SPC Company Setup with 3S Dubai — Licence from 5,000 AED
SPC Free Zone (Sharjah Publishing City) starts from 5,000 AED for a licence, and from 25,000 AED for a complete Company + Visa package with the investor visa, Emirates ID, medical and change of status already inside the price. The cheapest credible route to a UAE company and residency.
What is SPC Free Zone?
SPC Free Zone — Sharjah Publishing City — is a Sharjah government Free Zone launched in 2017 as the world’s first Free Zone dedicated to publishing and printing. Its activity list has since widened well beyond that founding niche to cover trading, consulting, services, e-commerce and holding structures.
SPC grants 100% foreign ownership, 0% personal income tax, full profit repatriation, no paid-up share capital requirement and no physical office obligation. It sits roughly 25 to 40 minutes from Dubai International Airport — which is exactly where the cost saving comes from.
SPC Activities
SPC covers 1,500+ activities. It is strongest for publishing and digital media, but the Standard licence handles the same activity families as any Dubai Free Zone.
Publishing & E-Publishing
Books, periodicals, printing and pre-press, plus digital-only publishing: e-books, online magazines, newsletters and digital content distribution.
Consulting & Professional
Management consultancy, marketing and advertising, business support, recruitment, design and training services.
Trading & E-commerce
General and specialised trading, import and export, online retail and distribution under the Standard commercial licence.
IT & Holding
Software development, web and IT services, plus pure holding structures for shares, IP or other assets. Single shareholder allowed, no minimum capital.
SPC Cost Overview & Visa Packages
SPC is the lowest-cost Free Zone we work with. Unlike most zones, the visa packages include the visa fees rather than quoting them separately afterwards. Below are 2026 prices.
- E-Publishing licence (0 visa) — Starting from 5,000 AED per year.
- Publishing licence (0 visa) — Starting from 5,800 AED per year.
- Standard licence (0 visa) — Starting from 6,900 AED per year.
- Standard + 1 visa — Starting from 25,000 AED all-in, investor visa fees included.
- Standard + 2 visas — Starting from 30,200 AED all-in, first visa is the investor visa with fees included.
- Standard + 3 visas — Starting from 35,400 AED all-in, first visa is the investor visa with fees included.
- Visa fees cover — residence visa, Emirates ID, medical fitness test and change of status.
- Office requirement — NO physical office needed. Free Zone address included.
What’s Included in the Standard Packages
Four items are bundled into the SPC Standard licence packages that most Free Zones sell as add-ons.
- Corporate tax registration — mandatory for every UAE company, with an automatic 10,000 AED penalty for late registration. Handled inside the package.
- Corporate bank account opening — full file preparation and submission, not just an introduction. See our bank account service.
- Personal bank account opening — rarely included anywhere. Follows your Emirates ID, and matters for rent and utilities.
- Medical and biometrics assistance — appointments booked and accompanied, so one short trip to the UAE covers everything.
Banking Access & Best Fit
Why SPC works — and where it does not.
- Banking access — workable but tier-sensitive. UAE banks rank Sharjah zones below Dubai zones, so the KYC file has to be stronger and the timeline usually runs a few days longer. Mashreq, RAKBank and Wio are the most consistent.
- Best for — founders optimising for total cost, freelancers and solo consultants, e-commerce operators, publishing and digital content businesses, and anyone whose clients are outside the UAE.
- Not ideal for — founders selling to Dubai corporates who will read the address on the invoice (Meydan or IFZA fit better), regulated financial services (DIFC or ADGM), or commodities and large-scale trading (DMCC).
- Compliance — corporate tax registration is mandatory regardless of profit; audit is required if claiming QFZP. Our accounting team can advise.
SPC FAQ
What does SPC stand for?
Sharjah Publishing City. It launched in 2017 as the world’s first Free Zone dedicated to publishing and printing, and has since broadened to cover trading, consulting, services, e-commerce and holding activities.
Do the visa fees really sit inside the package price?
Yes. The residence visa, Emirates ID, medical and change of status are included for the investor visa. In the 2-visa and 3-visa packages the first visa is the investor visa with fees included; additional visas are employment visas under the same establishment card. Dependant visas are quoted separately.
Do I need a Dubai address instead?
It depends entirely on who your clients are. If you invoice internationally or work remotely, the Sharjah address is invisible and the saving is real. If you pitch Dubai corporates who check the address, spend the extra on Meydan or IFZA. We give you a straight answer on the discovery call.
How long does SPC setup take?
3 to 7 working days for the licence. Add 5 to 10 working days for the establishment card and entry permit, then 7 to 12 for the medical, Emirates ID and visa stamping. End to end including the bank account: 20 to 30 working days.
Is there a minimum share capital?
No paid-up capital is required. Share capital is declared on the MoA — typically 10,000 to 50,000 AED for banking credibility — but does not need to be deposited.
Can an SPC company claim QFZP and 0% corporate tax?
Eligibility depends on your specific activity, substance and audit position rather than on the zone alone. FTA registration is mandatory either way and is included in the Standard packages. We assess each case through our accounting team.
Read the complete SPC Free Zone guide (2026) for the complete cost and process breakdown, compare with other zones on our Free Zones hub, or see the Free Zone formation process.
Get Your SPC Quote
Tell us your activity and visa needs — we’ll reply within 24h with a fixed SPC package.