IFZA activities — the top 10.
The most-licensed activities at IFZA. Each page covers what the licence permits, QFZP / Corporate Tax position, UAE VAT treatment, indicative cost in USD, and the top home countries from which applications for that activity originate.
Management Consultancy
7020.01 — Management Consultancy Services
Ecommerce
4791.01 — Retail sale via mail order houses or via Internet
Marketing Management
7311.01 — Advertising / Marketing Management
Investment in Commercial Enterprises
6420.01 — Activities of Holding Companies
IT Consultancy
6202.01 — IT Consultancy
Project Management Services
7110.05 — Project Management Services
General Trading
4690.18 — General Trading
Marketing Services via Social Media
7311.04 — Marketing Services via Social Networking
Computer System (Software Design)
6201.01 — Computer programming activities (custom software)
Commercial Broker
4690.06 — Commercial Broker
How activities work at IFZA
IFZA licences are structured around bundles of activities. The standard package allows up to 3 activities per licence at no additional fee; additional activities cost AED 500 (~USD 135) each. Most applicants bundle complementary activities — for example, a marketing agency typically combines Marketing Management + Marketing Services via Social Media + Advertising Agency; a technology consultant bundles IT Consultancy + Computer System (Software Design) + Computer System Maintenance.
The activity classification matters for three reasons: (1) it controls the QFZP qualifying / non-qualifying analysis for UAE Corporate Tax; (2) it controls UAE VAT treatment; (3) it determines whether ancillary regulator approvals are needed (e.g. influencer permits, customs codes, profession-specific authorisations).
Pairing with the country pages
Each activity page lists the top countries from which applications for that activity originate. Each country page lists the top activities those founders license. Read the activity page first if you know your business; read the country page first if you know your origin. Most clients arrive having read both before requesting a quote.
Country pages: Setup by country — top 10.