Publishing City Company Setup
The world's first publishing free zone, built on Sharjah's book-capital status.
- Ownership
- 100% foreign
- Setup time
- 3 to 7 working days
- Licence cost
- from AED 6,500
- Visas
- Packages up to 6+
Sharjah Publishing City grew from Sharjah's standing as the Arab world's book capital: publishers, printing houses, distributors and translation firms license in a zone whose activity list and ecosystem centre on the written word, physically close to the Sharjah International Book Fair engine.
SPC licences remain among the more affordable in the UAE and now extend to broad commercial activities, making the zone a practical low-cost option even for businesses beyond publishing that value its pricing over a Dubai address.
Who Publishing City suits
- Publishers and distributors
- Printing and content production
- Translation and editorial services
- Cost-driven general businesses
Why choose Publishing City
- Purpose-built publishing ecosystem
- Proximity to Sharjah International Book Fair
- Among the UAE's lowest licence costs
- Broad activity list beyond publishing
- Fast digital incorporation
Publishing City frequently asked questions
Is SPC only for publishers?
No. Publishing anchors the zone, but its activity list covers consulting, trading, e-commerce and services generally, and its pricing attracts cost-driven businesses of every kind.
What does an SPC licence cost?
Licences start around AED 6,500 with visa-eligible packages under AED 12,000 first year, putting it alongside SHAMS at the affordable end of the market.
Why would a publisher choose Sharjah?
Sharjah's book-fair ecosystem, printing infrastructure and cultural funding programmes give regional publishers practical industry advantages no general-purpose zone offers.
JRE analysis
Advisory Journal- 2026-10-04UAE Free Zone 0% Tax Qualification: What the Rules Actually RequireFree zone companies risk losing their 0% corporate tax rate if they fail to meet the Qualifying Free Zone Person criteria.
- 2026-09-05UAE's 15% Global Minimum Tax: What Free Zone Companies Must Do Before the Clock Runs OutThe UAE's QDMTT regime means free zone entities in large MNC groups may owe a 15% top-up tax, ending a long-held structural advantage.
- 2026-08-02Sharjah Publishing City: International Congress win, India corridor, and SME support drive in mid-2026SPC Free Zone secures the 2028 International Publishers Congress and expands India–UAE publishing ties, with fresh SME support on offer.
Latest Publishing City news
Auto-updated- SPC Free Zone, Beehive partner to expand SME access to finance - Sharjah24Sharjah24 · 23 Oct 2026
- Ministry of Economy, Sharjah Publishing City team up to help businesses protect their brands - www.wam.aewww.wam.ae · 19 Oct 2026
- SPCFZ, MOET team up to help businesses protect their brands - Sharjah24Sharjah24 · 19 Oct 2026
- Sharjah Book Authority explores cooperation with China - Sharjah24Sharjah24 · 23 Sept 2026