DWTC free zone insurance requirements

Who runs DWTC?

Fact	Detail	As of
Emirate	Dubai
Authority	Dubai World Trade Centre Authority1
Legal basis	Dubai Law No. 9 of 20151
Established	2015
Companies	2,500+ active companies	End of 2025
People	8,000+ active employee visas	2025
Main sectors	Sports and entertainment, virtual assets, professional services focused on artificial intelligence
Website	www.dwtc.com/en/free-zone/

What insurance and guarantees do companies in DWTC need?

Third party liability

• If you hold a Dubai World Trade Centre free zone licence (not a Business Operating Permit), you must hold and maintain valid third party liability or public liability insurance for your business operations of AED 500,000 if you have up to 19 employees or AED 1,000,000 if you have 20 employees or more, per single occurrence with no limit on the number of occurrences. The authority may revise these values by notification.¹

Workmen's compensation

• If you hold a Dubai World Trade Centre free zone licence, you must hold and maintain valid workmen's compensation insurance covering permanent injury or disability and all related medical expenses, in line with the Labour Law and the free zone rules.¹

Other

• The Dubai World Trade Centre free zone rules list a refundable security deposit of AED 1,200 in the start-up fees.¹
• A Ministry of Economy and Tourism fact sheet on the Dubai World Trade Centre Authority lists a security deposit of AED 2,000 among the first-year licensing fees.⁶

Do you need health insurance for your staff in DWTC?

• The Dubai World Trade Centre visa process says that once your employee's medical results are received, you are responsible for completing the Emirates ID registration and arranging health insurance through approved providers, and both steps are mandatory before the final residence visa can be stamped.⁵

The rule for employers across Dubai is on the Dubai page.

Rule 10 is an authority rule and applies to licensees only

The DWTC duty sits in the zone’s published rules, which is heavier evidence than a guide or FAQ. Rule 10 applies to Free Zone Licensees and states that it does not apply to Business Operating Permit holders.¹ Those holders already have a DET licence and follow DET rules in addition to the applicable zone rules, under Rule 7. See the Dubai page for mainland licences.

V3² and V15 carry the same Rule 10 text. The DWTC regulations page links V15. V9 and V13 on media.dwtc.com carry the same text.

Rule 10 has a narrow exemption, a waiver power and an old Labour Law reference

Appendix 2 is narrow. It exempted Dubai World Trade Centre LLC existing lessees from Rule 10 for one year or to the end of the existing lease, whichever was earlier, from 24 November 2015. Its rows for UAE government entities and foreign missions exempt them from licensing, and do not mention Rule 10.¹

Rule 4 lets the Authority waive any requirement for one or more licensees, on terms it sets. Rule 10.2.3 lets it revise the liability value by notification. Circular 18 of 8 July 2026 has no insurance term. The AED figures are the rule text, not a confirmed current limit. Ask DWTCA.

Rule 10.3.1 ties workmen’s compensation to the Labour Law, and the V15 definitions still give that as Federal Labour Law No. 8 of 1980. Masdar City’s 2026 regulations define the UAE Labour Law as Federal Decree-Law 33 of 2021.³ The rules do not address the difference.