01
VAT registration
We assess whether you have crossed the mandatory threshold, assemble the documentation, and submit your application to the Federal Tax Authority.
VAT Compliance
VAT consultants in Dubai
VAT is a tax on the expenditure or use of goods and services, imposed at every point of sale. It has applied in the UAE at 5% since January 2018, and the Federal Tax Authority expects returns to be accurate and on time, every period. We handle registration, filing and everything in between so that obligation never becomes your problem.
What’s included
Everything the engagement covers.
Scope is agreed in writing before we start, so there is nothing on this list that arrives later as an extra.
02
Return preparation and filing
Input and output tax reconciled against your records each period, then filed before the deadline rather than on it.
03
Input tax recovery review
Many businesses under-claim. We check what you are entitled to recover and make sure the supporting documentation stands up.
04
De-registration
If you fall below the threshold or cease trading, de-registering correctly and on time avoids continuing penalties.
05
FTA correspondence and audit support
If the authority raises a query or opens a review, we deal with it directly and prepare the response.
In detail
When VAT registration becomes mandatory
Registration is mandatory once your taxable supplies and imports exceed AED 375,000 across the previous 12 months, or where you expect to exceed that figure within the next 30 days. The second test catches businesses out most often, because it is forward-looking: a single large contract can trigger it.
Voluntary registration is available from AED 187,500. It suits newer businesses carrying significant input tax, since registering allows that tax to be recovered rather than absorbed.
Why filings go wrong
In our experience the problem is rarely the return itself. It is the bookkeeping underneath it. If invoices are not captured correctly through the period, the return becomes guesswork, and guesswork is what the Federal Tax Authority finds during a review.
We would rather fix the records than paper over them. Where the underlying accounting needs work, we say so, and our accounting service can take that on.
Who this is for
- Businesses approaching or exceeding AED 375,000 in taxable supplies
- Newly licensed companies unsure whether registration applies yet
- Companies with returns already overdue and penalties accruing
- Businesses whose records are not currently in a filable state
- Groups considering VAT group registration across multiple entities
Common questions
VAT Compliance questions, answered.
The questions clients ask us most often about this service.
What is the VAT registration threshold in the UAE?
Mandatory registration applies once taxable supplies and imports exceed AED 375,000 over the previous 12 months, or are expected to exceed that within the next 30 days. Voluntary registration is available from AED 187,500.
How often are UAE VAT returns filed?
Most businesses file quarterly, though the Federal Tax Authority assigns monthly periods to some larger taxpayers. Your tax period is confirmed on your VAT certificate, and returns are due within 28 days of the period ending.
What happens if I file a VAT return late?
The Federal Tax Authority applies administrative penalties for late filing and late payment, and these escalate the longer the return remains outstanding. If you already have overdue returns, the position is usually recoverable, but it gets more expensive with time.
Can I recover VAT on business expenses?
Generally yes, where the expense relates to taxable supplies and you hold a valid tax invoice. Certain categories, such as entertainment and some motor vehicle costs, are blocked or restricted. We review this as part of every engagement.
Related services
Often needed alongside this.
These services draw on the same records, so combining them is usually cheaper than commissioning each separately.
01
Corporate Tax
UAE corporate tax of 9% applies to taxable profit above AED 375,000 and registration is mandatory. We register you and keep every return correct.
Learn more
02
Auditing
Independent audit of your internal controls, surfacing risk in financial reporting before a regulator, bank or investor finds it first.
Learn more
03
Accounting
Outsourced bookkeeping, payroll and management reporting that keeps your records accurate, current and ready for audit at any point in the year.
Learn moreTestimonials
In our clients’ words.
Three things come up again and again in reviews of our Dubai tax services: it was fast, it was handled, and someone answered.
They completed the entire process fast and with extraordinary efficiency. Everything was handled by them! I merely had to appear a couple of times to sign documents. The process was quick and painless because everything else was taken care of.
MohammedManager
I used their service for our company's VAT registration, and they completed the task quickly and expertly. They are really competent, and I truly like their service.
SusantiAccountant
Extremely quick, efficient and responsive. What wonderful services the crew provided! This is the business to use, in my opinion. Anyone who wants to build a business in the UAE should absolutely consider them.
IndraManager
Free consultation
Get help with vat compliance.
Send a few details and an advisor will come back to you, usually the same working day. The consultation is free and there is no obligation to proceed.
- +971 55 944 5867Sunday to Thursday, 9:00 to 18:00 GST
- contact@linkstaxs.aeWe reply within one working day
- Dubai National Insurance BuildingPort Saeed, Deira, Dubai, UAE