No more VAT headaches or expensive mistakes. Our ACCA and CA-accredited team effortlessly handles your VAT registration in the UAE to keep you 100% compliant.
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If you’re running a business in the UAE, VAT compliance takes on great significance. It becomes crucial to register on time, file accurate returns and keep records that the UAE’s Federal Tax Authority (FTA) will accept. Whether you’re running a startup or an established setup, keeping on top of VAT requirements needs specialized knowledge and dedicated resources.
That’s where we come in. Our VAT consultancy services in the UAE cover everything from your first VAT registration to quarterly filings and one-off advice, for businesses in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and beyond. You’re the expert on your business, we’re the expert on your numbers.
As part of our VAT registration services in Dubai we set you up on EmaraTax with the right documents the first time. That covers new companies, voluntary or mandatory registrations and VAT groups.
We prepare and file your returns every period, with all your invoices, expense and tax credit notes accounted for. We keep track of your deadlines, and submit in a timely manner.
Not sure how VAT applies to a new deal, an import or an overseas client? Our VAT advisory services in Dubai give you an accurate answer before you commit, so there are no surprises later.
Paying more VAT than you collect? We work out what you can recover, including input VAT on imported goods, and prepare your refund claim well within the FTA’s five-year window.
Think of it as a health check for your VAT. As part of our VAT compliance services we review your invoices, records and past returns to catch errors and put them right.
If you’re closing down your business, or your turnover has dropped below the threshold, we handle your deregistration. We ensure actions are taken on time and nothing is left open with the FTA.
We include several features you won’t find with other audit and accounting firms in Dubai, at this price.
We don’t charge extra, and even if you stop working with us, you get to keep your software access.
Receive detailed end-of-year audit reports as an extra service from us.
Assigned to your business to provide expert financial guidance tailored to your needs.
Not every business has to register, but once you cross the threshold, the clock starts ticking. Here’s where you stand:
✓ It’s mandatory if your taxable supplies and imports went over AED 375,000 in the past 12 months, or will in the next 30 days
✓ It’s voluntary if they’re over AED 187,500, which lets you reclaim the VAT you pay on business costs
✓ You have 30 days to apply once you cross the mandatory threshold
✓ There’s no threshold for non-residents making taxable supplies in the UAE, where no one else is responsible for the VAT
Not sure which applies to you? Our VAT registration consultant can help you make the right choice in one simple phone call.
VAT may look like a simple 5% calculation, but it touches every invoice you send, every bill you pay and every date on your calendar. A good VAT consultant in the UAE is crucial so you don’t run into the following issues:
The FTA charges a fixed AED 10,000 penalty for registering late. Filing a return late means an AED 1,000 penalty, rising to AED 2,000 if it happens again within 24 months. Unpaid VAT also attracts a late payment penalty of 14% a year until it’s settled.
We track your filing dates, prepare your returns and flag anything that needs your attention long before the deadline. Your VAT compliance in the UAE runs like clockwork, every period.
Whether it’s changes to reverse charge, refund deadlines, late payment penalties, or new e-invoicing mandates, we will help you keep up with every update.
VAT registration in Dubai and the UAE becomes mandatory once your taxable supplies and imports exceed AED 375,000 in the past 12 months, or are expected to in the next 30 days. If it exceeds AED 187,500, you can register voluntarily and reclaim the VAT you pay on business costs. Non-resident businesses making taxable supplies in the UAE may need to register whatever their turnover. Registering late carries a fixed AED 10,000 penalty.
You can register for VAT online through EmaraTax, the Federal Tax Authority’s portal, and there’s no government fee. You create an account, choose mandatory or voluntary registration, add your trade license and business details, then upload your documents. The FTA typically issues your Tax Registration Number (TRN) within 20 business days. A VAT consultant like Financial Guards should ideally review your application first, since incomplete forms are the most common cause of delays.
A new company must register for VAT if it expects taxable supplies and imports to exceed AED 375,000 within the next 30 days, even before it sends its first invoice. As there is no trading history, you will need to back up the application with signed contracts, purchase orders or a sales forecast instead of past invoices. Our VAT registration services in Dubai help new businesses pull this evidence together.
VAT compliance means meeting every obligation UAE VAT law places on a registered business. That includes charging VAT correctly, issuing valid tax invoices and credit notes, filing returns on time, paying what you owe and keeping records the FTA can inspect. Signing up for VAT services in Dubai or the UAE, through qualified partners like Financial Guards will simplify these tasks for you. We offer accounting and bookkeeping with VAT filing included. Please note, from 2027, most businesses will also need to issue e-invoices through an accredited provider.
You charge VAT on services at the earliest of these 3 dates:
For ongoing services like retainers or subscriptions, VAT is due at the earliest of:
Services for clients based outside the UAE are sometimes taxed at 0% instead of 5%. Getting VAT advisory in Dubai before you invoice an overseas client helps you charge the right rate.
To calculate UAE VAT, multiply the price before VAT by 5%. On an AED 10,000 invoice, the VAT is AED 500, so the total comes to AED 10,500. To find the VAT inside a VAT-inclusive price, multiply the total by 5/105. Each period, you pay the FTA your output VAT (charged on sales) minus your input VAT (paid on business costs). A VAT consultancy firm checks these figures before every return so small errors don’t build up.
VAT-registered businesses claim input VAT on imported goods through their VAT return, not at customs. When goods clear UAE Customs under your TRN, the import VAT appears automatically in Box 6 of your return. You declare it as output tax and recover it as input tax in the same return, so there’s usually no cash cost. Our VAT consultants in the UAE check this customs data against your own import records, since mismatches in Box 6 are a common filing error.
To claim a VAT refund in the UAE, file a VAT return showing excess input tax, then submit a refund request (Form VAT311) on EmaraTax. You’ll need supporting documents, including your largest purchase invoices and a recent IBAN letter. The FTA typically reviews requests within 20 business days and pays approved refunds into your registered bank account. Since January 2026, excess VAT must be claimed within 5 years, so a VAT consultant in the UAE can help you recover older credits before they lapse.
You cancel your VAT registration by applying for deregistration on EmaraTax, within 20 business days of becoming eligible. Deregistration is required if you stop making taxable supplies or your taxable turnover drops below AED 187,500. Between AED 187,500 and AED 375,000, it’s optional once you’ve been registered for at least 12 months. You’ll file a final return and settle any VAT due. Late applications can lead to penalties of up to AED 10,000.
A tax credit note is a document a VAT-registered supplier issues to reduce or cancel the value of a sale after the tax invoice has gone out. Common reasons are returned goods, refunds or price corrections. It lowers the VAT due on the original sale, so both you and your customer adjust your returns. In the UAE, you must issue it within 14 days and reference the original invoice. Once e-invoicing starts, credit notes will need to be issued electronically too.
Yes, Financial Guards offers VAT consultancy services in Abu Dhabi and across the UAE, not just in Dubai. VAT rules and the EmaraTax process are the same in every emirate, so registration, filing and advisory work the same way wherever you’re based. Most of the work happens online, and our team is available for calls or meetings whenever you need them.
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