Industrial Licence
For manufacturing, processing, assembly and packaging. Lets you import raw materials and export finished goods through the port.
ManufacturingIndustry
Hamriyah Free Zone (HFZA) Company Formation
Sharjah's largest industrial free zone, with a deep-water portSet up where UAE industry runs on cheap land and port access. HFZA offers 25-year plots, pre-built warehouses and a 14-metre deep-water port, with 100% ownership and no tax or customs duty.
Excellent
Sharjah's largest industrial free zone
14-metre deep-water port on site
25-year land leases from about AED 30/m²
6,500+ companies from 160+ countries
100% ownership, tax and duty free
Excellent
Hamriyah Free Zone
What is Hamriyah Free Zone?
Hamriyah Free Zone, or HFZA, is Sharjah's industrial free zone. It was set up by Emiri decree in 1995 and is run by the Hamriyah Free Zone Authority. It sits on the Arabian Gulf coast, about 10 miles from Sharjah city.
HFZA is built for physical business. It manages over 24 square kilometres of industrial land and runs its own 14-metre deep-water port with a 7-metre inner harbour. Over 6,500 companies from 160+ countries operate here.
The sectors tell the story. Oil and gas, petrochemicals, steel, food processing and heavy trading dominate. Companies come for cheap land, low energy costs and a port at the door, not for a prestige address.
Business Benefits
Why set up your business in HFZA?
HFZA earns its place for one type of founder: the one who needs space, a port and low running costs. Here is what you get.
- A 14-metre deep-water port beside your warehouse
- Land leases up to 25 years at low rates
- Some of the cheapest energy costs in the UAE
- Sub-zones for food, oil and gas and industry
- On-site accommodation for your workforce
- Reach to the Northern Emirates and subcontinent
- 100% foreign ownership with no local partner
- No corporate tax, income tax or customs duty
An honest fit check
Is Hamriyah Free Zone right for your business?
HFZA is an industrial zone, not a cheap-licence shortcut. Its value is land, port and energy for physical business. That is a strong fit for some and the wrong tool for others. We tell you which before you commit.
Choose HFZA if you
- Need a warehouse, plot or port access
- Run manufacturing, trading or logistics
- Sell to the Gulf, subcontinent or Africa
- Want the lowest land and energy costs
- Import raw materials or export goods
- Plan to scale a physical operation
Look at another zone if you
- Run a service or digital business
- Need no warehouse or physical space
- Specifically need a Dubai address
- Need Abu Dhabi government contracts
The cheap Sharjah licence headline misleads industrial buyers. Your real cost is the plot or warehouse, not the licence. Riz & Mona quotes the full facility picture upfront.
Licence Benefits
What comes with your HFZA setup?
Every HFZA company formation gives you the documents, facility and access you need to trade, ship, hire and manufacture from day one.
Trade licence
Your official HFZA licence covering the industrial, commercial or service activities you select. Renewable each year.
Certificate of incorporation
Legal proof your company exists inside HFZA. Banks, clients and immigration all ask for it.
Registered HFZA address
A Sharjah free zone address used for banking, contracts and official filings.
Facility options
A flexi-desk, a pre-built warehouse or a land plot, matched to what your business actually needs.
Memorandum of Association
Your founding document covering shareholders, activities and governance.
Establishment card
Your company's registration with UAE immigration. Needed before any visa.
Visa eligibility
Sponsor UAE residence visas for owners, staff and your workforce.
Port and logistics access
Direct use of the deep-water port and three seaports for import and export.
Corporate banking access
Introductions to UAE banks that work with industrial and trading firms.
Licence Types
Which HFZA licence do you need?
HFZA offers three main licence types. Your choice sets the activities you can run. Most basic licences allow up to three activities at no extra fee.
Commercial Licence
For import, export, re-export and distribution. The common pick for traders, often paired with a warehouse.
TradingImport-export
Service Licence
For consulting and specified services delivered within the free zone. For service firms supporting the industrial base.
ServicesConsulting
General Trading
A broader trading option that lets you deal in a wide range of goods under one licence.
Multi-goodsTrading
Not sure which one you need?
Your licence type and activity list drive your facility, approvals and cost. Riz & Mona confirms the exact activities your business needs before you apply.
Legal Structures
Company structure options in HFZA
Free Zone Establishment (FZE)
- A single shareholder company
- A separate legal entity from you
- Limited liability on personal assets
- Full control in one owner's hands
- Best for solo founders and SMEs
Free Zone Company (FZCO)
- Two or more shareholders
- A separate legal entity from owners
- Limited liability on personal assets
- Scales as you add partners or capital
- Best for joint ventures and larger firms
Branch Company
- Extends a company from outside HFZA
- Runs the parent's activities
- No separate legal personality
- Parent carries full liability
- Best for manufacturers expanding here
Pricing
How much does an HFZA licence cost?
The HFZA licence itself is modest, roughly AED 7,000 to 20,000. The real cost is the facility you lease, from a flexi-desk to a warehouse to a land plot. That is where budgets swing. Treat every figure as indicative.
Licence and desk package
From about AED 11,000/year
Your licence and a business-centre desk with one visa. The lean start for traders and service firms with no storage need.
Warehouse or unit
Rent from about AED 70,000/year
A pre-built warehouse or industrial unit beside the port. For manufacturing, storage and logistics.
Industrial land plot
Plots from 2,500 m² at about AED 30/m²
A 25-year renewable lease for your own factory or facility. Quote-based and built around your project.
What moves your total cost?
The facility
This is the big one. A desk is cheap. A warehouse or a land plot is the real driver, and it dwarfs the licence fee.
Licence type
An industrial licence with approvals costs more than a simple service licence. Your activity sets the base.
Visa count
A visa package runs around AED 13,500 including the licence. Your facility sets how many visas you can sponsor.
External approvals
Chemicals need Sharjah EPAA approval. Food needs municipality clearance. Both add time and fees.
Utilities and energy
Plots and warehouses pay for power and water by use. Energy here is among the cheapest in the UAE.
A note on these figures
All costs shown are indicative and move with your licence, facility and visa count. The facility is the real driver at HFZA and swings budgets widely, so the only accurate number is a quote built around your project. Riz & Mona provides a personalised quote at no charge before you commit to anything.
The Process
How to set up a company in HFZA
HFZA issues many licences within one working day though warehouse and industrial setups take longer. Here is the journey.
Day 1
Choose activity and licence
Pick your activities and an industrial, commercial or service licence. This sets your facility and any approvals.
Day 1
Choose a structure
Select an FZE, an FZCO or a branch, based on owners and your plans.
Day 1–3
Select your facility
Choose a flexi-desk, warehouse, industrial unit or land plot, then sign the lease.
Day 2–4
Submit your documents
Reserve your name and submit the shareholder file for HFZA review.
Day 3–7
Clear any approvals
Chemicals, food and energy activities need pre-approval from the relevant authority.
Day 5–7
Get your licence
HFZA issues your trade licence and certificate. Standard activities can clear in a day.
Week 2–6
Visas and banking
Apply for the establishment card, staff visas and a corporate bank account.
Requirements
Documents needed for HFZA company formation
Having your file ready before you apply is what keeps a standard licence inside that one-day window.
The list is light for individual applicants and heavier when a company is a shareholder. Industrial and warehouse activities also need a business plan, and regulated goods need pre-approvals. Get the individual documents ready first.
Documents issued outside the UAE need attestation before submission. Requirements shift by nationality, activity and facility. Riz & Mona confirms your exact checklist before you prepare anything.
For corporate shareholders
Certificate of incorporation, MOA and articles of the parent, a board resolution approving the setup, power of attorney for the signatory, and passport copies of all directors.
Full process
15–25
Working days
From entry permit to Emirates ID in hand, a standard visa runs about three to five weeks once your establishment card is live.
Visa notice Visa approvals and conditions are set by UAE immigration authorities and can change without notice. Riz & Mona Consultancy handles the full process on your behalf, from establishment card to Emirates ID collection. Only the medical test and biometrics need your presence in the UAE.
Visa & Immigration
Your HFZA licence lets your company sponsor UAE residence visas. The number follows your facility. A desk supports one or a few. A warehouse or plot supports a labour-scale workforce, with on-site accommodation available.
- Investor or partner visa, renewable term
- Employee visas for staff and management
- Labour visas for your workforce
- Dependent visas for spouse and children
- Emirates ID for every visa holder
- On-site worker accommodation available
Corporate Banking
Banking for HFZA companies
UAE banks run close checks before opening any account. Industrial and trading firms with import and export flows get questions on suppliers, buyers and cash flow. A clear HFZA activity gives your file a solid base. Each bank decides on its own.
Banks, timelines and what to expect
Banks that work with industrial firms
Wio BankDigital-first
Mashreq NeoBizSME-friendly
RAKBANKTrade-friendly
Sharjah Islamic BankSharjah-based
Emirates NBDWidely used
Invest BankSharjah trade
Realistic account opening times
UAE resident applicant4 to 8 weeks
Non-resident applicant6 to 12 weeks
Industrial or trading firm5 to 10 weeks
Digital bank3 to 7 days
- Traders should open a digital bank account first to keep moving while the main account is reviewed.
- Import and export firms face deeper review. Come with a clear picture of your suppliers and buyers.
- Account approval and timelines are decided by each bank and are never guaranteed. Riz & Mona positions your file well but cannot promise a decision.
Inside the Zone
Inside the Hamriyah industrial estate
Cheap licences exist everywhere. What HFZA has that they do not is the physical infrastructure that heavy business actually runs on.
Free Zone Comparison
How does HFZA compare for industry?
The real question is not HFZA versus every UAE zone. It is HFZA versus the industrial zones a manufacturer or trader would actually shortlist. Here is that comparison.
Not sure which industrial zone fits?
Every operation weighs land, port and cost differently. Riz & Mona compares zones against your activity, your markets and your budget, then recommends one.
Start Today
Start your HFZA company setup
From licence to warehouse or plot to bank account, Riz & Mona sets up your HFZA company end to end, so you get a Sharjah industrial base built on the right numbers.
Free consultation•Full facility quote upfront•Licence, visa and banking•Approvals handled for you
All costs are indicative and vary by licence, facility and visa count. Riz & Mona provides a personalised quote before you commit.