Free Zone NOC in the UAE (2026): Which No Objection Certificates You Need, Who Issues Them, What They Cost and How Long They Take

A free zone NOC is not one document. The phrase covers your free zone's approval to trade on the mainland, letters your zone sends to DEWA or a bank, labour letters for staff, and the employer letter people worry about before starting a company. Dubai's own rulebook for mainland trading, Executive Council Resolution No. 11 of 2025, never uses the word "NOC" at all [1].

The fees vary just as much. DMCC lists its "NOC to operate onshore" at AED 265 [2], Meydan Free Zone advertises AED 2,500 for its mainland NOC [3], and the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) then charges AED 5,000 for a six-month Free Zone Mainland Operating Permit [4]. Pay for the wrong document, or skip the right one, and you either waste money or trade on the mainland without the authority to do it.

Since 2013, BusinessDubai.ae has set up companies across the UAE's free zones and mainland. This guide maps every free zone NOC we could source to a published page: who issues it, when you need it, the published fee and processing time, and the ones you can safely skip. It is a general guide, not legal advice: confirm your case with your free zone and the relevant authority before acting.

What is a free zone NOC, and which one do most founders mean?

A free zone NOC is a no objection letter that a free zone authority, employer or sponsor issues for one purpose. Most founders mean the free zone's approval to operate on the Dubai mainland under Resolution 11 of 2025, which DMCC prices at AED 265 and Meydan at AED 2,500, before DET's AED 5,000 permit or AED 10,000 branch licence.

The second NOC people search for is the one from their employer. You usually do not need a government-required NOC from your employer to own a free zone company: we found no such requirement in the UAE Labour Law, and several zones say they do not ask for one. What can restrict you is your employment contract.

Everything else called an NOC is either a letter your zone sends to a third party (DEWA, a bank, the Land Department), a letter about staff, or a regulator or Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) approval that is not a free zone NOC at all. Before you request anything, ask who wants it, what exact document they need and who it must be addressed to, because DMCC's NOC fees are non-refundable once submitted [2].

Which NOCs exist, who issues them and what do they cost?

A UAE free zone company or its people can need at least eight different no objection documents, from at least six different issuers. Published fees run from AED 10 for a one-month JAFZA labour NOC to AED 2,700 per unit for a DMCC title deed NOC, and only JAFZA publishes a processing time for its NOCs.

The table below is the full map. Fees are those published by the issuer as of November 2026; where a zone publishes nothing, we say so rather than estimate.

Two rows are not free zone NOCs in the strict sense: the DET licence or permit follows the zone's approval, and the employer letter comes from a private company. They are in the map because they are what most people mean by "free zone NOC".

What does Resolution 11 of 2025 require before you trade on the Dubai mainland?

Executive Council Resolution No. 11 of 2025, issued on 3 March 2025, lets a Dubai free zone company work on the mainland through one of three DET routes. Each route requires the free zone authority's approval first, plus any sector regulator's approval where required, and the resolution sets DET fees of AED 10,000 a year or AED 5,000 per permit.

The resolution came into force on the day it was published in the Official Gazette, and it applies to every free zone establishment in Dubai except one group: "This Resolution does not apply to financial Establishments licensed to operate in the Dubai International Financial Centre." [1]

The three routes and their fees

Article 4 gives DET three instruments, and Articles 5 to 7 set the conditions for each. The table summarises them with the fees in Article 12.

Article 5(a)(2) says it plainly: "The prior approval of the Licensing Authority must be obtained." [1] Articles 6(a)(3) and 7(3) repeat the condition in slightly different words: "The approval of the Licensing Authority must be obtained." The Licensing Authority is your free zone, defined in Article 1 as "Any authority legally mandated to supervise a Free Zone and license the Establishments operating therein." That approval is what the market calls the free zone NOC.

On fees, Article 12 is narrower than many summaries suggest. It sets "ten thousand dirhams (AED 10,000.00) per year for issuing or renewing an Establishment with a Licence to establish a branch operating out of the Free Zone" and "five thousand dirhams (AED 5,000.00) for issuing or renewing a temporary Permit for the Establishment to conduct specific Activities in the Emirate." [1] It sets no fee line for the branch within the Emirate. KPMG's summary lists AED 10,000 a year for that route too [8]; confirm the figure with DET before you budget on it.

The other conditions that come with the approval

The free zone's approval is one condition among several. The same articles require "the approval of the Government entities in charge of supervising the Activity", but only "where required", a valid free zone licence, and payment of DET's fees. Branch licences "will be valid for a period of one (1) year, renewable for the same period" (Article 4(b)) [1].

Once you are licensed or permitted, Article 3(b)(2) requires you to "maintain separate financial records for the Activities conducted outside of the Free Zone and within the Emirate". Article 8 lets you "engage its existing workforce registered on the Free Zone portal", so you do not need new hires to start.

Has the grace period ended?

Article 13 gave free zone companies already operating on the mainland one year from the effective date to comply, and adds: "The Director General may, where necessary, extend this grace period once for the same period." [1] We found no published decision on whether that extension was granted, so do not assume either way. If you already serve mainland clients without a licence or permit, regularise it now.

For a deeper walk-through of the three routes, read our guide to free zone companies operating onshore in Dubai.

What is the Free Zone Mainland Operating Permit, and does it still need a zone NOC?

The Free Zone Mainland Operating Permit is DET's online version of the Resolution 11 permit, launched on 8 October 2025. It costs AED 5,000 for six months, renewable at the same fee, and is open to free zone companies holding a Dubai Unified Licence. The resolution still requires your free zone's approval for any permit.

The Government of Dubai Media Office release says the permit "is valid for six months at a cost of AED5,000 renewable for the same fee every six months" [4]. The same release says "Eligible free zone companies holding a Dubai Unified Licence (DUL) can apply digitally via the Invest in Dubai (IID) platform."

Four points from that release decide whether it fits your business:

• Activities. "In its initial phase, the framework covers non-regulated activities including technology, consultancy, design, professional services, and trading, with plans to extend to regulated sectors." [4] A clinic, school or food business is outside the first phase.
• Tax. Free zone companies using it "will be subject to 9% corporate tax on related revenues and must maintain separate financial records". If you rely on Qualifying Free Zone Person status, model this with your tax adviser before you apply; our UAE corporate tax filing guide covers the filing side.
• Staff. Holders "can use their existing staff in mainland operations, without the need to recruit new ones."
• The DUL. Afridi & Angell notes that "It is not yet mandatory for an Entity to have a DUL" [9], but the permit is open to DUL holders, so check your status first.

The press release does not mention an NOC. Resolution 11, which the permit is issued under, does: Article 7(3) makes the Licensing Authority's approval a condition of every permit [1]. Meydan Free Zone describes the result in the same way, saying you receive "the No Objection Certificate (NOC) from Meydan Free Zone authorising your mainland operations, and the official DET Permit" [3]. So the zone step has not disappeared, even if it is handled inside the online journey.

How much does each free zone charge for its mainland approval?

The free zone's approval fee is set by each zone, not by Resolution 11. DMCC publishes AED 265 for its "NOC to operate onshore", plus the AED 20 Knowledge and Innovation fee. Meydan Free Zone advertises AED 2,500 for its NOC. JAFZA, IFZA, DAFZA, Dubai South, SHAMS, SPC, ANC and RAKEZ publish no mainland NOC fee we could find.

DMCC's Schedule of Charges lists "NOC to operate onshore" at AED 265, "Only for Licenced companies", and "Non-refundable if service is cancelled after submission." The schedule's general conditions add that "All charges are subject to AED 20 Knowledge and Innovation Dirham fees" and that the fees are "subject to change by DMCC without prior notice" [2]. DMCC's Licensing Rules make the approval a rule, not an option: a DMCC company with business outside the zone "must have obtained the required acknowledgement letter from the Registrar and approvals from any other relevant UAE Governmental Authority to do so" (Rule 3.2.11) [10].

Meydan Free Zone's own page lists the Mainland Permit route as "AED 2,500 for the No Objection Certificate (NOC)" plus "AED 2,500 for the DET Permit" plus AED 20 Knowledge and Innovation fees, "Total: AED 5,020", "issued within 1–2 business days" [3]. Its branch route is AED 10,000 ("AED 2,500 NOC + AED 7,500 for DET branch licensing support"), and the page adds "Prices are subject to change."

DMCC prices a letter; Meydan appears to price a service. Note one mismatch: Meydan's page shows AED 2,500 for the DET permit, while Resolution 11 and DET's own launch release give AED 5,000 for the permit [4]. Ask the zone exactly what its total covers, whether DET's fee is included, and whether its NOC must be renewed every time the permit is.

You can see each zone's wider costs in our DMCC free zone guide and Meydan Free Zone guide.

Quick Math: A DMCC company on the six-month permit pays AED 265 for the NOC, AED 20 Knowledge and Innovation fee and AED 5,000 to DET: AED 5,285 for the first six months. If DMCC requires a fresh NOC at each renewal, a full year costs AED 10,570. A Meydan company paying Meydan's own published total pays AED 5,020 per permit, or AED 10,040 for two periods, provided that total really does include DET's fee.

Common Mistake: Treating the zone NOC as the licence to trade onshore. It is only the zone's consent. Back in 2020, Afridi & Angell described DMCC's earlier onshore NOC this way: "The NOC, in itself, is not sufficient to operate onshore." [11] Under Resolution 11 the same logic holds: the right to trade on the mainland comes from DET's branch licence or permit, not from the free zone's letter.

Is a free zone company with a permit cheaper than a mainland company?

A Dubai free zone company with one visa plus a year of mainland permits costs about AED 31,890 or more at Meydan Free Zone, against AED 26,900 for a BusinessDubai.ae Dubai mainland company with one visa. The permit route wins when mainland work is occasional; a mainland company wins when most of your clients are onshore.

The comparison below uses BusinessDubai.ae's standard 2026 company formation packages [20] and the published permit and NOC fees. Package prices cover company formation only; NOCs, DET permits and regulator fees are extra.

Quick Math: Take a Meydan Free Zone company with one visa at AED 21,850. Add two permit periods at Meydan's advertised AED 5,020 and year one is AED 31,890. If DET's AED 5,000 turns out to sit on top of Meydan's AED 2,500 NOC, each period costs AED 7,520 and the year is AED 36,890. A Dubai mainland company with one visa is AED 26,900. If most of your invoices go to mainland clients, the mainland company is cheaper from day one.

Our mainland company setup team can price the onshore route against your expected client mix, and our free zone company setup page lists every zone package with its visa basis, so you compare like with like.

What about operating in Abu Dhabi, Sharjah or another emirate?

Resolution 11 of 2025 covers Dubai only. A Dubai free zone company that wants to work in another emirate must get licences and permits from that emirate's own authority, under that emirate's rules, so the Dubai NOC and DET permit do not carry over to Abu Dhabi, Sharjah or the northern emirates.

Article 3(c) of the resolution says that where a free zone company "intends to conduct Activities outside of the Emirate, it must obtain the required Licences and Permits from the competent entities in the jurisdiction where the Activities will be conducted" [1]. In practice that means a separate application in that emirate; ask your zone whether it also issues a letter for it.

Abu Dhabi has its own dual-licence route for free zone companies, explained in our Abu Dhabi dual licence guide. If your clients are mainly in the capital, compare that route with a direct business setup in Abu Dhabi. If you are weighing a Sharjah base for cost, our business setup in Sharjah page shows what a Sharjah licence includes.

Which NOCs does a free zone issue for banks, utilities, property and fit-out?

DMCC publishes the fullest list: separate NOCs to DEWA, du, Etisalat, Emirates Post, the Land Department, a bank, another licensing authority and its own fit-out team, each AED 265, plus a Title Deed NOC at AED 2,700 per unit. Most other zones do not publish equivalent lists, so ask your zone for its schedule.

These are letters your free zone writes to a third party, usually because the utility, bank or landlord asked for one. The DMCC Schedule of Charges lists them under "Registration No Objection Certificates (NOCs)" [2]:

Every line is non-refundable once submitted, and every line carries the AED 20 Knowledge and Innovation fee on top [2]. For the Title Deed NOC, DMCC adds: "NOC will be issued by DMCC, client to process application directly with the Land Department."

"NOC to DED to be a Shareholder" is the line a DMCC company needs before taking shares in a mainland company. "NOC to Open Bank Account" is a letter some banks ask for during onboarding; our corporate bank account guide covers what else the bank will want.

Pro Tip: Before you request a third-party NOC, get the exact addressee name and any required wording from the bank, utility or developer in writing. A DMCC NOC addressed to "To whom it may concern" when DEWA wants its full legal name costs a second AED 265 plus AED 20, because the first fee is non-refundable.

If you are buying property through your company, the Title Deed NOC is one line in a longer process; our guide to buying property through a company in Dubai covers the rest.

When does a JAFZA company need a labour NOC or a sister-company NOC?

A JAFZA company needs a labour NOC when its employees will work outside the free zone for another company, and a sister-company NOC when they will work for a sister JAFZA company. Both are requested on the Dubai Trade portal, take one working day, and cost AED 10 for one month, AED 510 for two or AED 1,010 for three.

JAFZA's guide describes the labour NOC as a service that "enables the Company to request a Letter or NOC (No Objection Certificate) for their employees from Jafza addressed to Labour Department." [5] The sister-company version is an "NOC (No Objection Certificate) to Operate within Jafza companies (sister companies only)." [6] Both guides are dated 16 July 2024.

Both services sit in the Labour Services section of Dubai Trade, and JAFZA notes that "This service requires portal access on Dubai Trade by a company administrator." [5] No physical documents are needed.

The fee scale is steep at the margin: one month costs AED 10, three months AED 1,010. Request only the months you need.

Common Mistake: Sending a free zone employee to a client's mainland site under a Resolution 11 permit and assuming no labour paperwork is needed. Article 8 lets a permitted company "engage its existing workforce registered on the Free Zone portal" [1], but the resolution does not say whether a labour NOC is still required for each deployment. Ask your zone before the first site visit, not after.

Our JAFZA free zone guide covers the zone's licences, facilities and costs.

Do you need your employer's NOC to start a free zone company?

You usually do not need a legally required NOC from your employer to own a free zone company. We found no such provision in Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, the UAE Labour Law, and Meydan Free Zone and SPC Free Zone say they do not ask for one. Some zones and mainland authorities do, so check your zone's list.

The Labour Law is clear about what it does contain. Article 10 allows a post-employment non-compete clause where the job gives you access to the employer's clients or work secrets, and limits it: the period "shall not be more than two years from the expiry date of the contract" [7]. The clause must also be specified "in terms of time, place and type of work". Article 9(3) covers moving to another employer during probation, which requires notice to the original employer "within not less than one month". Neither article requires an employer's permission to own a company.

Free zones apply their own document lists, and they differ:

Khaleej Times legal columns put the employer's position more strongly. A 2024 column by lawyer Ashish Mehta says "it is at the discretion of your employer to grant you the said NOC", and that an employer may refuse one where the new entity "is a competitor" [15]. A September 2026 column, answering a reader employed by a Dubai mainland company, says an employee may set up or join a company "provided that the employer issues a No Objection Certificate (NOC) permitting the employee to do so." [16] Both columns address mainland employees and cite no statutory NOC article. Meydan Free Zone's own compliance notice adds that if you plan to actively manage your company, "your employment contract may include non-compete or exclusivity clauses" [12].

Real Talk: The licence is rarely the risk. Your contract is. A free zone that does not ask for an employer NOC will still issue you a licence while your contract forbids competing work, and your employer can still act on that contract. Read your non-compete, exclusivity and conflict-of-interest clauses before you register, and if your zone asks for a letter, get one. If you work in government, the rules are different and we have not reviewed them: ask your HR department first.

For the wider choice between a freelance permit and a company while you are still employed, see our guide to freelance permits versus company setup in Dubai.

Do you need an NOC to switch from an employment visa to an investor visa?

Switching from an employment visa to your own company's investor visa means cancelling the employment visa first. Meydan Free Zone says an NOC is generally required only for that switch, but we found no GDRFA or ICP page publishing an employer NOC requirement, so confirm with your zone and the immigration authority.

Meydan's page says: "An NOC is generally required only if you plan to switch from your current visa (employment or family-sponsored) to an investor visa." [12] That is a free zone's statement of practice, not an immigration regulation we could read. What is certain is that the employment visa has to be cancelled, and your employer controls that cancellation, so plan the switch with your employer rather than around them. If you are still in probation, Article 9(3) of the Labour Law also requires written notice to the original employer of at least one month before moving to another employer, and the new employer may owe recruitment-cost compensation unless agreed otherwise [7].

Visa switches, establishment cards and the cancellation sequence are routine work for our post-setup services team, which handles the immigration side once the licence is issued.

Is a part-time or second-job permit the same as an NOC?

A second job in the UAE needs MOHRE approval under a part-time or temporary work permit, not a free zone NOC. The government portal says a worker may work for more than one employer after the Ministry approves it, and a temporary permit covers a fixed-period assignment to a different company.

The UAE government portal states: "A worker may work for more than one employer after obtaining approval from the Ministry." [17] It also describes a temporary work permit for a worker assigned to perform a task for a limited period in a different company, after which the worker returns to their original employer.

These are MOHRE approvals for employees taking paid work from a second employer. They are not the document you need to own shares in your own free zone company, and free zone staff lent elsewhere go through the zone's own process, such as JAFZA's labour NOC.

Are DHA, KHDA and Civil Defence approvals free zone NOCs?

DHA, KHDA, Dubai Municipality and Civil Defence approvals are activity approvals from the regulator of a regulated business, not NOCs from your free zone. Resolution 11 calls them approvals of the government entity supervising the activity "where required", and they usually come before the licence or the mainland permit is issued.

A clinic needs the health regulator, a training centre needs the education regulator, and a food business needs the municipality, regardless of whether the company sits in a free zone or on the mainland. RAKEZ, for example, sells a service for "No-Objection Certificates" from bodies such as EPDA, RAK Municipality and Civil Defense, "Starting from AED 1,200", and states that "This service is provided by a third party, facilitated and verified by RAKEZ" [18]. That is help with regulator approvals, not a RAKEZ authority letter.

For a regulated activity the regulator's approval normally comes before the licensing step. Our guide to Dubai business licence amendments explains how that works when you add a regulated activity to an existing licence.

How do you get any free zone NOC quickly and without a rejection?

The fastest free zone NOC is one requested once, correctly: through the zone portal by an authorised user, on an account with no pending requests or sanctions, addressed to the exact recipient, with the wording the recipient needs. JAFZA publishes one working day; most zones publish no processing time at all.

Work through these steps in order:

1. Confirm the document. Ask the requesting party what it needs and who must issue it, by email.
2. Check portal access. JAFZA's NOCs require "portal access on Dubai Trade by a company administrator" [5].
3. Clear the account. In 2020 Afridi & Angell reported that a DMCC company could not apply for an onshore NOC if it "has a sanction on its DMCC portal account or has an application (service request) pending" [11]. That note predates Resolution 11, but the logic holds: close open requests and pay any fines first.
4. Check the licence. Resolution 11 requires a valid free zone licence for every mainland route [1], and most third-party NOCs are listed by DMCC as "Only for Licenced companies" [2]. Renew before you request.
5. Use the exact recipient name. "Department of Economy and Tourism" or the bank's legal name, not "To whom it may concern" unless the recipient accepts it.
6. Supply the wording. If the recipient needs specific language, such as the mainland activity or the company you will hold shares in, include it.
7. Budget the next step. After a mainland NOC comes DET's AED 5,000 permit or AED 10,000 branch licence.

Pro Tip: Keep a one-page NOC log for the company: the NOC type, the date issued, the addressee, the fee and the expiry of whatever it supports. A DET permit renews every six months, and if your zone wants a fresh NOC each time, the log is what reminds you to request it a week early rather than the day the permit lapses.

What does every published free zone NOC fee add up to?

Published free zone NOC fees run from AED 10 to AED 2,700, but the NOC is rarely the big number. A DMCC company trading on the mainland pays AED 285 for the NOC and AED 5,000 to DET per six months, and a JAFZA company seconding one employee for three months pays AED 1,010.

The table collects every published fee in this guide, with the year-two position where one applies.

The AED 205 mediation line is a dispute step, not a business permission: if mediation fails, "the DMCC Disputes Centre will provide a party with an NOC to proceed with their complaint to the UAE labour court" [19].

If you want an itemised quote that puts the NOC, the permit and your zone's renewal on one page, get a free consultation→

Which NOC do you need in your situation?

The NOC you need depends on what you are doing, not on the zone's name. An employee starting a side company usually needs none from the government but must check the contract; a free zone company selling to mainland clients needs its zone's approval and a DET permit; a company moving staff needs a labour NOC.

If you are still employed and want to sell to mainland clients from day one, compare a mainland company with a free zone company plus a permit first; that choice often settles the NOC question.

Real Client Stories

These are composite examples built from the situations free zone founders most often face when they need an NOC. Names and details are illustrative, and the only figures used are published free zone and government fees and BusinessDubai.ae's package prices.

The engineer whose zone did not ask, but whose contract did

Priya, a structural engineer employed by a Dubai mainland consultancy, wanted a design-review side business. She chose a Meydan Free Zone licence-only package at AED 12,500, stayed on her employment visa, and was licensed without an employer NOC, as Meydan's own policy allows. Her first enquiry came from a developer her employer already served. Her contract carried a non-compete and an exclusivity clause, and taking that client would have breached both. She declined it, built a client list outside her employer's sector, and asked HR for a written consent letter covering the new company. Lesson: the free zone not asking for an NOC tells you nothing about what your contract allows.

The DMCC trader who thought the NOC was the licence

Omar runs a DMCC company trading coffee equipment and won a supply deal with three mainland cafés. He requested DMCC's NOC to operate onshore, paid AED 265 plus the AED 20 Knowledge and Innovation fee, and assumed he could invoice. He could not: the NOC is the zone's consent, and the right to trade on the mainland comes from DET. He applied for the six-month Free Zone Mainland Operating Permit at AED 5,000, bringing the first period to AED 5,285, and diarised the renewal. Year one, with a second permit, was budgeted at AED 10,570 if DMCC asks for a fresh NOC. Lesson: budget the NOC and the permit as one item.

The JAFZA logistics firm that over-requested

A JAFZA logistics company needed two warehouse supervisors at a sister JAFZA company during a peak season. The operations manager requested sister-company NOCs on Dubai Trade for three months each, at AED 1,010 per employee, in case the peak ran long. The NOCs arrived within JAFZA's published one working day. The peak ended after five weeks. Two months covered by AED 510 per employee would have done the job, saving AED 1,000 across the two staff. For the next season they requested one month at AED 10 and renewed only when needed. Lesson: on a stepped fee, request the months you can justify.

Your next steps

Three decisions matter more than any letter. First, identify which NOC you actually need, because "free zone NOC" covers at least eight documents. Second, if you will sell to mainland clients, budget the zone's approval and DET's permit together, and compare that total with a mainland company. Third, if you are still employed, read your contract before you register; the risk sits there, not in the licence.

BusinessDubai.ae has set up companies across the UAE's free zones and the Dubai mainland since 2013, with itemised pricing and no hidden fees. We will price a free zone company setup against a mainland company setup on your real client mix, including the NOC and permit costs that zone packages leave out, and our post-setup services team tracks permit renewals and visa changes after the licence is issued.

Talk to a setup expert→

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a free zone NOC in the UAE?

A free zone NOC is a no objection letter issued by a free zone authority, an employer or a sponsor for one specific purpose. The term covers several documents, including the zone's approval to operate on the Dubai mainland, letters to utilities and banks, and labour NOCs for staff working outside the zone. Each has its own issuer and fee.

How much does a free zone NOC cost in 2026?

A free zone NOC costs between AED 10 and AED 2,700 depending on the zone and the type, as of November 2026. DMCC charges AED 265 plus AED 20 for most NOCs, Meydan Free Zone advertises AED 2,500 for its mainland NOC, and JAFZA charges AED 10 to AED 1,010 for labour NOCs.

Is the mainland NOC fee the same in every free zone?

No. Each free zone sets its own fee for approving mainland operation, and Resolution 11 of 2025 does not fix one. DMCC publishes AED 265 plus AED 20, Meydan Free Zone advertises AED 2,500, and JAFZA, IFZA, DAFZA, Dubai South, SHAMS, SPC, ANC and RAKEZ publish no mainland NOC fee we could find.

Does Resolution 11 of 2025 mention an NOC?

No. Executive Council Resolution No. 11 of 2025 never uses the word NOC. It requires "the prior approval of the Licensing Authority", meaning your free zone authority, before DET issues a branch licence or permit, and the market calls that approval an NOC.

Is the free zone NOC enough to trade on the Dubai mainland?

No. The free zone NOC is only the zone's consent. To trade on the Dubai mainland you also need a DET branch licence or a DET permit, which costs AED 10,000 a year for a branch operating out of the free zone or AED 5,000 per six-month permit.

How long does a free zone NOC take?

Most free zones do not publish a processing time for their NOCs. JAFZA publishes one working day for its labour and sister-company NOCs, and Meydan Free Zone advertises 1–2 business days for its NOC and mainland permit together. DMCC publishes fees but no processing time.

Is the free zone NOC fee refundable if I cancel?

At DMCC, no. The DMCC Schedule of Charges marks its NOCs "Non-refundable if service is cancelled after submission", so confirm the addressee and wording before you submit. Other zones publish no refund rule we could find, so ask before paying.

What is the Free Zone Mainland Operating Permit?

The Free Zone Mainland Operating Permit is a DET permit launched on 8 October 2025 that lets a free zone company work on the Dubai mainland. It costs AED 5,000, is valid for six months and is renewable at the same fee. It is open to free zone companies holding a Dubai Unified Licence through the Invest in Dubai platform.

Which activities does the Free Zone Mainland Operating Permit cover?

In its initial phase the permit covers non-regulated activities, named by the Dubai Media Office as technology, consultancy, design, professional services and trading. Dubai plans to extend it to regulated sectors, but healthcare, education and other regulated activities were outside the first phase announced in October 2025.

Do I pay corporate tax on revenue earned under a mainland permit?

Yes. The Dubai Media Office states that free zone companies engaging in mainland activities will be subject to 9% corporate tax on related revenues and must keep separate financial records. Resolution 11 also requires separate financial records for activities outside the free zone.

Can a DIFC company get a mainland permit under Resolution 11?

Not if it is a financial establishment. Article 2 of Resolution 11 of 2025 says the resolution does not apply to financial establishments licensed to operate in the Dubai International Financial Centre. Non-financial DIFC entities should ask the DIFC and DET directly.

Has the Resolution 11 grace period ended?

We could not confirm it either way. Article 13 gave existing operators one year from the effective date and lets DET's Director General extend it once for the same period, but we found no published decision on an extension. If you already trade on the mainland without a licence or permit, regularise it now.

What is the DET fee for a mainland branch within Dubai?

Article 12 of Resolution 11 sets no separate fee for a branch within the Emirate. KPMG's summary lists AED 10,000 a year, the same as the branch operating out of the free zone, so confirm the figure with DET before you budget.

Do I need my employer's NOC to open a free zone company?

Usually not as a legal requirement. We found no NOC provision in the UAE Labour Law, Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, and Meydan Free Zone and SPC Free Zone say they do not require one. Some zones, such as Ajman Free Zone, list a sponsor no-objection letter for UAE residents, so check your zone's document list.

Can my employer refuse to give me an NOC?

Yes. An employer has no obligation to issue an NOC, and a 2024 Khaleej Times legal column says it is at the employer's discretion and may be refused where your new company would compete. If your zone does not require one, the refusal does not block the licence, but your contract still applies.

Does a non-compete clause stop me starting a business in a free zone?

A non-compete clause can restrict competing work but does not stop a free zone from licensing you. Under Article 10 of the UAE Labour Law, a post-employment non-compete must be specified by time, place and type of work and cannot last more than two years after the contract ends.

Can I keep my job and own a free zone company?

Yes, in many zones. Meydan Free Zone, for example, says you can get licensed while still on an employment visa without an employer NOC. Check your employment contract for exclusivity and conflict-of-interest terms, and get written consent if there is any overlap with your employer's business.

Do I need an NOC to switch to my company's investor visa?

Meydan Free Zone says an NOC is generally required only when you switch from an employment visa to an investor visa. We found no GDRFA or ICP page publishing that requirement, but the switch does require cancelling your employment visa, which your employer controls, so confirm with your zone and the immigration authority.

What does DMCC's NOC for Employee to Open a Business cost?

DMCC's NOC for Employee to Open a Business costs AED 165, plus the AED 20 Knowledge and Innovation fee. It is listed with DMCC's employment letters and applies to employees sponsored through DMCC, not to every founder setting up in DMCC.

Which NOCs does DMCC issue to utilities and banks?

DMCC lists NOCs to DEWA, DU, Etisalat, Emirates Post, the Land Department and to open a bank account, each at AED 265 plus AED 20. It also issues an NOC to open a branch, an NOC to DED to be a shareholder, a general NOC and fit-out NOCs at the same fee.

How much is a DMCC title deed NOC?

DMCC's Title Deed NOC costs AED 2,700 per unit, paid with the application. DMCC issues the NOC, and the owner then processes the application directly with the Dubai Land Department, whose own fees are separate.

What is a JAFZA labour NOC?

A JAFZA labour NOC is a letter from JAFZA to the labour department allowing a JAFZA company's employee to work outside the free zone at another company. It is requested on Dubai Trade, takes one working day, and costs AED 10 for one month, AED 510 for two months or AED 1,010 for three months.

Can my free zone staff work on a mainland project under a permit?

Resolution 11 Article 8 lets a licensed or permitted free zone company engage its existing workforce registered on the free zone portal, and the Dubai Media Office says permit holders can use existing staff. Whether a separate labour NOC is needed for each deployment is not stated, so ask your zone.

Does a Dubai free zone NOC let me work in Abu Dhabi or Sharjah?

No. Resolution 11 of 2025 covers Dubai only, and Article 3(c) says a free zone company working outside Dubai must get licences and permits from the competent authorities in that emirate. Abu Dhabi runs its own dual-licence route for free zone companies.

Does a free zone company need an NOC to become a shareholder in a mainland company?

At DMCC, yes: DMCC lists an "NOC to DED to be a Shareholder" at AED 265 plus AED 20 for licensed companies. Other zones may have an equivalent letter, so ask your zone before the mainland company's registration, as the NOC is part of the file.

References

[1] Supreme Legislation Committee, Government of Dubai. Executive Council Resolution No. (11) of 2025 Regulating the Conduct of Free Zone Establishments' Activities within the Emirate of Dubai, issued 3 March 2025. Articles 1 to 13, including the Licensing Authority approval conditions, the three routes, validity, workforce, fees and grace period. dlp.dubai.gov.ae

[2] DMCC. Schedule of Charges, including Registration No Objection Certificates, Employment Letters and No Objection Certificates, Title Deed NOC fees, Workplace Mediation fees and the AED 20 Knowledge and Innovation fee (page undated, fetched 3 November 2026). dmcc.ae

[3] Meydan Free Zone. Mainland company registration in Dubai: Mainland Permit and Mainland Branch routes, NOC and DET fees, AED 5,020 total and processing time (updated 4 August 2026). meydanfz.ae

[4] Government of Dubai Media Office. Dubai Launches Free Zone Mainland Operating Permit to Unlock New Growth for Investors, 8 October 2025: AED 5,000 fee, six-month validity, DUL eligibility, activities, corporate tax and staff. mediaoffice.ae

[5] Jebel Ali Free Zone. Labour NOC letter request guide, 16 July 2024: purpose, documents, processing time, fees and Dubai Trade access. jafza.ae

[6] Jebel Ali Free Zone. Free Zone NOC for Sister Company guide, 16 July 2024: purpose, documents, processing time and fees. jafza.ae

[7] UAE Government. Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Employment Relations (English translation, not official), Articles 9 and 10 on probation moves and non-competition. u.ae

[8] KPMG Lower Gulf. Dubai issues resolution enabling free zone companies to operate on mainland: summary of licence types and fees (2025). kpmg.com

[9] Afridi & Angell. Expanding Boundaries to Mainland Dubai (inBrief), 30 October 2025: the Free Zone Mainland Operating Permit and Dubai Unified Licence status. afridi-angell.com

[10] DMCC. Licensing Rules, Version 3, issued 10 October 2024, Rule 3.2.11 on business outside the DMCC Free Zone. dmcc.ae

[11] Afridi & Angell. DMCC: Expanding the Scope of a Service License, 4 May 2020: DMCC's earlier onshore NOC, its limits and portal conditions. afridi-angell.com

[12] Meydan Free Zone. No Objection Certificate in Dubai: employer NOC policy, visa switch and compliance notice (updated 30 June 2026). meydanfz.ae

[13] SPC Free Zone. How established businesses can bypass NOC requirements in SPC Free Zone (undated). spcfz.ae

[14] Department of Digital Ajman. Ownership types: Ajman Free Zone required documents, including the sponsor no-objection letter (undated). ajman.ae

[15] Khaleej Times, Ashish Mehta. Dubai: Can employees start their own business while being employed? Law explained, 7 April 2024. khaleejtimes.com

[16] Khaleej Times, Nandini Sircar. Can UAE employees start a business while keeping their jobs? What the law says, 6 September 2026. khaleejtimes.com

[17] UAE Government portal. Work permits in the private sector, including part-time and temporary work permits. u.ae

[18] RAKEZ. No-Objection Certificates value-added service: regulator NOCs, third-party provider and starting price. vas.rakez.com

[19] DMCC. Employment Rules, 25 March 2020, Rule 20.4 on the DMCC Disputes Centre NOC to the labour court. dmcc.ae

[20] BusinessDubai.ae. Standard 2026 company formation package prices for the Dubai mainland, Meydan Free Zone, Dubai South and IFZA (partner price), and mainland renewal estimate. businessdubai.ae