reliable reports yet. Banks assess the company, its owners and its activity, so ask the zone which banks its companies use.

    Last verified 23 October 2026 · Full profile and sources

  5. DAFZ

    Dubai

    Light industrial units and cold storage beside Dubai International Airport.

    Published entry price
    Not published
    Set up remotely
    Not stated
    Facilities
    Office, Warehouse, Light industrial unit, Retail
    Banking notes

    Nothing published We have found no bank partnership announced by this zone and no reliable reports yet. Banks assess the company, its owners and its activity, so ask the zone which banks its companies use.

    Last verified 23 October 2026 · Full profile and sources

  6. HFZA

    Sharjah

    Industrial land from 2,500 sqm with a deep-water port, aimed at heavy industry. Details need rechecking: its site was down when we checked.

    Published entry price
    Not published
    Set up remotely
    Not stated
    Facilities
    Office, Warehouse, Land
    Banking notes

    Nothing published We have found no bank partnership announced by this zone and no reliable reports yet. Banks assess the company, its owners and its activity, so ask the zone which banks its companies use.

    Last verified 23 October 2026 · Full profile and sources

Before you pay a setup agent

  • Ask for the full year-one quote in writing: licence, desk, establishment card, each visa, medicals and Emirates ID.
  • Ask which exact activity name goes on your licence and check it covers what you will invoice for.
  • Ask whether the agent is paid by the zone, and whether a bank account is included or only an introduction.
  • Check the zone's own price page before you sign. We link to it on every zone profile.

Read next

General information only, not legal, tax or immigration advice. Prices and rules change; confirm with the free zone authority before you pay. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.