FTA Compliance
VAT services in the UAE: registration, returns and refunds
VAT registration, returns, refunds and corrections for UAE businesses, prepared against Federal Tax Authority requirements and filed on time.
What’s included
What we handle for you.
VAT registration
Threshold check, registration through the FTA's EmaraTax portal and set-up of your VAT codes.
VAT returns
Quarterly or monthly returns prepared from reconciled books, with workings you can see.
Input VAT review
Recoverable VAT checked invoice by invoice, so you claim what you are entitled to and nothing you are not.
VAT refunds
Refund applications prepared with the supporting schedules the FTA asks for.
Voluntary disclosures
Errors in past returns identified and corrected through the FTA's voluntary disclosure process.
VAT deregistration
When your business no longer needs to be registered, we handle the deregistration steps.
VAT health checks
A review of past returns and processes to find issues before they become penalties.
Who it’s for
Built for businesses like yours.
- Businesses approaching or above the AED 375,000 mandatory registration threshold
- Companies considering voluntary registration
- VAT-registered businesses that want returns prepared and reviewed professionally
- Anyone who suspects past returns contain errors
Key facts
The rules, in brief.
From official UAE sources, last reviewed October 2026. Rules change, so we confirm what applies to your business before acting.
- Standard rate
- VAT in the UAE is charged at 5% and has applied since 1 January 2018. Ministry of Finance: VAT (opens in a new tab)
- Mandatory registration
- Registration is required once taxable supplies and imports exceed AED 375,000 over the previous 12 months, or are expected to within the next 30 days. FTA: Registration for VAT (opens in a new tab)
- Voluntary registration
- Businesses whose taxable supplies and imports, or taxable expenses, exceed AED 187,500 may register voluntarily. FTA: Registration for VAT (opens in a new tab)
- Return deadline
- Each VAT return is due no later than the 28th day after the end of the tax period (the next working day if that falls on a holiday), and must be filed even if no tax is payable. FTA: VAT registration (opens in a new tab)
Questions
Common questions, answered.
When does a UAE business have to register for VAT?
When its taxable supplies and imports have exceeded AED 375,000 over the previous 12 months, or are expected to exceed it within the next 30 days. Below that, registration is voluntary from AED 187,500.
How often are VAT returns filed in the UAE?
Most businesses file quarterly; the FTA can assign monthly tax periods. Each return is due by the 28th day after the end of its tax period.
Do I file a VAT return if I had no sales?
Yes. A registered business must file a return for every tax period, even when no tax is payable.
Can mistakes in previous VAT returns be fixed?
Yes. Errors are corrected through a voluntary disclosure to the FTA. Correcting them before the FTA finds them is generally the better position, so we review past returns as part of onboarding.
Can I recover VAT on all my business expenses?
Not always. Some input VAT is blocked from recovery, and recovery depends on having valid tax invoices. We check recoverability as we prepare each return.
Related
Often handled together.
Let’s talk about VAT Services.
Tell us where things stand. We reply within two business days.