DAFZA is a Dubai free zone adjacent to Dubai International Airport, designed for logistics, aviation, pharmaceuticals, electronics, and re-export businesses needing fast cargo access.
Dubai Airport Free Zone Authority (DAFZA) was established in 1996 next to Dubai International Airport (DXB). Its core proposition is proximity to one of the world's busiest cargo airports, which makes it the preferred zone for logistics, aviation services, pharmaceutical distribution, electronics, jewelry, and re-export operations where short customs cycle times matter.
DAFZA hosts more than 1,800 registered companies from over 130 countries.
License categories include Trading, Service, Industrial, General Trading, and a dedicated Dubai CommerCity offering for e-commerce. Like other UAE free zones, DAFZA grants 100 percent foreign ownership, 0 percent personal income tax, and Qualifying Free Zone Person status under the UAE corporate tax regime when conditions are met.
Companies can lease office space, light industrial units, or warehouse facilities inside the zone, and benefit from on-site customs and a dedicated business center. DAFZA also runs the DAFZA Innovation Hub for start-ups in advanced manufacturing, fintech, and AI.
You will encounter DAFZA when planning a UAE company that depends on air cargo flow, such as a pharmaceutical importer, an electronics distributor, an aircraft parts supplier, or an e-commerce seller using DXB as a regional hub. It is also relevant for founders looking at UAE re-export models, since proximity to DXB cuts hours and cost from cross-border shipping cycles.
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