Guide to the IFZA Activity List for Entrepreneurs
The IFZA activity list: what it actually determines for your Dubai license
Pick the wrong activity on an IFZA license and you don’t just get a clunky trade name. You get banking delays, a licensing amendment fee, or a business that technically can’t invoice for what it’s actually doing. The activity list isn’t paperwork to skim past. It’s the thing that decides your license type, your visa quota, and how a bank looks at your company when you try to open an account.
IFZA, the International Free Zone Authority, was established in Fujairah in 2018 and relocated its full operations to Dubai Silicon Oasis in 2020, where it now operates. It’s regularly one of the most cost-effective free zones in the UAE, and it’s popular for a reason that has nothing to do with the emirate it’s based in: it allows an unusually broad mix of activities on a single license, so a consultant can add a trading activity, or an e-commerce operator can add marketing services, without needing two separate companies.
Why founders pick IFZA
IFZA offers 100% foreign ownership, full repatriation of profits and capital, and 0% corporate tax on qualifying income for companies that meet Qualifying Free Zone Person criteria. It supports trading, professional, industrial, holding, media, and e-commerce activities, and the setup process for most activities can be completed in a matter of days rather than weeks. Multi-year license packages, remote company formation, and flexible office options (flexi-desk, virtual office, or dedicated space) round out the appeal for founders who don’t want to commit to a physical footprint before they need one.
Green and amber activities: the distinction that actually matters
Before looking at license types, it helps to understand how IFZA classifies the activities themselves, because this affects your timeline more than anything else on this page.
Green activities need no external government approval. This covers most professional services, general trading, e-commerce, IT and software development, digital marketing, and standard consultancy. Setup typically takes 2 to 5 working days.
Amber activities require sign-off from a specific regulator before IFZA can issue the license. Healthcare-related services need Dubai Health Authority or MOHAP approval. Certain financial services need Central Bank of the UAE or Securities and Commodities Authority clearance. Education and training activities need approval from the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA). Food trading, processing, and catering need Dubai Municipality registration through the Food Import and Re-export System. Real estate brokerage needs Dubai Land Department registration. Amber approvals add anywhere from a few days to several weeks, depending on the authority involved, so it’s worth knowing upfront if your activity falls into this bucket.
Business licenses in IFZA
Professional licenses
A professional license covers service-based businesses: IT, marketing, legal, financial, and other expertise-driven work. Here’s a sample of what falls under it.
| Activity | Description |
| Software development | Custom software solutions, applications, and systems |
| IT support and maintenance | Ongoing support for IT infrastructure |
| Cybersecurity services | Security audits, penetration testing, data protection |
| Technical consulting | Engineering, IT, and other specialized technical fields |
| Digital marketing | SEO, social media marketing, paid campaigns |
| Architectural design | Design and planning for buildings and structures |
| Civil engineering | Design, construction, and maintenance of infrastructure |
| Medical consultancy | Advice on medical practices and healthcare management (amber, needs DHA approval) |
| Training and development | Professional development programs for businesses |
| Language instruction | Teaching languages to individuals and groups |
Commercial licenses
A commercial license is a trading license: it lets you buy and sell goods, both within the UAE and internationally. It’s built for wholesale, retail, import, export, and distribution.
| Activity | Description |
| General trading | Import and export across a broad range of products |
| Electronics trading | Computers, mobile phones, home appliances |
| Building materials trading | Cement, steel, and other construction supplies |
| Food and beverage trading | Import, export, distribution of food products (amber, needs Dubai Municipality registration) |
| Medical equipment trading | Medical devices, equipment, and supplies |
| Pharmaceuticals trading | Import, export, distribution of pharmaceutical products |
| Cosmetics and personal care trading | Beauty products, skincare, personal care items |
| E-commerce and online retail | B2B and B2C digital sales, marketplace operations, dropshipping |
Tourism license
Built for travel agencies, tour operators, and hospitality-adjacent businesses. Activities include travel agency services, tour operator services, hotel management, event management, MICE tourism, and destination management. This license category makes sure a business meets the standards set by Dubai’s tourism authorities.
Industrial license
An industrial license covers manufacturing and production: importing raw materials, assembling or processing them, and exporting or selling the finished product locally. This is the license category most likely to require a physical facility rather than a flexi-desk, since production activities need actual floor space.
You can browse the full, current activity list directly on IFZA’s own portal.
How many activities you can actually hold on one license
IFZA allows up to three activities on a license at no extra charge. You can add more, up to a cap of seven total, but each additional activity beyond the first three carries a fee, and amending an existing license to add activities later costs more than including them at setup. It’s worth thinking about where your business might be in 12 to 24 months, not just where it is today, since building in the activities you’ll likely need is cheaper than amending afterward.
One genuinely useful feature: IFZA allows mixing professional and commercial activities under the same license. A consultancy can add a trading activity without needing a second company, which is the kind of flexibility that’s rare in more specialized free zones like Dubai Media City or DIFC.
Why this choice follows you to the bank
Your licensed activities don’t just sit on a piece of paper. Banks reviewing a corporate account application look directly at what’s on your license to assess risk, and some activity types move through account opening more smoothly than others. Technology services, standard professional consultancy, and trading with a clear supplier and customer base tend to be straightforward. Activities in higher-scrutiny categories, like certain trading or financial-adjacent services, can mean more documentation or a longer review.
The same logic applies to payment processors. If you’re planning to accept online payments through a service like Stripe or a regional gateway, the activities on your license factor into that merchant approval too. It’s a detail easy to overlook at the licensing stage and expensive to run into later.
Prohibited activities
IFZA doesn’t license everything. Gambling and betting operations, arms and ammunition trading without special permission, alcohol production or trading without a specific license, and cryptocurrency exchange services requiring separate regulatory licensing are all off the table. Blockchain development, Web3 platforms, and digital asset consulting for permitted use cases are still allowed, so this isn’t a blanket restriction on anything crypto-adjacent, just on unlicensed exchange activity.
Steps to open a business in IFZA free zone
Choose the type of business activity
Determine what you’ll actually be doing day to day, and check it against IFZA’s official activities list before committing. This step also tells you whether you’re looking at a green or amber activity, which shapes your timeline expectations from here on.
Select a business structure
Options include a Free Zone Establishment (single shareholder), a Free Zone Company (multiple shareholders), or a branch of an existing foreign company. Each carries different regulatory requirements and costs.
Choose a business license
Based on your activity, select professional, commercial, tourism, or industrial. You can combine compatible activities under one license rather than applying for several.
Find a suitable business location
Physical office, virtual office, or a shared flexi-desk within the IFZA Business Park in Dubai Silicon Oasis. A virtual office works for businesses that don’t need a permanent physical presence but want a UAE mailing address and occasional meeting room access.
Prepare required documents
At minimum: a license application form, passport copies of shareholders and directors, digital passport photos, and Emirates ID and visa copies for UAE residents. Corporate shareholders need additional documents, including a notarized board resolution and a certificate of good standing from the home jurisdiction.
Submit the company formation application
Submit through IFZA’s portal, ideally with a consultant who can catch documentation issues before they cause a rejection. A company registration partner earns their fee mostly in the applications that don’t get sent back.
Obtain approvals and set up the office
Green activities move through in days. Amber activities wait on the relevant external authority. Once approved, finalize your chosen office setup.
Open bank accounts and arrange finances
Choose a bank (Emirates NBD, ADCB, Mashreq, and Dubai Islamic Bank are common choices for IFZA companies), gather your trade license, Establishment Card, and passport copies, and be ready for an initial deposit that varies by bank.
Apply for visas
IFZA offers investor and dependent visa options. How many visas you can request depends on your license package and office footprint, not just your activity type.
Launch your business operations
Once licensed and set up, you have access to IFZA’s business park amenities, remote formation support, and its network of authorized partners for anything requiring PRO or regulatory compliance support.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many business activities can I put on one IFZA license?
Up to three at no extra cost, with a maximum of seven total if you add more. Additional activities beyond the first three carry a per-activity fee.
What’s the difference between a green and an amber activity?
Green activities need no external government approval and typically process in 2 to 5 working days. Amber activities need sign-off from a specific authority (DHA, KHDA, Central Bank, Dubai Municipality, or similar), which extends the timeline.
Can I change my business activity after getting the license?
Yes, through IFZA’s amendment process. It costs more than including the activity at initial setup, so it’s worth planning ahead rather than amending later.
Is IFZA still based in Fujairah?
No. IFZA was originally established in Fujairah in 2018 and has operated from Dubai Silicon Oasis since 2020.
What are the types of company formation options in IFZA?
Free Zone Establishment (single shareholder), Free Zone Company (multiple shareholders), and branch of a foreign company.
Does my activity choice affect my ability to open a bank account?
Yes. Banks assess your licensed activities as part of their risk review, and some categories move through account opening faster than others.
Conclusion
The activity you select on day one shapes far more than what’s printed on your trade license. It decides your approval timeline, your visa allocation, how a bank sizes up your application, and what it costs you if you need to change course later. Getting it right the first time is cheaper and faster than fixing it after the fact.
If you’re not sure which activities actually match what your business does day to day, or whether you’re looking at a green or amber approval path, talk to Oak Business Consultant about your IFZA setup before you submit anything.
Oak supports the full lifecycle beyond the license too: company registration, PRO services, VAT registration, AML compliance, and corporate tax once you’re operational. One team can carry you from your first activity selection through the filings that keep you compliant year after year.
