Sharjah Media City (Shams) company setup
Sharjah Media City (Shams) is the Sharjah free zone the UAE government portal lists as “Sharjah Media City - Shams (Free Zone)”, beside Sharjah Airport International Free Zone and Hamriyah Free Zone. Shams’ own about page says it was established in 2017 by Emiri Decree, as a free zone for media and creative businesses, in Al Messaned, Sharjah. THAJ can advise and prepare a Shams file. Shams issues the licence. THAJ is not a Sharjah licensing authority, and this page has no Shams package price.
Media and creative first
Shams describes itself as a free zone dedicated to media and creativity, supporting startups, SMEs, companies and freelancers, with licensing and facilities in Al Messaned. Use it when the activity is actually in that field. A Dubai marketing consultancy is often a DET professional licence or a Dubai media zone activity. Read digital marketing and do not assume the word “media” on a brand makes Shams the right authority.
The portal’s media note is separate from the zone list: media organisations in the UAE are also governed by the National Media Authority, and it names the Sharjah Media Council among the local bodies. A Shams licence does not switch off a federal media rule that applies to the activity. We identify that approval before filing. We do not quote a council fee we have not copied into our facts.
Shams is not Sharjah Publishing City. Publishing City is a different Sharjah authority, on its own page. u.ae’s Sharjah list names Shams, the airport free zone and Hamriyah. It does not, on that list, name Publishing City.
What THAJ prepares for Shams
THAJ prepares a Sharjah Media City file from Dubai and submits it to Shams. The licence is a Sharjah free zone licence. Ongoing Dubai PRO renewals do not renew it automatically.
- The activity is matched to that authority’s list before a trade name is reserved.
- The legal form is one the authority actually registers. u.ae says not every free zone registers every type.
- THAJ’s fee is quoted in writing, separate from the authority’s charges. This page has no package price.
- VAT & Corporate Tax Support: Get connected with our licensed accounting and tax partners for VAT registration, Corporate Tax registration, return filing and bookkeeping.
- Visas follow that authority’s quota and rules. A licence is not a Golden Visa. The business owners page is the residence test.
Dubai PRO renewals are described on the trade licence renewal page. A free zone outside Dubai renews with its own authority. We say which file we can prepare before anyone assumes one retainer covers every emirate.
Frequently asked questions
Is Shams a Dubai free zone?
No. u.ae lists Sharjah Media City (Shams) under Sharjah. THAJ advises on it from a Dubai office. Shams issues the licence.
When was Shams established?
Shams’ about page says 2017, by Emiri Decree of the Ruler of Sharjah, as a free zone for media and creative businesses.
Is Shams the same as Sharjah Publishing City?
No. Publishing City is a separate authority. It has its own page.
What does a Shams licence cost?
Shams’ charges are not printed here. THAJ’s fee is quoted once the activity is confirmed.
Official sources
Facts on this page were checked against these sources on 5 November 2026. Rules and fees can change; the authority’s current page always prevails.
- Starting a business in a free zone — The UAE Government portal (u.ae)
- About Shams — Sharjah Media City (Shams)
- Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism — business licensing — Dubai DET
THAJ is not Sharjah Media City. No Shams fee is stated here.
Say if the work is media or a ordinary service
A creative business and a Dubai consultancy are different filings. We will not put the second into Shams by default.