Certified Public Accountant in Dubai

Background

Accounting in Dubai is no longer optional

For years, Dubai projected the image of a place free of administrative constraints. Those days are over: the introduction of VAT and then corporate tax has given the Emirates a full-fledged tax system, overseen by the Federal Tax Authority (FTA). Every company—whether in a free zone or on the mainland—must now maintain financial statements in accordance with IFRS, retain its accounting records for several years, register with the FTA, and file its returns on time.

The consequences of neglecting accounting are very real: FTA penalties for late filing or reporting, delays in license renewal in free zones that require audited financial statements, and complicated banking relationships—Emirati banks require clean financial statements to open or maintain a business account. Conversely, rigorous bookkeeping is an asset: it secures your tax status, lends your company credibility with banks and partners, and enables you to effectively manage your business.

Corporate Income Tax

Corporate Tax in the UAE: What Your Company Needs to Do

Since it went into effect, the Corporate Tax has taxed corporate profits at a rate of 9 % over 375,000 AED of taxable income—below that threshold, the rate is 0.%. A crucial point that many entrepreneurs realize too late: Registration with the FTA and the filing of an annual report are mandatory for all companies, including those with no tax liability. Even if you owe no tax, you are still required to file a return, and late filing is subject to financial penalties.

As for free zones, the preferential treatment still exists, but it is subject to certain conditions: the status of Qualified Free Zone Individual allows you to maintain a tax rate of 0 % on so-called “qualified” income, subject to the existence of genuine economic substance, the nature of the income, and compliance with accounting requirements—with “non-qualified” income being taxed at 9 %. Determining whether your business qualifies for the qualified income regime is precisely the type of analysis that justifies consulting a professional: an error in classification can result in years of tax adjustments.

Value-Added Tax

VAT at 5 %: Thresholds, Returns, Deadlines

The UAE VAT rate is set at 5 %, with exemptions and zero-rate provisions depending on the business activity. Registration becomes required when taxable revenue exceeds 375,000 AED over the past 12 months, and remains an option starting at 187,500 AED—a choice that can sometimes be strategic for recovering VAT on your purchases. Returns are then filed periodically with the FTA, with payment made within the specified deadlines.

The process seems simple; in practice, it’s not so straightforward: compliant invoicing, claiming deductible VAT, international transactions, and refunds. The FTA is known to be strict about errors in tax returns—this is an area where cutting corners can be costly.

Two diets

Free zone or mainland: What are the accounting differences?

The basic requirements are the same—IFRS accounting, FTA registration, corporate tax and VAT returns where applicable—but each system has its own specific features:

Are you still undecided between a free zone and the mainland when setting up a company? This is one of the decisions our partner firm evaluates in advance, as it affects your tax situation, your visa, and your access to the local market.

Services

What Accounting Support in Dubai Covers

Depending on your situation, the partner firm will handle all or part of the scope of work:

The firm also works on the Company Formation (Incorporation) and the procedures legal and administrative in the Emirates — pages dedicated to these services are coming soon.

Our Role

A simple way to connect—in French, English, or Arabic—at no cost to you

Our mission is to connect French-speaking investors and entrepreneurs with the right contacts in Dubai. As with the’buying real estate in Dubai, we act here as a business referral service: we assess your needs, introduce you to our partner accounting firm—a firm based in the Emirates that can assist you in French, English, or Arabic—and you then work directly with them. Our fee is paid by our partners: there is no cost to you for this referral.

This approach has one advantage: it saves you hours of research and trial and error with service providers who aren’t a good fit for your profile. Many of our entrepreneur contacts are also investors: if your project in the Emirates includes a real estate component, our Guide to Investing in Dubai usefully complements your thinking—particularly regarding purchasing through an organization. And if you have any questions, our Contact Page is still the shortest path.

Your Questions

FAQ – Accounting and Certified Public Accountants in Dubai