A freelance permit lets you work legally in the UAE as an independent professional under your own name — one person, no office required, and it can sponsor a residence visa. Here's who issues it, what it covers, what it costs, and when to upgrade to a full company.
A freelance permit is the cheapest, leanest way to work legally on your own — but it's built for solo work, not for building a team or a brand.
An illustrative starting point for a freelance permit on its own. Your total depends on:
We match the permit to your field and confirm whether you need a visa, then send a full written quote — permit, visa and any add-ons — before you commit.
The details that decide how a freelance permit works.
What a freelance permit gives you, and what to weigh.
| Freelance permit | Company licence | |
|---|---|---|
| Who it's for | One person, under your name | A brand you can grow |
| Hire staff | No | Yes, subject to visa quota |
| Office | Shared desk, none required | Flexi-desk to full office |
| Setup from | AED 5,750 | AED 12,500 |
| Best for | Solo professionals testing the water | Scaling and building a team |
In short: if you work solo under your own name and want the leanest, cheapest start, a freelance permit is ideal — and it still sponsors your visa. The moment you need to hire staff, sign bigger contracts or build a branded company, upgrade to a company licence. Many people start freelance and switch later — we'll map the cheapest compliant path either way.
What freelancers ask before getting a permit in the UAE. Anything else — AgentBiz answers instantly.
Ask AgentBizIt's a licence that lets you work legally as a one-person independent professional under your own name — no company, no office required, and just you. It's the cheapest, leanest way to start working in the UAE, and it can sponsor your residence visa.
A freelance permit typically starts from around AED 5,750 on its own. If you also need a residence visa, add roughly AED 3,500 or more. Your total depends on the free zone, your field and any extras — we send a full written quote first.
Several do, including SHAMS, IFZA, RAKEZ, twofour54, Dubai Media City, Dubai Knowledge Park and Ajman. Each suits different fields and budgets — we match your activity to the best-value zone.
Yes. A freelance permit can sponsor your own UAE residence visa, so you can live and work here legally. The quota is usually limited to just you — to sponsor staff or family more broadly you'd look at a company licence.
A freelance permit is for solo work under your own name — one person, no staff. A company licence lets you build a brand, invoice under a company, hire employees and take on bigger contracts. Many people start freelance and upgrade to a company as they grow.
Common permitted fields are media, tech, education and training, consultancy and creative work — think writers, designers, developers, coaches, marketers and consultants. We confirm your specific activity is covered before you apply.
A professional licence for advisory work once you're ready to build a brand.
A tech licence for developers and software firms scaling beyond solo work.
A marketing licence for when you're ready to hire and take on bigger clients.
Ask AgentBiz which free zone and permit fit your field, or talk to a human advisor. Real requirements, honest guidance, no obligation.