# Ship Charter licence in the UAE > Ship Charter licensing in the UAE — the authority catalogue rows we hold for this line, the approvals attached to them, and where the activity can be filed. - Canonical: https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/ship-charter - Updated: 2026-09-05 - IFZA (Dubai): 7730016 - Ajman Free Zone: AM-04096 - Dubai mainland (DET): 7730016 - Regulation: Regulator approval required - Method: https://dubaisetupindex.com/methodology ## What the authority says Includes firms specialized in renting and operational leasing of water-transport boats and for passenger transport or cargo, whether owned by the company or being rechartered. Source: IFZA activity catalogue. ## Where you can licence this | Authority | Status | Code | Licence type | Approval | Facility | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | [IFZA (Dubai)](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/ifza) | Listed | 7730016 | Professional | Required before the licence issues | Not restricted in the catalogue | | [Ajman Free Zone](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/ajman) | Listed | AM-04096 | Services | Not stated | Office, Virtual office | | [Dubai mainland (DET)](https://dubaisetupindex.com/mainland) | Listed | 7730016 | Professional | Not stated | Not restricted in the catalogue | Catalogue evidence, not legal advice. Authorities change activity lists without notice — confirm before you file. ## Routes that list this activity - [IFZA (Dubai)](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/ifza) — Dubai address, available with Dubai Setup Index. From, no visa: AED 12,900 (12 months · calculator output) - [Ajman Free Zone](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/ajman) — Lower cost, available with Dubai Setup Index. From, no visa: AED 5,555 (12 months · current package) - [Dubai mainland (DET)](https://dubaisetupindex.com/mainland) — Onshore trading rights, Ejari premises. From, no visa: AED 14,000 (Licence only · plus 5% of rent) A route listing the activity is a starting point. The authority confirms eligibility when you apply. ## Additional conditions - Ajman Free Zone ISIC code: [5229007](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/ajman) ## Facility and premises restrictions - Ajman Free Zone AM-04096 facilities: Office, Virtual office ## Third-party approvals ### Dubai Maritime Authority (DMA) Before licence · IFZA (Dubai) Authority’s process note: The activity requires approval from Dubai Maritime Authority before license issuance; this means that you will submit the license application. Once the required documents are generated in the final stage (after the license application passes the security check), we will send the documents across to apply for the approval. The procedure to obtain the approval will be through email on info@pcfc.ae Required documents: • Initial approval/Trade License Copy for Existing Companies • Third Party Approval Letter After sending the requirements, DMA will send the payment SPL to the customer for settlements. Once the payment is done, the electronic Maritime Activity NOC will be sent to the customer. Charges: 1,020 - 5,020 AED/NOC – online through a secure payment link. Renewable every year with the same fees. Duration: 2-3 working days. [Approval documents](https://ifza.link/Iwwn13) ## Free zone or mainland - Both IFZA in Dubai and Ajman Free Zone list this activity, so the choice is a Dubai licence address against a lower package cost. - Dubai mainland under DET lets you invoice UAE mainland clients directly, but it expects Ejari-registered premises and runs longer than a free-zone desk package. - Dubai Maritime Authority (DMA) clearance is required before the licence issues, which breaks any advertised same-week timeline. ## Also catalogued elsewhere The same activity name appears in other authority catalogues we track. This is a name match, not a legal equivalence, and Dubai Setup Index does not file in these zones. - DMCC: 6110-05 · Service - Meydan Free Zone: 7730.81 - SPC Free Zone: 5229.11 ## Related activities - [Ship Renting Intermediate](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/ship-renting-intermediate) — Ajman Free Zone - [Sea Shipping Lines Agents](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/sea-shipping-lines-agents) — IFZA (Dubai) · Ajman Free Zone · Dubai mainland (DET) - [Ship Rental Intermediator](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/ship-rental-intermediator) — IFZA (Dubai) · Dubai mainland (DET) - [Charters for Passengers & Cargo](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/charters-for-passengers-and-cargo) — IFZA (Dubai) · Dubai mainland (DET) - [Air Freight & Passengers Charters](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/air-freight-and-passengers-charters) — Ajman Free Zone - [Cargo Containers Rental](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/cargo-containers-rental) — IFZA (Dubai) · Ajman Free Zone · Dubai mainland (DET) ## Frequently asked questions ### Can I add more activities to a Ship Charter licence later? Usually yes, as a licence amendment, subject to the authority's rules and any extra approval attached to the new line. ### Does this activity need third-party approval? Yes. Dubai Maritime Authority (DMA) must clear the activity before the licence issues, so build that step into your timeline. ## Related - [All business activities](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities) - [Compare setup routes](https://dubaisetupindex.com/compare) - [How company setup works](https://dubaisetupindex.com/how-it-works) ## Machine-readable - [Ship Charter record (JSON)](https://dubaisetupindex.com/data/activities/ship-charter.json) ## Citation Required when quoting any figure from this page. Copy one of these verbatim — the link is not optional. Dubai Setup Index. “Ship Charter licence in the UAE.” Updated 2026-09-05. https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/ship-charter [Dubai Setup Index](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/ship-charter). “Ship Charter licence in the UAE.” Updated 2026-09-05. Quoting any figure from this record requires a resolvable link to url. Keep the figure's unit, what it covers (licence only, package, government fee) and the updated date with it. A starting price is not a total setup cost, and an unknown amount stays unknown.