New Freezone Incentives—Up to 30% Fee Reduction for Startup
Company Formation in Dubai Studio City
38,540AED
From
2005
Established
10
Max Visas
Moderate
Banking
Business Overview
Dubai Studio City Overview
What is Dubai Studio City?
- Founded in 2005, a TECOM/DDA hub dedicated to film, television, broadcasting (streaming included) and production services
- Broadcast network categories may cost AED 25,000-40,000, whereas many segments sit on the AED 15,000 licence tier
- Your chosen activity largely sets the cost
Who should consider it?
- Companies producing film and TV
- OTT and broadcasting businesses
- Creative agencies, studios and post-production firms
Visa Details
- Visa quota: up to 10
- Processing: roughly 12 days; for FZ-LLCs, DDA states 10 working days for provisional approval and 2 working days for registration
- Renewal: AED 5,560 every 2 years
- Available visas: Investor, Employment, Partner, Dependent
- AED 5,560 each for investor, employee and dependent visas
- Emirates ID typing AED 390 · Medical: VIP AED 850, Standard AED 450
Banking
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Banks partnering with the zone: Mashreq, ADCB, Emirates NBD, Wio Business, RAKBANK
- Thorough KYC means media and broadcasting profiles usually wait 3-8 weeks; smaller creative agencies may take 2-6 weeks
Features
- Physical office needed: Yes
- Shared ownership allowed: Yes
- Portal online: Yes, with licence and visa services handled by the axs care centre
- Co-working: Yes
- Audit needed: Yes
- Not available: crypto, dual licensing, trading on the mainland, or a free zone to mainland route
Share Capital
- Not fixed and depends on activity; a public deposit is usually not needed
Special Ecosystems
- Network of boutique studios and sound stages (DSC production infrastructure)
Latest Updates
- February 2026: refreshed official profile of the DSC free zone released by the UAE's Ministry of Economy & Tourism
- May 2024: around CABSAT 2024, DSC showcased ecosystem activity, sharing figures on original content production
- January 2021: DDA Decision No. 1 of 2021 set out the categories of DSC licence and their fees (AED 15,000 for segments, AED 25,000-40,000 for broadcasting)
Freezone Cost Calculator
Estimate Your Setup Cost
Why DSC?
Why Dubai Studio City Stands Out
Transparent Segment Pricing
Broadcast network tiers run AED 25,000-40,000, while a large number of production segments cost AED 15,000.
Built for Production
Focused entirely on film, radio, television and the broader production sector.
Full Licensing Range
Licences span production, digital content, support services, entertainment and music.
Set Processing Times
Provisional approval takes 10 working days, followed by 2 working days for registration.
Entry-Level Licence Cost
Several sources agree production segments start at roughly AED 15,000.
axs Customer Care
DSC hosts an axs customer care centre that helps with licensing and visas.
Packages & Pricing
Dubai Studio City Pricing & Packages
FZ-LLC Starter (0 Visa)
Flexi desk · Licence AED 18,540 · AED 35,020 on renewal.
0 visas
FZ-LLC with Flexi Desk (1 Visa)
Flexi desk · Licence AED 18,540 · AED 38,040 on renewal.
1 visa
FZ-LLC with Dedicated Desk (2 Visas)
Dedicated desk · Licence AED 18,540 · AED 47,040 on renewal.
2 visas
FZ-LLC with Private Office (4 Visas)
Private office · Licence AED 18,540 · AED 101,040 on renewal.
4 visas
Watch Out For
Points to Weigh Up Before Picking Dubai Studio City
Have Questions?
Common Questions
Grow Your Business With Tailored Free Zone Business Packages
Explore More
Explore Similar Free Zones
Dubai Media City
Hosting names such as Reuters, Sony, CNN, BBC and MBC, this is the top media free zone in the Middle East, offering company packages from AED 30,000 and GoFreelance permits from AED 12,542.
- Base of CNN, BBC & MBC
- GoFreelance at AED 7,500
- As many as 6 visas
Jebel Ali Free Zone
Global trade hub near Jebel Ali Port, ideal for logistics, manufacturing, and large-scale international distribution operations.
- Next to Jebel Ali Port
- 11,000+ companies
- Up to 50 visas
Dubai Production City
A TECOM free zone dedicated to packaging, printing, publishing and the wider production supply chain, offering light industrial units, warehouses and offices. Packages start at AED 36,540.
- Hub for print & packaging
- Warehouses and offices
- Max 10 visas
