SHAMS cost in 2026
Sharjah · prices checked
In short
The cheapest SHAMS licence costs 5,750 AED a year. With one residence visa, the cheapest package is 14,786 AED.
- The only UAE free zone that lets you register as an LLC without the FZ tag, fully online.
- Up to 50 visas per licence without matching office space, a ratio unique at this price.
- Prices are readable on the legacy pages, and the new portal builds your quotation step by step.
- Renewal stays at the year one amount as long as nothing changes on the licence, which the zone confirms in writing.
About SHAMS
SHAMS licence cost in 2026
| Package | Duration | Price |
|---|---|---|
Media Package, zero visa Cheapest
| 1 year licence | 5,750 AED |
Shams Trader Package, zero visa
| 1 year licence | 6,500 AED |
Freelancer Package
| 1 year licence | 7,745 AED |
Shams Standard Package
| 1 year licence | 8,050 AED |
All Inclusive Visa Package
| 1 year licence | 14,786 AED |
SHAMS visa cost
| Costs and conditions | |
|---|---|
| Cost of a single visa | |
| Employee visa, 2 years | 3,360 AED |
| Immigration card, 3 years | 1,575 AED |
| e-Channel | 2,735 AED registration, 1,355 AED annual renewal |
| Emirates ID and medical | not included except in the All Inclusive package |
| Deposit on cancellation of the last visa holder | 2,100 AED |
| Administrative fee on a rejected visa | 1,050 AED deducted from any refund |
| Investor or partner visa, 2 years | 3,360 AED |
| Dependant visa, spouse, children or parents | available according to the frequently asked questions; a refundable security deposit applies under shareholder accounts, amount not published; no dependant line in the price grid |
| Visas per licence type | |
| Quota | up to 50 visas per licence depending on activity and office space |
SHAMS freelance visa cost
Freelancer Package: 7,745 AED for the permit, one year; 15,415 AED with one visa.
SHAMS office and desk cost
| Lease agreement | included in every published package |
|---|---|
| Closed office, shared office, dedicated desk, shared desk |
SHAMS renewal and closing fee
First year, licence
5,750 AED
Renewal, per year
Closing the company
2,200 AED
Details
Renewal, per year. The licence renews at the same amount as year one, as long as nothing changes on the licence, and the zone confirms this in writing. For the Freelancer package the published renewal is 7,745 AED with no visa, and 7,745 AED plus 1,355 AED of e-Channel renewal with one visa. A multi-year discount exists, 2 percent for a two year licence then 1 point per further year, capped at 10 percent, applied to the licence and the visa allocation; the page that sets it dates from 5 March 2018, so confirm it is still current.
Closing the company. 2,200 AED to cancel the licence, and the terms are what to plan for around it: cancellation requests after payment are not accepted, except where the immigration card is rejected. The 2,100 AED deposit on the last visa holder is settled at cancellation. Reopening after a cancellation means waiting one year if immigration visas were issued, six months for a zero visa company.
SHAMS other fees and penalties
Administrative fees
- Expired licence30 day grace period, then 200 AED per month, plus 1,000 AED if suspended
- Rejected visa administrative fee1,050 AED
- Last visa holder deposit2,100 AED
- Post boxAvailable for an additional annual fee, ask the free zone*
Penalties
- Minimum regulatory fine1,000 AED
Important to know
Rules that apply
- The official domains are shams.ae for prices and shamsfz.ae for the rules. The domain shamsfreezone.ae, widely quoted elsewhere, does not exist: do not send money to it.
- Five activities is stated at zone level. The packages themselves carry three, and the Trader package two, general trading and e-commerce. Confirm the count for the package you choose.
- The quota can reach 50 visas per licence, depending on the business activity and on the office space allocated. Up to 20 visas appears elsewhere on the site, so confirm the quota for your case.
- A company takes up to 50 shareholders, and a company can itself be a shareholder.
Points to confirm before you sign
- 3 activities on the legacy pricing page and 5 on the new portal. Ask how many your package carries.
- Multi-year discount of 2 to 10 percent in the terms and 15 to 50 percent on the packages page.
- Two marketing landing pages give different starting prices for the Media and Standard packages.
- The Standard package is 8,050 AED on shams.ae and from 6,875 AED on shamsfz.ae.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a licence at SHAMS cost?
What does a residence visa cost at SHAMS?
Where is SHAMS and who runs it?
All prices and terms come from the free zones and may change at any time without prior notice. Free Zone Radar cannot be held responsible for any change, error or omission. Always confirm the final price and terms in writing before you sign or pay.
Get a quotation for SHAMS
Your file for SHAMS is registered
Keep your reference code.
Your message starts with your code, so we already have your file.
What happens next
- 1Our setup expert partner contacts you within one working day, to understand your project.
- 2He sends you a detailed quote with the official price of SHAMS, fees included.
- 3You decide. If the quote suits you, he handles everything until your licence is issued.
- 4
No email? Check your spam folder.
Go further
Nearby free zones
Sources
shams.ae/business-setup/packages · shams.ae/knowledge-center/faqs · shamsfz.ae/business-setup/rules-and-regulations · shamsfz.ae/terms-and-conditions · shams.ae, Companies and Licensing Regulations 2024, PDF · moec.gov.ae, Ministry of Economy entry for Sharjah Media City · shams.ae/business-setup/packages, price grid · shamsfz.ae/terms-and-conditions/, 50 shareholders maximum · shamsfz.ae/knowledge-hub/faqs/, dependant visas · shamsfz.ae/terms-and-conditions/, section 22, dependant visa deposit · Written answers from the zone to Free Zone Radar, September 2026
