Communities · Free zone operated by Jafza (DP World)
Jafza covers leased warehouses, built-to-suit plots, office towers, showrooms and staff housing next to Jebel Ali Port. We help tenants and plot holders through the Jafza modification NOC and the Trakhees permits that follow it.
Jebel Ali Free Zone isn't a single kind of property. Jafza says it is home to more than 11,000 businesses from over 150 countries, and they occupy anything from a co-working desk to a bespoke factory on its own plot. The approval route depends less on the area and more on what you lease and what you want to change.
| Operator and landlord | Jafza, founded in 1985 and part of DP World |
|---|---|
| Landlord consent | Jafza's "Modifications – No Objection Certificate Request", made through the Dubai Trade portal's Asset and Property Management services |
| Building and modification permits | Trakhees, the regulatory arm of the Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation (PCFC), through its Civil Engineering Department (CED) |
| Main property types | Pre-built warehouses, land plots for custom development, offices, showrooms, retail outlets, co-working and the Jafza Workers Residence |
This page is an area guide for tenants. For how the authority process works, including drawings, Trakhees submissions and common rejection points, see our Jafza approvals and Trakhees approvals pages.
| You lease | Typical works | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| A pre-built warehouse | Racking, mezzanines, office pods, cold rooms, dock changes | Jafza NOC for the change, then Trakhees approval with structural and fire-safety design, especially for mezzanines and high-bay racking |
| A land plot | New buildings, extensions, canopies, yard works | Design against Jafza's development control regulations for the plot type, then a Trakhees building permit |
| An office | Partitions, ceilings, MEP changes | Jafza NOC and fit-out review. Our office fit-out approvals service covers the design side |
| A showroom or retail unit | Display areas, shopfronts, signage | As for offices, plus display loads and signage. See retail and showroom approvals |
Jafza lists 4.2 million square metres of leasable logistics space, and warehouse changes are the most common projects in the zone. Operators adding storage capacity usually reach for a mezzanine or taller racking, and both affect structure, sprinkler coverage, escape distances and the building's fire strategy. Changing what is stored has similar effects: moving from general goods to chemicals, lithium batteries or chilled food changes both the hazard classification and the services.
Trakhees publishes green building regulations specifically for warehouses and industrial developments, so plot holders building new or extending should design to those from day one. Our warehouse and industrial approvals page covers mezzanine, racking and change-of-storage projects, and the Jafza warehouse approval guide walks through a typical file.
Jafza's published guide says the modification NOC covers changes inside and outside the leased unit. It names the documents:
Jafza lists the service as free of charge, with an estimated five working days. A tenant can let a consultant or contractor apply by creating a sub-user ID for them on the portal. If the existing drawings don't match what's on site, our as-built drawings service can fix that before you apply.
Many approval problems in Jafza start before the tenant has the keys. Before committing to a unit for a particular operation, check:
We can review these alongside your fit-out plan so the lease and the approvals work together.
Jafza sits next to Jebel Ali Port, with Al Maktoum International Airport nearby, and borders other industrial areas. Owners and tenants just outside the free zone boundary often fall under different rules, so check which side of the line your plot is on. Our Jebel Ali Industrial and Dubai Investments Park pages cover the neighbouring districts.
For most physical changes, yes. Jafza acts as landlord and issues the modification NOC, and Trakhees reviews and permits the works. Minor changes may be treated differently, so check your scope first.
Jafza's guide says the customer can create a sub-user ID for a contractor or consultant to apply through the portal.
No, Jafza is a free zone. Building permits and inspections there sit with Trakhees (PCFC), while Jafza manages leasing and landlord consent. The Dubai Building Code still applies emirate-wide, including in free zones.
Jafza publishes five working days for its NOC. The Trakhees review depends on the design and how many comment rounds it needs. We estimate the time once we've seen the layout and structure.
On this page
Leasing in Jafza?
Send us your unit or plot number and the change you need.
Service
JAFZA approval support for warehouse fit-outs, racking, mezzanines and industrial modifications. Discuss drawings, permits, inspections and completion in Dubai.
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Service
Trakhees approval support in Dubai for fit-out, renovation and construction. Coordinate CED, EHS, NOCs, drawings, permits, inspections and completion.
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Service
Approvals for warehouse mezzanines, high-bay racking, new storage uses and industrial unit changes in Dubai: Civil Defence, structural checks, Trakhees and DM.
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Service
Office fit-out approvals in Dubai: occupancy and escape, partitions, server rooms, MEP loads, landlord NOC and the DM, DDA or free zone permit for your office.
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Service
Warehouse, factory and mezzanine permits in Jebel Ali Industrial 1, 2 and 3: why the route differs from JAFZA, plus DM, Civil Defence and structural checks.
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Guide
Describe what the warehouse will actually store and how it will operate.
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Guide
A mezzanine introduces floor area, loads and circulation inside an existing building.
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Guide
Racking drawings should identify more than rows and aisle widths.
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Guide
The PCFC service directory separates construction, modification and inspection activities.
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Share a few details and we will tell you which approvals apply, what documents you need and how we can help. There is no obligation.