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A cost-effective mainland base minutes from Dubai. Sharjah mainland suits trading, industrial and family businesses that want UAE-wide market access with lower rents and fees.
Business setup in SharjahLicensed by the Sharjah Economic Development Department (SEDD), a mainland company trades anywhere in the UAE without restrictions.
Sharjah combines the UAE's third-largest economy with significantly lower office and warehouse costs, while keeping you within a short drive of Dubai's ports and customers.
Foreign ownership on most Sharjah activities
Working days to licence, typical
Visa quota, scales with office space
Trade with no territorial restriction
The activity groups we license most often in Sharjah. If yours is not listed, ask us, the authority publishes hundreds of sub-activities and we will match the right one.
the UAE's manufacturing heartland with affordable warehousing
UAE-wide wholesale and retail distribution
consultancies and technical services
fleet and distribution businesses
institutes in the UAE's culture capital
construction and maintenance firms
Mainland cost moves with three things: your activity, whether you need physical office space, and how many visas you want. The panel shows a typical professional setup.
Every Sharjah mainland setup with Breeo includes activity selection, trade name reservation, MOA drafting, initial approval, licence issuance and PRO support for external approvals. You get a written cost breakdown before you commit, and we do not add service fees on government charges.
Indicative. Exact quote confirmed in writing before you commit.
The honest comparison. Mainland is right when you sell to UAE customers on the ground, but it is not the cheapest or fastest route, so compare before you commit.
| Free zone | Mainland | Offshore | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foreign ownership | 100% | 100% on most activities | 100% |
| Trade inside the UAE | Through a distributor or branch | Yes, unrestricted | No |
| Corporate tax | 0% on qualifying income | 9% above AED 375,000 | 0% on foreign income |
| Visas | Tied to package, scalable | Unlimited, scales with office | None |
| Office required | Flexi desk included | Physical office (Ejari) | Registered address only |
| Typical setup time | 2 to 5 working days | 5 to 10 working days | About 1 week |
| Indicative from | AED 5,750 | AED 14,500 | AED 12,000 |
| Best for | Consultancies, trading, e-commerce | Retail, contracting, government work | Holding, asset protection |
Indicative figures. Corporate tax treatment depends on your activity and qualifying income, we confirm your position in writing before you commit.
Yes, on most commercial and professional activities. A small list of strategic activities still requires an Emirati partner or agent, and we check your specific activity before you pay anything.
For a Sharjah mainland licence, yes. You need a tenancy contract registered with Ejari, and your visa quota is calculated from that space. Free zone flexi desks do not satisfy this.
Typically 5 to 10 working days from document submission to licence, assuming your activity does not need external approvals. Activities like healthcare, education and legal take longer.
Licence plus office plus visas. The panel above shows an indicative professional setup, but the number moves with your activity and space. We give you an itemised written quote first.
Send us your activity and visa count. We will come back with an exact, itemised quote the same day.
Find out how much it'll cost to start your company. Get a clear estimate based on your activity, visas and office requirements. Plan smarter with full confidence.
A step-by-step tool that gives you an accurate cost range in under a minute.
Our team follows up with personalised guidance so you can choose the best setup option.
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