Corporate tax
Understand your tax position, register the right entity and prepare an annual return supported by the accounts.
VAT · Corporate tax · Transfer pricing
Tax Consultants in Dubai & the UAE
Find the right support for your business tax obligations. SAIF Chartered Accountants helps mainland and free-zone businesses with tax advice, registration, return preparation and FTA-related matters under a clearly agreed scope.
Established 1994 · Tax Agency TAN 30004113 · Dubai, UAE
One starting point, specialist service pages
UAE tax advisory and compliance services
Whether you need a tax consultant for one transaction or ongoing support across several entities, begin with the issue you need resolved. These service pages explain the detailed requirements and deliverables.
VAT
Connect registration, invoice treatment, input-tax recovery and periodic returns to the transactions behind them.
Specialist & authority support
Address related-party pricing, free-zone eligibility, FTA correspondence and the finance work behind digital invoicing.
Not sure which service you need?
Start with the question your business is asking
| Your situation | What to check first | Explore |
|---|---|---|
| “I have opened a company. What do I register for?” | Check the legal form, incorporation date, activities and separate VAT and Corporate tax obligations. | Registration assessment → |
| “My tax return is due and the books are not ready.” | Identify the period and deadline, reconcile the records and agree who approves the calculation and makes payment. | Corporate tax filing → |
| “Should I charge VAT on this invoice?” | Review the supply, customer, place of supply and evidence before selecting a VAT treatment. | VAT transaction advice → |
| “Does my free-zone company really qualify for 0%?” | Test the income streams, substance and other QFZP conditions—not just the licence address. | QFZP assessment → |
| “We charge fees or interest to another group company.” | Review the transaction and arm’s-length support; identify documentation and disclosure requirements. | Transfer pricing review → |
| “The FTA has sent us a notice.” | Share the complete notice and deadline promptly, preserve records and confirm authority to act. | FTA response support → |
For an overdue filing or urgent notice, give us the actual deadline at the outset. Taking advice or appointing an agent does not suspend an FTA deadline.
Understand the difference
VAT and Corporate tax are separate obligations
VAT
Supplies, imports and invoice treatment
The standard UAE VAT rate is 5%, but some transactions are zero-rated, exempt or outside the scope. The correct treatment depends on the transaction and evidence, not simply whether the customer is in the UAE.
For UAE-resident businesses, the mandatory registration threshold is generally AED 375,000 of taxable supplies and imports. Voluntary registration can be available at AED 187,500, including qualifying taxable-expense cases. Apply the look-back and expected-activity tests; non-resident rules differ.
FTA VAT registration requirements ↗Corporate tax
Taxable income, not invoice turnover
Under the ordinary regime, taxable income up to AED 375,000 is generally taxed at 0%, with 9% on the excess. This is not a general company-registration threshold, and taxable income is not necessarily the profit shown in the accounts.
Qualifying Free Zone Persons follow separate income rules. Large multinational groups may also need to examine the Domestic Minimum Top-up Tax; the ordinary rate summary is not a complete group-tax assessment.
FTA Corporate tax overview ↗ · MoF top-up tax guidance ↗Keep separate calendars and evidence
A VAT registration does not replace Corporate tax registration. Track each tax period, filing obligation, payment and supporting reconciliation separately, even when one finance team handles both. Use the VAT filing guide and Corporate tax return guide for the relevant timetable.
Advice matched to your operating model
Mainland companies, free zones, owners and groups
Startups and SMEs
Separate registration from tax payable. Review your legal form, first financial year and records before assuming that low turnover or a loss means nothing needs to be filed.
Free-zone businesses
Check qualifying income, adequate substance and supporting accounts. Assess VAT independently of a QFZP conclusion and connect the work to your free-zone audit requirements.
Freelancers and sole proprietors
Distinguish a natural person’s business from an incorporated company. The natural-person Corporate tax test concerns business turnover exceeding AED 1 million in a calendar year, with specified income exclusions. Check FTA registration guidance.
Groups and international businesses
Map related-party transactions, branch activities and cross-border flows. Transfer pricing, treaty questions, permanent establishments and large-group rules need their own analysis.
Different industries create different tax questions
Trading and distribution businesses need to connect invoices with customs and goods movements. Professional-services and technology businesses should examine cross-border fees, licences and related-party charges. Property, construction, healthcare and education businesses may face distinct transaction and VAT recovery questions. Begin with the actual supply or contract rather than apply one treatment to an entire industry.
For digital invoicing, review customer data, finance controls, your accounting system and the appointed Accredited Service Provider. Our e-invoicing readiness page separates that preparation from the provider’s technical role; the MoF programme sets the applicable requirements.
From an open question to an agreed next step
How our tax consultancy engagement works
- 01
Scope
Identify the entities, tax types, periods, deadlines and decision you need.
- 02
Review
Examine the agreed records, reconcile key figures and list missing evidence.
- 03
Resolve
Explain the treatment, assumptions, open risks and proposed actions.
- 04
Approve & follow up
Obtain management approval, complete the scoped work and retain the final record.
What to prepare for a useful first discussion
- Trade licence, ownership and legal-entity details.
- Financial year-end, tax registrations and relevant return periods.
- Recent accounts, trial balance and the specific transaction or concern.
- Customer, supplier or related-party schedules where relevant.
- Complete FTA correspondence, including any response deadline.
We can coordinate with your in-house team or external accountant. If the books are incomplete, identify accounting and reconciliation work separately before relying on the figures.
Use an agreed secure route for financial records. Do not share passwords or one-time codes in a general enquiry.
Know what you are appointing us to do
Choosing a tax adviser: scope, credentials and fees
Compare the work, not only the quotation
Ask which entities and periods are covered, who prepares the books, what review is included and whether you receive a written conclusion. Confirm responsibility for portal submissions, management approval, payment and follow-up questions.
SAIF’s fees depend on company profile, volume, complexity and record quality. There are no fixed plans that suit every business. Historical corrections, benchmarking, statutory audit and ongoing support should be identified separately where relevant.
Check the role behind “FTA registered”
SAIF Chartered Accountants holds Tax Agency TAN 30004113. That agency number is different from an individual tax agent’s registration and from a client’s TRN. For representation, confirm the named agent, relevant tax qualification and active appointment.
See our tax agent and EmaraTax appointment guide and the FTA’s tax-agent registration requirements. We do not promise authority approval, a particular tax saving or cancellation of penalties.
Questions before you appoint a consultant
Tax consultancy in Dubai and the UAE: FAQs
01What does a tax consultant in Dubai do?+
A tax consultant helps a business understand its obligations, analyse transactions, prepare calculations and organise compliance. The assignment may cover VAT, Corporate tax, transfer pricing or a specific technical question. Agree whether registration, filing, bookkeeping and FTA representation are included.
02Do I need VAT registration and Corporate tax registration?+
Possibly both. They are separate taxes with different tests. For a UAE-resident business, mandatory VAT registration generally depends on taxable supplies and imports exceeding AED 375,000 in the previous 12 months or being expected to exceed that amount in the next 30 days. Corporate tax registration is a separate assessment; low profit does not automatically remove it. Non-resident VAT cases require their own analysis.
03Is Corporate tax the same as VAT?+
No. Corporate tax generally concerns taxable business profit, while VAT concerns supplies and imports. A business can have no Corporate tax payable and still have VAT obligations. Conversely, Corporate tax registration may be required even when the VAT registration threshold has not been reached.
04Do free-zone companies need tax advice or returns?+
A free-zone licence is not a blanket exemption from tax compliance. Assess Corporate tax registration, annual filing and QFZP eligibility, and examine VAT separately. Whether an adviser is needed depends on the business and complexity; appointing a consultant is not universally mandatory.
05Can a freelancer or sole proprietor be subject to Corporate tax?+
Yes. A natural person conducting business in the UAE can be subject to Corporate tax when total business turnover exceeds AED 1 million in a calendar year. Wages, personal investment income and qualifying real-estate investment income are excluded from that business test. Distinguish a natural person from a company owned by that person, and assess VAT independently.
06What is the difference between a tax consultant and an FTA tax agent?+
Tax consultancy covers advice and related compliance work. Formal representation as a tax agent requires the applicable FTA registration and appointment. SAIF Chartered Accountants’ Tax Agency Number is TAN 30004113; individual agents have separate registration numbers. Confirm the responsible agent and relevant tax coverage before appointment.
07How much do tax consultancy services cost in Dubai?+
Fees depend on company profile, number of entities, transaction volume, record quality, tax periods and complexity. A single question, a return-filing engagement and an ongoing advisory assignment involve different work. SAIF provides a scoped quotation rather than one fixed plan for every company.
08Can you work with our existing accountant or accounting software?+
Yes. Agree how your accountant will provide reconciled ledgers, invoices, supporting schedules and access where appropriate. We can coordinate tax work around records from Zoho Books, Odoo, Xero, QuickBooks or other systems. The software used does not by itself establish tax compliance or e-invoicing accreditation.
09Can a tax consultant guarantee savings or removal of penalties?+
No. Advice can identify lawful reliefs, errors and available procedures, but outcomes depend on the facts and applicable rules. Refunds, penalty relief and authority decisions cannot be guaranteed. Ask for the reasoning, evidence requirements and limitations behind any proposed treatment.
10What should I send before the first consultation?+
Start with the trade licence, legal structure, financial year-end, relevant tax registrations, recent accounts and a short description of the issue. Include any FTA notice and its deadline. Share detailed financial records through an agreed secure channel; do not send passwords or one-time codes.
Official sources checked 28 September 2026. This page is a service overview, not a determination of any business’s tax position. Detailed conditions, exceptions and the relevant tax period matter.
A clear place to begin
Tell us the tax question you need to resolve.
Share your company profile, relevant tax period and any urgent deadline. We will confirm the appropriate scope and next steps.
Request a tax consultation →