SPC business activities and licence selection
Read the description behind the activity code. Software development, IT support, marketing and online retail describe different work even when the company delivers everything digitally. Identify activity groups and check the permitted combination, including whether a particular product or service needs another approval.
Fees and cost components
Professional work, authority fees and third-party charges should be identified separately in the written quote.
Licence and registration
Confirm the registration, name and activity-group components and the applicable licence term. Check which issued company documents the package includes.
Coworking or lease arrangement
Establish the facility agreement, access and any additional workspace commitments. Review whether the arrangement suits the actual activity and staff.
Immigration and individual visas
Separate company-level requirements from each person’s residence processing. Check medical, identity-card, status and insurance charges where they apply.
Trade and document services
A trading business may need customs-related assistance or product permissions. Corporate applicants may need records, certification or translation, depending on their structure.
Renewal and optional support
Compare licence and facility renewals with optional banking assistance, financial administration and company amendments. Record the price basis for adding services later.
Documents and information to prepare
The receiving authority and adviser confirm the final requirements for your matter.
Passport copies
SPC identifies passports for shareholders, directors and managers. Prepare readable copies and ensure the roles and personal details agree with the application.
Resident identification
UAE residents should prepare visa and Emirates ID copies. Do not treat these as documents a non-resident applicant is expected to possess.
Address evidence
SPC identifies proof of address, such as a utility bill or bank statement, where applicable. Check the accepted recency and format for the submitted file.
Names, activities and participant roles
Record the proposed names, activity codes, share allocations and management appointments. An accurate initial brief reduces inconsistencies in the generated company documents.
Beneficial-owner records
SPC identifies beneficial-owner verification as part of onboarding. Prepare a clear ownership map and supporting identity information, particularly where another entity is involved.
Corporate-owner preparation
Where the route accepts a corporate shareholder, confirm the dedicated checklist before submission. Prepare incorporation and constitutional records, current status and authorisation evidence as requested.
Specialist and follow-on files
External activity approvals, customs registration, banking and residency can each require additional evidence. Gather the records for the services selected rather than treating every optional service as mandatory.
SPC trading and online sales requirements
For a trading or e-commerce venture, explain who owns the stock, where it is held and which party imports or delivers it. A website is a sales channel, not a complete operating model. Customs, product permissions and fulfilment arrangements should be reviewed alongside the licence when they apply.
SPC formation package and cost scope
Compare the formation pack, coworking or lease arrangement and immigration allocation with the optional services in the quotation. SPC offers a pay-as-you-go approach, but the practical value depends on what the business will add. Record the cost and process for later visa services, documentation or extra support.
Request the proposed activity codes and list every optional service beside the core licence and premises arrangement. Separate company-document charges, immigration work and professional assistance from later accounting or website work. The fee quotation guide helps test what the package includes and what the business will still need to commission.
Timelines and dependencies
SPC promotes expedited licensing, but a business launch also depends on ownership checks and separate services. Use the milestones below when planning commitments.
Activity and package selection: Confirm the scope, names and structure. Identify corporate-owner documents or specialist permissions that need preparation before an application is ready.
Application review: Submit the required records through the online route and resolve any ownership or activity queries. The selected service conditions determine the relevant licensing schedule.
Formation documents: Check that the company pack has been issued correctly before relying on it for banking, immigration or commercial contracting.
Operational applications: Banking, residence and customs procedures have their own checks and dependencies. A promoted licence turnaround should not be applied to every follow-on service.
After your SPC company is established
The company pack is the starting point for banking, reporting and the next stage of business growth.
Maintain the ownership file: Keep shareholder and beneficial-owner records accurate and retain supporting evidence. Respond to relevant authority requests and update records when control or participant details change.
Build the commercial record: Retain customer contracts, supplier details and transaction evidence alongside bookkeeping. For an online store, keep fulfilment and import arrangements clear in the company’s records.
Review service needs at renewal: Reassess activity groups, workspace and staffing before renewal. Confirm which optional services still add value and whether new operations require an approved amendment.
The detailed process
- 01
Describe the first-year operation
Explain the products or services, customer markets, owners and staffing. For online sales, include stock ownership, import and fulfilment arrangements.
- 02
Select the activity groups
Review the detailed directory entries and compatible combinations. Identify any specialist approvals before selecting a package around the proposed scope.
- 03
Confirm the package and company details
Check the name, legal structure, workspace and visa needs. Record the formation deliverables and optional services in an itemised proposal.
- 04
Complete the online submission
Fill in the application accurately and upload the required identification, residence, address and ownership records. Respond to any additional authority queries.
- 05
Check the formation pack
Review the issued licence, certificate, memorandum, share certificate and facility agreement. Verify names, activities, roles and shareholdings before using the documents elsewhere.
- 06
Arrange the launch services
Proceed with selected immigration, banking, customs or document services. Establish financial records and the renewal calendar so the company is ready for daily administration.
Read further context
Further context for this guide
SPC’s setup guide describes online application and a formation pack containing the licence, certificate of formation, memorandum, share certificate and lease or coworking agreement. Optional SPC Plus services cover further needs. Compare those services individually so the quoted package reflects your business rather than a list of additions you may not use.
Use the actual product or service to test SPC’s catalogue. If you are comparing Sharjah authorities, the Shams formation guide gives a separate route to assess. For online sales, a licence is only part of the launch: the website terms and privacy guide addresses the customer-facing documents that need their own review.
See the illustrated process
The SPC company setup process
Describe the first-year operation
Explain the products or services, customer markets, owners and staffing. For online sales, include stock ownership, import and fulfilment arrangements.
Select the activity groups
Review the detailed directory entries and compatible combinations. Identify any specialist approvals before selecting a package around the proposed scope.
Confirm the package and company details
Check the name, legal structure, workspace and visa needs. Record the formation deliverables and optional services in an itemised proposal.
Complete the online submission
Fill in the application accurately and upload the required identification, residence, address and ownership records. Respond to any additional authority queries.
Check the formation pack
Review the issued licence, certificate, memorandum, share certificate and facility agreement. Verify names, activities, roles and shareholdings before using the documents elsewhere.
Arrange the launch services
Proceed with selected immigration, banking, customs or document services. Establish financial records and the renewal calendar so the company is ready for daily administration.
This is an illustrative sequence. The actual route, formalities and responsible parties depend on your facts and the receiving authority.
View the options and comparison table
Use the comparison and preparation tools
Compare: Planning chart: the decisions that shape your application
Choose the structure on its actual operating conditions. Select a comparison item below to inspect the distinctions and conditions described in this guide.
Explore the questions to ask; selection does not confirm eligibility or recommend an outcome.
Beyond publishing
- What to establish before you commit
- Explore approved activities covering services, technology, trading and e-commerce as well as publishing, using the catalogue’s detailed descriptions.
Registration does not itself confirm banking, tax treatment, visas or every permission to operate.
A defined formation pack
- What to establish before you commit
- Review the licence, company certificate, memorandum, share certificate and facility agreement together before progressing to banking or other applications.
Registration does not itself confirm banking, tax treatment, visas or every permission to operate.
Optional operating services
- What to establish before you commit
- Choose additional services around actual needs, with immigration, customs, documentation and financial support identified separately in the proposal.
Registration does not itself confirm banking, tax treatment, visas or every permission to operate.
SPC Free Zone Company Registration: process and supporting evidence
The process and the record checklist are separate parts of preparation. Mark only the records you have gathered; the indicator reflects your selections and is not an assessment of legal readiness.
Structure → evidence → permissions → operations
Describe the first-year operation
Explain the products or services, customer markets, owners and staffing. For online sales, include stock ownership, import and fulfilment arrangements.
Select the activity groups
Review the detailed directory entries and compatible combinations. Identify any specialist approvals before selecting a package around the proposed scope.
Confirm the package and company details
Check the name, legal structure, workspace and visa needs. Record the formation deliverables and optional services in an itemised proposal.
Complete the online submission
Fill in the application accurately and upload the required identification, residence, address and ownership records. Respond to any additional authority queries.
Check the formation pack
Review the issued licence, certificate, memorandum, share certificate and facility agreement. Verify names, activities, roles and shareholdings before using the documents elsewhere.
Arrange the launch services
Proceed with selected immigration, banking, customs or document services. Establish financial records and the renewal calendar so the company is ready for daily administration.
Ownership, management and application evidence
0 of 7 listed records marked as gathered.
Selections stay on this page and are not saved or sent.
What to gather
SPC identifies passports for shareholders, directors and managers. Prepare readable copies and ensure the roles and personal details agree with the application.
What to gather
UAE residents should prepare visa and Emirates ID copies. Do not treat these as documents a non-resident applicant is expected to possess.
What to gather
SPC identifies proof of address, such as a utility bill or bank statement, where applicable. Check the accepted recency and format for the submitted file.
What to gather
Record the proposed names, activity codes, share allocations and management appointments. An accurate initial brief reduces inconsistencies in the generated company documents.
What to gather
SPC identifies beneficial-owner verification as part of onboarding. Prepare a clear ownership map and supporting identity information, particularly where another entity is involved.
What to gather
Where the route accepts a corporate shareholder, confirm the dedicated checklist before submission. Prepare incorporation and constitutional records, current status and authorisation evidence as requested.
What to gather
External activity approvals, customs registration, banking and residency can each require additional evidence. Gather the records for the services selected rather than treating every optional service as mandatory.
The adviser and receiving authority confirm the final requirements, validity and acceptance of the evidence.
Points to check before proceeding
Activity and package selection
Confirm the scope, names and structure. Identify corporate-owner documents or specialist permissions that need preparation before an application is ready.
Application review
Submit the required records through the online route and resolve any ownership or activity queries. The selected service conditions determine the relevant licensing schedule.
Formation documents
Check that the company pack has been issued correctly before relying on it for banking, immigration or commercial contracting.
Operational applications
Banking, residence and customs procedures have their own checks and dependencies. A promoted licence turnaround should not be applied to every follow-on service.
Your questions, answered
Do I need to be a publisher to use SPC?
No. SPC’s directory includes a wider range of commercial and service activities. Check the code and description for your proposed work rather than assuming the authority is limited to publishing.
What should a non-resident founder prepare?
Start with the requested passport and company information, plus address evidence where applicable. SPC’s guide specifies visa and Emirates ID copies for current UAE residents, so those records are conditional on residence status.
Can several activity groups be included?
SPC promotes activity-group combinations under its package conditions. Confirm the specific codes, compatibility and any external approvals before deciding that one licence covers every intended revenue stream.
What will I receive after formation?
SPC lists a business licence, formation certificate, memorandum, share certificate and lease or coworking agreement. Check the issued details and keep an accessible record of the complete pack.
Does an e-commerce licence settle import requirements?
The sales channel does not answer every logistics question. Identify the importer, product, storage location and customer market, then confirm any customs or product requirements relevant to that arrangement.
Are SPC Plus services mandatory?
They are presented as additional services. Review which assistance the company needs and which charges are already included in the formation proposal, especially for banking, documents and residence processing.
Official sources and legal framework
- SPC: official company setup guide ↗
Authority-specific licensing, formation and ongoing obligations. Workflow checklists are practical preparation guidance.
- SPC: business activity directory ↗
Authority-specific licensing, formation and ongoing obligations. Workflow checklists are practical preparation guidance.
- SPC: rules and compliance policies ↗
Authority-specific licensing, formation and ongoing obligations. Workflow checklists are practical preparation guidance.
- SPC: licence and service options ↗
Authority-specific licensing, formation and ongoing obligations. Workflow checklists are practical preparation guidance.
Information reviewed 12 October 2026. These are general-information guides. Confirm current requirements with the applicable authority and a licensed adviser before acting.