Dubai South company setup

Dubai South is a planned city on the Jebel Ali side of Dubai. It is built around Al Maktoum International Airport and is close to Jebel Ali Port. It covers tens of square kilometres, not just a few buildings. Its free zone is run by the Dubai Aviation City Corporation.

It is divided into areas called districts. The Logistics District is the biggest. It connects air, sea and road, and has EZDubai, a hub built for e-commerce. The Aviation District is for aircraft maintenance and repair (MRO), parts, aircraft manufacturing and ground support. It is also the permanent home of the Dubai Airshow. The Business Park is for companies that want the address and free zone licence without any warehouse or operations.

Dubai South is a long-term plan for where the city's cargo will move in the future. If you plan ten years ahead, not one, this is the reason to go there early and take space while it is available.

It suits freight forwarders, logistics companies (3PL), cold storage specialists, delivery and e-commerce businesses, and distributors who need a warehouse, not just a desk. It suits almost every kind of aviation business, from maintenance to parts trading to ground handling. And through the Business Park, it suits companies that want a Dubai free zone licence now and space to grow into operations later, without moving.

It does not suit a business that needs to be in the city centre and see clients every day. Dubai South is a long drive from Deira, Business Bay and the DIFC. For a consultancy that needs to be close to its clients, this is a real cost.

It also does not suit anyone who only wants a cheap licence. There are cheaper licences in the UAE. If a licence is all you need, we will send you to one of those, not to a logistics city.

Choosing the district matters more than choosing the licence. The Logistics District has the warehouses, the air-sea-road connections and EZDubai. Choose it if you move or store large amounts of goods. Choose the Aviation District for anything to do with aircraft, parts or airport operations. Choose the Business Park if you want the licence and address without the operations.

In the operational districts, your space and your number of visas are linked. The space you rent decides what you can do and how many people you can bring. This is very different from zones where the visas come with the package, whatever your space. So you must decide your space first, then the licence.

Getting it wrong either way costs money. Take too little space and you will be renegotiating within a year. Take too much and you will pay for an empty warehouse while your business grows.

It means we apply directly. More importantly, we can tell you honestly whether you should be here at all. A logistics city is easy to sell to someone who likes the idea of growing big. But it is expensive if the business volume does not come.

For clients who do belong here, our work is to match the district and the space to a realistic business plan. We also plan the licence, the space and the bank account in the right order, so none of them is stuck waiting for the others.

We give a written price for your case. Our listed free zone starting price is based on the lower-cost zones and would be misleading here. A Dubai South price includes the licence, the space and the visas together.

The Business Park is the cheaper end and the Logistics District the more expensive. The difference is so big that one price for both would not help you.

The main question is which airport your goods use and how much space you need. DAFZA is next to Dubai International, close to the older trading areas. It suits express, high-value and urgent air cargo in smaller spaces. Dubai South is around Al Maktoum International, near the port. It suits large volumes, sea-and-air shipments, bulk goods and e-commerce fulfilment.

There is also a simple difference in the cost of space. Dubai South has a lot of land, so warehouses cost less there than next to Dubai International Airport (DXB).

If you really need both, express air cargo and bulk fulfilment, then you need to plan your company setup carefully. It is not just a choice between two zones. Talk to us before you set up anything.