UAE Small Business Relief lets a resident business elect to be treated as having no taxable income. To qualify, its revenue must be AED 3 million or less in the current tax period and in every previous one. Ministerial Decision No. 73 of 2023 originally covered only tax periods ending by 31 December 2026. Ministerial…
Insights
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UAE Corporate Tax in 2026: Registration, Filing Deadlines and the AED 10,000 Penalty
UAE corporate tax is charged under Federal Decree-Law No. 47 of 2022 at 0% on taxable income up to AED 375,000 and 9% above that. Every taxable person must register with the Federal Tax Authority, including free zone companies and individuals whose business turnover exceeds AED 1 million in a calendar year. New companies have…
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Opening a UAE Corporate Bank Account in 2026: Documents, Timelines and KYC Expectations
To open a UAE corporate bank account, expect to provide the trade licence, memorandum and articles of association, share certificate, beneficial owner register, passports, visas and Emirates IDs for shareholders and signatories, and evidence of real trade: a business plan, contracts, invoices and source of funds. Under the Central Bank of the UAE’s SME Customer…
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UAE VAT Registration: Thresholds, Deadlines and the 30-Day Test Businesses Miss
UAE VAT registration is mandatory once taxable supplies and imports exceed AED 375,000 in the past 12 months or are expected to exceed it in the next 30 days, and voluntary from AED 187,500; the application must be filed within 30 days of crossing the threshold or the FTA imposes a fixed AED 10,000 late-registration…
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UAE UBO Register: Who Counts as a Beneficial Owner, and What You Must File
Under Cabinet Decision No. 109 of 2023, every UAE company must identify its Ultimate Beneficial Owners — any natural person owning or controlling 25% or more of the capital or voting rights, directly or indirectly, or failing that whoever controls it by other means, or failing that a senior manager — and keep two registers:…
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UAE Free Zone or Mainland: Which Should You Choose in 2026?
A UAE free zone company is the better choice when you sell mainly to other free zone businesses or carry on a qualifying activity, such as manufacturing, logistics or holding shares: 100% foreign ownership and 0% corporate tax on qualifying income if you meet the Qualifying Free Zone Person conditions. A mainland company is the…
