Licensing & Registration
The objective of the Djibouti government is to position the Djibouti free zones as a business hub of Excellence for the East African region and beyond, through promotion of multimodal transportation synergy (ground-sea-air). The Djibouti Ports and Free Zones Authority (DPFZA), the sole administrative interface in free zones, has therefore established an environment conductive to business, where investors can find a complete range of services with the DPFZA’s One Stop Shop (Visas, permits etc.) and modern infrastructures to fit their activities.
To build this business friendly environment, a set of fiscal incentives, promulgated by law No 53 (Free Zone Code), have been granted to free zone investors:
- 100% foreign ownership of FZ companies,
- 100% repatriation of capital and profits
- Possibility to employ foreign workers,
- Duty free environment,
- No tax on profit (...)
To register a company with DPFZA, investor must:
- Hold a free zone status (FZE/FZCO or Branch)
- Have a free zone license in order to operate within a FZ area
- Have its registration office and base of operations inside a free zone area
Types of Licenses
There are three main types of licenses that registrants can apply for:
- Trade
- Industrial
- Service