DHCC Costs & Review 2026
DHCC is a Dubai-based free zone with packages starting from AED 57,500, supporting up to 3 visa allocations, and moderate banking access. DHCC is Dubai's specialist healthcare and wellness free zone rather than a low-cost general-purpose jurisdiction. It is best suited to regulated medical, wellness, education and research businesses that benefit from being inside a sector-specific ecosystem with DHCA oversight, DHCX coworking, and proximity to hospitals, clinics and healthcare partners.
From
AED 57,500
Established
2002
Companies
400
Max Visas
3
Banking
Moderate
DHCC Packages & Pricing
| Package | License | Visas | Office | Year 1 Total | Renewal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 Visa Executive Desk Package | AED 20,650 | 0 | Executive Desk | AED 57,500 | AED 52,450 Renewal model uses annual commercial licence plus operating permit of AED 15,600, executive desk AED 35,000 and annual establishment card AED 1,850. If no visas are ever sponsored, some advisors may quote without establishment-card renewal. |
| 1 Visa Executive Desk Package | AED 20,650 | 1 | Executive Desk | AED 61,658 | AED 55,130 Renewal model: AED 15,600 annual licence and operating permit + AED 35,000 desk + AED 1,850 establishment card renewal + AED 2,080 1-year visa renewal + AED 600 insurance. |
| 2 Visa Executive Desk Package | AED 20,650 | 2 | Executive Desk | AED 65,817 | AED 57,810 Renewal model: AED 15,600 annual licence and operating permit + AED 35,000 desk + AED 1,850 establishment card + 2 x (AED 2,080 visa renewal + AED 600 insurance). |
| 3 Visa Private Office Package | AED 20,650 | 3 | Private Office | AED 94,975 | AED 85,490 Renewal model: AED 15,600 annual licence and operating permit + AED 60,000 private office + AED 1,850 establishment card + 3 x (AED 2,080 visa renewal + AED 600 insurance). |
How we source pricing: figures are independently researched from DHCC's official site and published fee schedules where available, then cross-checked against authorized-agent quotations. Treat them as planning estimates and confirm exact costs before you commit — we never accept payment for placement or ratings.
Pros & Cons
What we like
- Sector-specialist free zone with independent DHCA/DHCR regulation, which matters for healthcare, education, wellness and research operators that need a purpose-built framework.
- Official non-clinical commercial licence fee remains AED 15,000 for many activities, and the current new-licence page shows AED 1,550 initial application plus AED 3,500 registration, which is lower than older AED 3,100 application tariffs still quoted in legacy documents and by some agents.
- DHCX provides a current official entry-level workspace: co-working executive desks from AED 35,000 per year and private office packages from AED 60,000 per year.
- Visa entitlements are clear for business-centre space: executive desk or desk space supports 2 visas, while executive office supports 3 visas under DHCR's visa policy.
- Current official employee residency tariff is transparent: 1-year normal visa package AED 3,558.27 inside country or AED 2,710.82 outside country; renewals are AED 2,080 for 1 year normal.
- Strong ecosystem density: DHCC's 2026 website cites 168 clinical facilities, and DHCA says the free zone supports more than 400 partners.
- Phase 2 expansion is still moving: DHCA said in April 2026 that 58% of Phase 2 projects were committed, representing AED 5.4 billion, with infrastructure progress up to 80% as of January 2026.
- Temporary 2026 commercial relief improved cash flow for existing companies, with waived reinstatement and late-renewal penalties for qualifying renewals and installment options for renewal and leasing dues.
Watch out for
- DHCC is expensive for general services compared with lower-cost Dubai options like IFZA or Meydan, mainly because physical premises are mandatory and official coworking starts at AED 35,000 per year.
- The real Year-1 cash outlay is much higher than the headline 'from AED 14,999' agent ads because you still add registration, office, establishment card, visa and insurance.
- Pricing references conflict across DHCC documents: the current new-licence page shows AED 1,550 initial application, while older official price lists and some agents still model AED 3,100, so buyers need to confirm what the portal actually invoices on submission.
- Clinical businesses face extra layers of approvals, fit-out, operating permits, professional licensing, inspections and sometimes pre-op or post-op quality fees, so timelines are slower than standard free zones.
- Non-clinical FZ-LLCs require minimum paid-up share capital of AED 50,000, while clinical FZ-LLCs are materially higher; branches avoid that minimum but require an existing parent.
- Banking is workable but not effortless. Healthcare, consulting and cross-border shareholder structures typically trigger more compliance questions than simple ecommerce free-zone setups.
- Commercial licences renew annually, and practical renewals can still feel costly once you add office continuation, establishment card, visa renewal and mandatory insurance.
Visa Information
Max Quota
3 visas
For standard DHCC business-centre products, DHCR's visa policy shows Executive Desk / Desk Space = 2 visas and Executive Office = 3 visas. Larger leased premises can obtain higher employee quota, generally linked to leased area and business activity, with broader guidance of about 1 visa per 80 sq ft for many clusters.
Processing Time
5 days
Renewal Cost
AED 2,080
Every 1 year or 3 years depending on visa package
Dependent Visa
AED 2,350
Current DHCC dependent service pages do not expose the tariff inline, so this uses the official legacy DHCR government-services tariff still referenced by DHCC handbooks: spouse new normal package AED 2,350 and child under-18 new package AED 1,500. Sponsors in Dubai must also provide health insurance for dependents.
Available Visa Types
Visa Cost Breakdown
Employee Visa
AED 3,558
Investor Visa
AED 3,558
Medical Standard
AED 450
Medical VIP
AED 1,100
Emirates ID Typing
AED 390
Official visa pages indicate 3 to 10 working days for visa processing, depending on case type and document readiness. The current new-commercial-licence page shows initial approval in 3 to 10 working days, while 2026 consultancy guidance typically ranges from 3 to 6 weeks for full company setup and longer for clinical operators.
Banking
Partner Banks
Banking is much easier once the company has a real lease, establishment card, visa status and a credible operating story. Expect roughly 2 to 6 weeks in many cases, with Wio, Emirates NBD and Mashreq commonly used for newer free-zone businesses; non-resident owners and zero-visa structures usually face stricter compliance checks, and healthcare-related activities may be asked for extra proof of business substance.
Features
Mainland Trading
DHCC is a specialised free zone, not a broad local-trading shortcut. Goods sold into the UAE mainland remain subject to customs and relevant mainland or external approvals where applicable.
Physical Office Required
The current DHCC new-licence page requires lease reservation, lease agreement, purchase agreement or title deed at setup, and 2026 consultancy guidance also states a physical lease is mandatory in practice.
Dual License Allowed
Crypto Friendly
DHCC is a healthcare and wellness jurisdiction and does not market a crypto-specific ecosystem or virtual-asset licensing route.
Shared Ownership
An FZ-LLC can be formed with individual and/or corporate shareholders. The current official new-licence page states a minimum of one shareholder and one director for FZ-LLCs.
Free Zone to Mainland
Online Portal
DHCC runs its e-services through Masaar for licensing, government services and partner transactions.
Co-working Available
Audit Required
DHCC company regulations require company financial statements to be audited, and DHCC handbooks for corporate renewals reference audited financial statements in the renewal pack.
Share Capital Requirement
AED 50,000 minimum paid-up for non-clinical FZ-LLC; AED 300,000 minimum paid-up for clinical FZ-LLC; branch structures have no minimum paid-up capital requirement
Easy Payment Plan
Time-bound 2026 support measure: DHCA said reinstatement fees and late-renewal penalties would be waived for qualifying commercial renewals between 1 April and 30 June 2026, with renewal and leasing dues payable by installments up to 30 September 2026.
Special Ecosystems
Location
Recent Developments
- April 2026: DHCC appointed Zentral as the exclusive operator of DHCX, the free zone's business centre and coworking platform.
- April 2026: DHCC announced a longevity-led preventive care programme and an AI-driven tele-compounding pharmacy platform at WHX Dubai 2026.
- April 2026: DHCA said one in three business partners had expanded operations; Phase 2 reached 58% commitment, representing AED 5.4 billion, with infrastructure progress up to 80% as of January 2026.
- April 2026: DHCA introduced temporary business-relief measures including waived reinstatement fees and late-renewal penalties for qualifying commercial renewals, plus installment options for renewal and leasing dues.
- October 2025: DHCA unveiled an AED 1.3 billion development plan including a LEED Platinum office building, a purpose-built medical complex and supporting infrastructure.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a DHCC licence cost in 2026?
For a typical non-clinical FZ-LLC, the realistic licence bundle is about AED 20,650 before office and visas in this dataset. That uses AED 15,000 commercial licence, AED 600 desk-space operating permit, AED 1,550 initial application and AED 3,500 registration; some older documents and agents still use the older AED 3,100 application fee, which pushes the bundle closer to AED 22,200.
What is the cheapest DHCC package in 2026?
Using current official DHCX desk pricing, the lowest practical Year-1 package in this file is the 0-visa executive desk route at about AED 57,500. That includes the licence bundle, AED 35,000 desk and an AED 1,850 establishment card; if you never sponsor visas, some advisors may quote slightly lower by excluding immigration items.
How much is a DHCC visa in 2026?
DHCC's current official employee residency page shows 1-year normal visa issuance at AED 3,558.27 inside country and AED 2,710.82 outside country. A 3-year normal visa is AED 4,168.27 inside country and AED 3,320.82 outside country, while 1-year normal renewal is AED 2,080.
How many visas can you get in DHCC?
For DHCC's published business-centre products, an executive desk or desk space supports 2 visas and an executive office supports 3 visas under DHCR's visa policy. Larger leased premises can secure more visas based on area and activity, with wider guidance often tied to roughly 1 visa per 80 sq ft.
Is a physical office mandatory in DHCC?
Yes. DHCC's current new-commercial-licence service requires a lease reservation, lease agreement, purchase agreement or title deed, and setup advisors in 2026 also treat a physical lease as mandatory in practice. The cheapest current official option is DHCX coworking from AED 35,000 per year.
Is DHCC good value compared with other Dubai free zones?
If you only want a cheap consulting or ecommerce structure, no: DHCC is poor value versus lower-cost zones because office and compliance costs are much higher. If you need a healthcare-specific brand, medical ecosystem, sector regulation and proximity to hospitals, clinics and medical partners, the premium can make sense.
What is the DHCC share capital requirement?
For non-clinical FZ-LLCs, DHCC's FAQ states minimum paid-up capital is AED 50,000. Clinical FZ-LLCs are much higher at AED 300,000, while branch structures have no minimum paid-up capital requirement.
How long does DHCC setup take?
The current official page shows initial approval in 3 to 10 working days, but full company formation usually takes longer once lease, documents and sector approvals are included. In 2026 consultancy guidance, a practical full setup timeline is often 3 to 6 weeks for non-clinical businesses and longer for clinical or heavily regulated activities.
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Starting from
AED 57,500 /yr