The Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi (KIZAD) is a massive 417-km2 industrial park that is strategically located halfway between Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Launched in 2012, it has already emerged as a serious competitor to the Jebel Ali Free Zone (JAFZA).
KIZAD delivers unique advantages – extensive size, world-class infrastructure, free zone and non-free zone solutions, dedicated investor support, tax-free environment with competitive operating costs and strategic location with access to regional and international markets. These contribute to making KIZAD one of the world’s foremost port-integrated industrial zones and a leading hub for manufacturing, logistics and trade across diverse sectors.
Advantages of Setting Up a Business in KIZAD
- Speedy procedures of document screening and provision of license and certificates
- Zero personal and corporate tax
- 100% repatriation of business profits and capital
- Provision of 100% foreign ownership
- Efficiency in business operations
- A strategic location advantage
- Low cost of utilities and leases
- Complete exemption from customs duty on goods and services
- Pre-built office and warehouse facility
- Industrial synergy
- Hassle-free banking facility
- Great transport connectivity by air, sea, and land
- Availability of business parks
KIZAD – Legal Entities
A corporate or individual entity may register one’s company in Kizad free zone through one of the following legal entity types:
- Free Zone Establishment (for a company with a single shareholder)
- Free Zone Company (for a company with 2-5 shareholders)
- Branch Office of a Foreign Company (where the applicant is a foreign national)
- Branch Office of a Local Company (where the applicant is a UAE national)
License Types in KIZAD
- Industrial License
Import of raw material, manufacturing, processing, assembling, packaging and export of intermediate and / or finished product and such other industrial activities as are published in the Industrial License.
- Trading License OR General Trading License
Trading activities that include import, export, distribution, stocking, warehousing of products and items specified on the License and such other trading activities as are published in the Trading License.
- Service License
Permits service activities such as management and economic consulting services, marketing services, logistical support services such as cargo and freight forwarding, restaurants, retail food outlets, catering services, travel agencies, etc. as are published in the Service License (Category List).
How to start a business in KIZAD
The key steps in the business set up in KIZAD are as follows:
- Identify your economic activity
You need to determine your type of financial activity under the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (DED) laws to begin your business setup procedure.
- Determining the Legal Form of the Company
The second step would be to define your company’s right legal form. You need to determine your legal form to adapt to the needs of your legal company requirements. Depending on their business nature, the legal forms may vary from company to company.
- Registration of Business Name
The next step would be the registration of your business name. Selecting an appropriate business name for your business entity is one of the important steps before your initial approval. Your trade name should be concurrent with your business nature.
- Initial Approval
After getting a certificate of trade name, the next step would be getting an initial approval from the authorities. This is required for practicing the economic activity.
- Acquiring Approvals from Authorities
After getting your initial approvals, you need to get all the required approvals from all the concerned authorities and fulfill all the terms and conditions. Some of the economic activities require the approval only from the DED.
- Obtaining a Business License
The last step before starting your business operation is obtaining your business license. There are different types of licenses depending on your business nature, and you can choose anyone.
Documents required for KIZAD Company Formation
- Proof of initial approval for business activities
- Trade name reservation proof
- Shareholders’ passport copies
- Manager’s passport copy and CV
- Each shareholder’s & manager’s personal Information sheet
- Lease agreement [having a registered address for one’s office is mandatory in the UAE]
- Third party approval for activities, wherever applicable
