When is VAT registration mandatory in the UAE?

For a UAE-resident business, VAT registration is generally mandatory when taxable supplies and imports exceed AED 375,000 in the previous 12 months or are expected to exceed that amount in the next 30 days. The facts of each business should be checked before applying.

VAT Consultant in Dubai | UAE VAT Consultancy Services

Q: What does a VAT consultant in Dubai help with?

A VAT consultant helps a business assess registration, prepare VAT returns, review input and output VAT, improve tax records, handle deregistration or refund preparation, and organize documents for Federal Tax Authority queries.

Q: When is a UAE VAT return due?

The Federal Tax Authority states that a registered business must file its VAT return and make the related payment within 28 days from the end of its tax period.

Q: Do Dubai free zone companies need VAT registration?

A free zone company is not automatically outside the UAE VAT system. The registration thresholds and the VAT treatment of its supplies, imports, exports, and designated-zone transactions should be reviewed.

Practical VAT support

Clear VAT advice for founders, SMEs and finance teams in Dubai

Understand your VAT position

Review taxable turnover, business activities, imports, exports, exempt supplies and registration timing before taking action.

Prepare accurate VAT returns

Reconcile sales, purchases, imports, tax invoices and adjustments so the return is supported by clear working papers.

Prepare for FTA questions

Organize tax invoices, credit notes, import records, reconciliations and evidence before responding to an authority request.

VAT consultancy services

End-to-end VAT support in Dubai

Choose the service that matches your current VAT obligation, filing problem or FTA compliance concern.

01

VAT Registration in Dubai

TRN registration support, threshold review, document checklist and EmaraTax application guidance.

02

VAT Return Filing

Periodic VAT return preparation, sales and purchase review, payable/refund position and filing support.

03

FTA Compliance Support

Audit file preparation, voluntary disclosure review, penalty support and FTA correspondence readiness.

04

Dubai VAT Guide

A practical resource page targeting common questions from UAE business owners and finance teams.

05

Corporate Tax UAE

Corporate tax registration, return preparation, accounting adjustments and 9-month filing deadline planning.

06

Bookkeeping Services

Monthly bookkeeping, reconciliations, VAT-ready ledgers, management reports and document organization.

07

Audit Support

Audit file preparation, financial statement coordination and approved auditor readiness for UAE companies.

08

AML Compliance

AML policy, KYC files, risk assessment, screening workflow and DNFBP compliance support.

09

Accounting Services

Accounting setup, chart of accounts, monthly reporting, financial controls and year-end preparation.

10

Financial Services

CFO-style reporting, cash flow planning, budgeting, profitability analysis and finance process improvement.

How it works

A simple process for getting VAT under control

Free reviewShare your business activity, turnover, invoices and current VAT status.
Compliance checkWe identify registration, filing, refund, recordkeeping or penalty exposure.
Action planYou receive a practical list of documents, deadlines and next steps.
Submission supportWe help prepare the filing or application and keep supporting records organized.

A careful, evidence-led approach

VAT advice should begin with the records, not assumptions

Every engagement starts by understanding the business activity, taxable turnover, registration status, tax period and available supporting documents. Recommendations are then matched to the actual compliance issue.

Clear scope: know what will be reviewed and what documents are needed.

Useful working papers: keep calculations and reconciliations that support the VAT position.

No false claims: support is described accurately without implying government affiliation.

VAT consultancy in Dubai

What a VAT consultant can review

A VAT consultant helps translate UAE VAT requirements into a workable process for your company. That can include checking whether the business must register, reviewing an existing Tax Registration Number position, preparing periodic returns, testing input VAT claims, reviewing zero-rated transactions and organizing a response to an FTA request.

The work is not limited to entering figures into a return. A reliable review follows the figures back to sales invoices, purchase invoices, customs records, credit notes, bank activity and the accounting ledger. This is especially important when the business has several revenue streams, cross-border transactions, related entities or a mixture of taxable and exempt supplies.

VAT support for mainland and free zone companies

Dubai mainland companies and free zone entities can both have UAE VAT obligations. A free zone trade license does not by itself remove the need to assess VAT registration. The review should consider where supplies take place, whether goods move through a designated zone, who the customer is and whether the transaction is standard-rated, zero-rated, exempt or outside the scope.

Support is available for trading businesses, professional services firms, ecommerce sellers, contractors, consultancies, hospitality businesses and other SMEs that need a clearer VAT process.

Common VAT problems we help organize

Registration delays

Turnover evidence, ownership records or business activity explanations may be incomplete or inconsistent.

Return differences

Sales ledgers, purchase ledgers, imports and previously filed VAT figures may not reconcile.

Unsupported input VAT

Claims may lack valid tax invoices, business purpose evidence or correct tax treatment.

Late or missed filings

Overdue periods need to be reconstructed from accounting records before corrective action is considered.

Refund preparation

Refund positions should be reconciled and supported before a claim is submitted.

FTA document requests

Invoices, reconciliations and transaction evidence need to be assembled into a clear response file.

Official UAE VAT references

Our guidance is checked against published Federal Tax Authority information. The FTA states that the mandatory registration threshold is AED 375,000 and the voluntary threshold is AED 187,500. It also states that VAT returns and related payments are generally due within 28 days from the end of the tax period.

FTA: VAT registration requirements FTA: filing VAT returns and payments

Content reviewed 29 July 2026. Information is general and should be applied to the facts of the business.

VAT FAQ

Common questions from UAE businesses

What does a VAT consultant in Dubai help with?

A VAT consultant can assess registration, prepare or review VAT returns, test input VAT claims, improve records, assist with deregistration or refund preparation and organize documents for FTA questions.

When does a UAE business need VAT registration?

VAT registration is generally mandatory when taxable supplies and imports exceed AED 375,000 over the relevant period. Voluntary registration may be available above AED 187,500. A consultant should review your exact situation before you apply.

What is the standard VAT rate in the UAE?

The standard VAT rate in the UAE is 5%, with some supplies treated as zero-rated or exempt depending on the VAT law and supporting evidence.

Do Dubai free zone companies need VAT registration?

A free zone company is not automatically outside the VAT system. Registration thresholds still need to be assessed, and the treatment of free zone or designated-zone transactions depends on the facts.

When is a UAE VAT return due?

The FTA states that a registered business must file its VAT return and make the related payment within 28 days from the end of its tax period.

Can you help if VAT returns are late?

Yes. We can review overdue periods, prepare missing data, assess penalty exposure and help organize the documents needed for corrective action.

Do you handle VAT refunds?

We help assess refund eligibility, reconcile input tax, prepare supporting documents and reduce the risk of delays caused by incomplete records.

Latest guides

Practical UAE tax and accounting resources

Use these practical guides to prepare records before registration, filing or an FTA compliance review.

Request a VAT review for your Dubai business

Share the basics of your business and VAT issue. Your enquiry will be sent securely to the site owner for an email response.

VAT Consultant in Dubai for UAE Businesses