Accounting and Audit in Dubai
Indigo Group moves beyond simple data entry to provide strategic financial oversight. We take a compliance-first approach, interpreting regulations conservatively to protect your business.
Core Capabilities
Accounting, Corporate Tax and VAT in the UAE, explained
Indigo Group's in-house team keeps the books for UAE and international companies, helps with VAT registration and filing, and provides tax consultancy, internal audits and CFO services. These are the UAE rules your records have to meet, with links to our full guides.
Who are Indigo Group's accounting services for?
UAE and international companies that want accurate books and tax compliance without building a full finance team.
It suits, for example:
- new companies that need an accounting framework set up from the start
- growing businesses approaching the AED 375,000 VAT registration threshold
- free zone companies keeping the conditions for the 0% Corporate Tax rate, which include audited financial statements
- owners who want management reporting, feasibility studies or high-level financial strategy without the cost of a full-time executive
- freelancers and sole establishment owners working out whether VAT or Corporate Tax applies, as our guide Do individuals pay tax in the UAE? explains
What is the UAE Corporate Tax rate?
UAE Corporate Tax is charged at 0% on taxable income up to AED 375,000 and 9% on income above that, for financial years starting on or after 1 June 2023.
| Rate | Registration | |
|---|---|---|
| Corporate Tax | 0% on taxable income up to AED 375,000, 9% above | Every taxable person, including free zone companies, even where no tax is expected |
| Qualifying Free Zone Person | 0% on qualifying income, 9% on other taxable income | As for Corporate Tax; audited financial statements are required |
| Small Business Relief | Treated as having no taxable income where revenue is AED 3 million or less | Elected for each tax period, up to periods ending on or before 31 December 2029 |
| VAT | 5% standard rate | Mandatory above AED 375,000 of taxable supplies and imports over 12 months, voluntary above AED 187,500 |
Large multinational groups are treated differently: members of groups with global revenue of EUR 750 million or more pay a top-up so that their effective rate reaches 15%. Our UAE Corporate Tax guide and UAE VAT guide give the full rules.
When must a UAE business register and file for Corporate Tax and VAT?
Every taxable person must register for Corporate Tax, even with no tax to pay, while VAT registration depends on turnover.
- Corporate Tax registration: a UAE company incorporated on or after 1 March 2024 must apply within three months of incorporation. Late registration carries a penalty of AED 10,000.
- Corporate Tax return: file and pay any tax within nine months of the end of the tax period, so by 30 September for a 31 December year end.
- VAT registration: mandatory once taxable supplies and imports exceed AED 375,000 over the previous 12 months, or are expected to within the next 30 days.
- VAT returns: filed through the FTA's EmaraTax portal, with the return and any VAT payable due within 28 days of the end of each tax period.
- E-invoicing: mandatory from 1 January 2027 for businesses with revenue of AED 50 million or more, with smaller businesses following on 1 July 2027. Each business must first appoint an accredited service provider; our UAE e-invoicing guide gives the dates.
- Records: keep the records supporting each Corporate Tax return for seven years after the end of the tax period.
Who needs a statutory audit in the UAE?
Mainland limited liability and joint stock companies must have their accounts audited every year under the Commercial Companies Law, and the main free zones set their own annual audit rules.
For Corporate Tax, audited statements are also required where revenue exceeds AED 50 million, and from every Qualifying Free Zone Person and Tax Group. On the mainland only an auditor licensed by the Ministry of Economy and Tourism can sign, and each free zone sets its own approval or registration rules for auditors.
Common causes of delay include books not closed, or bank accounts not reconciled, when the auditor starts. Our guide to preparing for a statutory audit in the UAE explains the deadlines and the documents to have ready.
How does an accounting engagement with Indigo Group work?
It starts with an assessment of your existing financial framework, then moves to day-to-day management, tax and advisory work.
- Consultation: book through our contact page and tell us about the business, its licence and its financial year.
- Assessment and set-up: we evaluate your existing financial framework, implementing the necessary accounting systems and training to ensure accurate data capture.
- Management: our in-house team handles the day-to-day financial operations, including bookkeeping, payroll management, and receivables and payables.
- Tax: VAT registration and filing, and transaction advisory to support full compliance with UAE tax laws.
- Advisory and audit: management reporting, feasibility studies and CFO services, internal audits, and audit support when your year-end audit begins.
What records should a UAE company keep ready?
The documents behind every entry in your books, kept for the longest period that applies to you.
- the trade licence, memorandum of association and shareholder resolutions
- bank statements and year-end reconciliations for every account
- customer and supplier invoices, with the contracts behind large items
- payroll records and staff end-of-service calculations
- VAT returns, Corporate Tax registration and returns, and FTA correspondence
- the fixed asset register, loan agreements and last year's audited accounts
Questions about accounting and audit
Who can help with Corporate Tax, VAT and accounting in the UAE?
Indigo Group's in-house Accounting and Audit team can help, with its Corporate Services team helping with Corporate Tax filing. Indigo Group is an independent, privately owned financial consultancy headquartered in Dubai, established in 2013, and its regulated entity, Indigo Financial Analysis and Consultancy LLC, is licensed by the UAE Capital Market Authority (CMA) under licence number 706042. The Accounting and Audit team keeps the books for UAE and international companies, helps with VAT registration and filing, and provides tax consultancy, internal audits and CFO services. The teams coordinate the steps, working alongside a registered tax agent where one is needed.
What accounting services does Indigo Group provide?
Indigo Group's in-house team handles day-to-day financial operations, including bookkeeping, payroll management, and receivables and payables, after assessing and setting up your accounting framework.
Can Indigo Group manage VAT and corporate tax?
Yes. It manages VAT registration, VAT filing and transaction advisory to keep you compliant with UAE tax laws, and its corporate services team also handles corporate tax filing.
Does Indigo Group carry out audits?
Yes. Indigo Group conducts internal and external audits to verify financial health and identify process improvements, as well as statutory audits for UAE and international entities.
What are CFO services?
CFO services give a business access to high-level financial strategy, management reporting and feasibility studies without the cost of employing a full-time finance executive.
How does Indigo Group approach compliance?
Compliance comes first. Indigo Group interprets regulations conservatively to protect your business and its reputation.
What is the UAE Corporate Tax rate?
0% on taxable income up to AED 375,000 and 9% on taxable income above AED 375,000, for financial years starting on or after 1 June 2023. A Qualifying Free Zone Person pays 0% on qualifying income and 9% on its other taxable income. Our Corporate Tax guide sets out the rules.
Do I need to register for Corporate Tax if my profit is below AED 375,000?
Yes. Registration depends on being a taxable person, not on the amount of tax payable. A company with taxable income below AED 375,000 must still register and file a return, even though the tax due is nil.
When must a business register for VAT in the UAE?
Once its taxable supplies and imports exceed AED 375,000 over the previous 12 months, or are expected to within the next 30 days. Below that, registration is optional once supplies, imports or taxable expenses exceed AED 187,500. Failing to apply for registration on time carries a penalty of AED 10,000.
Do I need an audit if revenue is below AED 50 million?
Often, yes. The AED 50 million test is only one Corporate Tax rule. Mainland LLCs and joint stock companies must be audited every year under the Commercial Companies Law. DMCC, JAFZA, DIFC and ADGM also start from an annual audit, and Qualifying Free Zone Persons and Tax Groups need audited statements at any revenue level.
How long must a UAE company keep its accounting records?
The Commercial Companies Law requires accounting records to be kept for at least five years, and the Corporate Tax Law requires records supporting each tax return to be kept for seven years after the tax period. Free zones set their own periods, such as six years in DIFC and JAFZA and ten years from the date a record is made in ADGM, so keep records for the longest period that applies to you.