UAE Business Setup Blog

Many new UAE companies assume corporate tax is a problem for later, because they have not traded yet or expect to pay no tax. That assumption is the most common route into an avoidable penalty. Registration is a separate obligation from filing and paying tax, and for companies incorporated on or after 1 March 2024 the deadline runs from incorporation. Photo by Lucas Hemingway on Unsplash The registration deadline for new companies For companies incorporated on or after 1 March 2024, the published rule is three months from incorporation to

A free zone licence quote is rarely the full cost of running a company. The licence fee is the visible line item; the visa, banking, office, compliance and renewal costs usually come later and often catch founders by surprise. This guide lists the costs to budget for before you sign, so you can compare providers on a like-for-like basis. Photo by K T on Unsplash 1. The establishment card Most free zones issue an establishment card, which is required before visas can be processed. It is usually a separate fee

If your UAE business is approaching AED 375,000 in taxable turnover, the clock on VAT registration is already running. This guide explains the mandatory and voluntary thresholds, the 30-day application window, what late registration costs, and how to register through the Federal Tax Authority (FTA) portal. Photo by Leonard von Bibra on Unsplash The two VAT thresholds in 2026 UAE VAT has two registration thresholds that apply to taxable supplies, measured over a rolling 12-month period: Mandatory registration: AED 375,000. Once your taxable supplies and imports exceed this amount, you

One of the biggest attractions of a UAE free zone is the 0% corporate tax rate. But here is what many free zone business owners discover only at filing time: the 0% rate is not automatic. It is available only to a Qualifying Free Zone Person (QFZP) — a company that meets a specific set of conditions. Fail even one, and you can lose QFZP status and pay 9% on your profits. As free zone companies work through their corporate tax returns, this is the make-or-break question. This guide explains

For most UAE businesses, corporate tax means 9% above AED 375,000. But for large multinational groups, a second, higher regime now applies: the Domestic Minimum Top-up Tax (DMTT), which ensures a minimum effective tax rate of 15% on UAE profits. It took effect for financial years starting on or after 1 January 2025, and if your group is in scope, this is a board-level compliance obligation — not a footnote. This guide answers the one question every affected CFO and tax director is asking: does the DMTT apply to us,

If your company’s financial year ended on 31 December 2025, your corporate tax return was due by 30 September 2026 — and for most UAE businesses, this was the first corporate tax return they have ever filed. Because that date has passed, late-filing penalties are now accruing. File it correctly as soon as possible, and you may still qualify to have an earlier penalty waived or refunded. The filing deadline of 30 September 2026 has now passed. If your return is still unfiled, here is exactly what you need to