Corporate tax has been in effect in the UAE since June 2023, and by now most businesses have gone through at least one filing cycle but the compliance work doesn't stop after registration. Every taxable person has to register on EmaraTax, even businesses paying 0%, and every return is due nine months after the end of the financial year, with the tax payment due on the same date. Miss either deadline and the penalties start accumulating immediately.

Probiz provides corporate tax services for businesses across Dubai and the UAE, working from our office in Al Barsha. We handle registration, return preparation, filing, and the ongoing bookkeeping that has to sit underneath an accurate return so nothing gets rushed at the deadline and nothing gets missed.

What's Included in Our Corporate Tax Service

• Corporate tax registration through EmaraTax and Corporate Tax Registration Number (CTRN) application
• Taxable income assessment determining whether you fall under the 0% or 9% bracket, and what qualifies as deductible
• Corporate tax return preparation and filing within the nine-month deadline
• Qualifying Free Zone Person (QFZP) status review, for free zone companies that may be eligible for the 0% rate on qualifying income
• Small Business Relief assessment, for eligible SMEs and startups
• Financial statement preparation aligned with what the return requires
• Late registration penalty waiver filing, for businesses that missed their original registration deadline
• Ongoing compliance support bookkeeping, VAT-corporate tax reconciliation, and FTA correspondence

Who Has to Register for Corporate Tax

Every taxable person in the UAE has to register for corporate tax, regardless of profit even a business that ends up paying 0% still needs a Corporate Tax Registration Number. For existing companies, the registration deadline is tied to the month your trade license was first issued, not your revenue or your financial year. Corporate tax itself applies at 0% on taxable income up to AED 375,000, and 9% on income above that. Free zone companies with Qualifying Free Zone Person status may keep a 0% rate on qualifying income, but that comes with its own conditions and, in most cases, a mandatory audit.

Corporate Tax Filing Deadlines

Your corporate tax return is due nine months after the end of your financial year, and the tax payment is due on the same date there's no separate, later payment window. For a business with a 31 December year-end, that puts the deadline at 30 September the following year. The date is calculated from your specific tax period end, not a single national cut-off, so getting your first tax period right matters if that date is wrong, every deadline that follows it is wrong too.

Penalties for Missing a Corporate Tax Deadline

• Late registration: a flat AED 10,000 penalty, separate from any filing or payment penalty
• Late filing: AED 500 per month for the first twelve months, rising to AED 1,000 per month after that
• Late payment: 14% per annum, calculated monthly on the unpaid tax, from the day after the payment deadline
• Record-keeping failures: businesses are required to retain accounting and tax records for at least seven years, and failing to produce them on request during an FTA audit carries its own penalty

The Late Registration Penalty Waiver

If you missed your original corporate tax registration deadline and were hit with the AED 10,000 penalty, there's a way to have it waived. The FTA cancels the penalty for businesses that file their first corporate tax return within seven months of the end of their first tax period two months ahead of the standard nine-month deadline. For a business with a 31 December year-end, that means filing by 31 July rather than 30 September. If you already paid the AED 10,000 penalty and qualify under the accelerated filing window, the amount is credited back to your EmaraTax account automatically no separate refund request needed. This is one of the most valuable pieces of relief the FTA has offered since corporate tax launched, and a lot of businesses miss it simply because they don't know the shorter deadline exists.

Corporate Tax Services in Al Barsha

Our office is in Al Barsha, and we work directly with businesses in and around the area on registration, first-time filings, and the late registration waiver. Corporate tax is still new enough that most businesses are going through their first or second real filing cycle, and being able to sit down in person especially when there's a deadline approaching or a penalty to sort out makes that process faster and less stressful. For businesses elsewhere in Dubai or across the UAE, we run the same service remotely.

FAQs

Do I need to register for corporate tax even if my business doesn't make a profit?

Yes. Every taxable person in the UAE has to register for corporate tax and obtain a Corporate Tax Registration Number, even if the business ends up paying 0%.

What's the corporate tax rate in the UAE?

0% on taxable income up to AED 375,000, and 9% on income above that threshold. Free zone companies with Qualifying Free Zone Person status may retain 0% on qualifying income under certain conditions.

When is my corporate tax return due?

Nine months after the end of your financial year. For a business with a 31 December year-end, that's 30 September the following year. The tax payment is due on the same date.

What happens if I register for corporate tax late?

A flat AED 10,000 penalty applies. It's separate from any late-filing or late-payment penalty, so the costs can stack up quickly if registration and filing are both delayed.

Can the AED 10,000 late registration penalty be waived?

Yes. If you file your first corporate tax return within seven months of the end of your first tax period two months earlier than the standard nine-month deadline the FTA waives the penalty, or credits it back if it was already paid.

What's the penalty for filing my corporate tax return late?

AED 500 per month for the first twelve months late, rising to AED 1,000 per month after that.

How long do I need to keep my corporate tax records?

At least seven years from the end of the relevant tax period, and the records need to be complete enough for the FTA to verify how your taxable income was calculated.

Do you provide corporate tax services outside Al Barsha?

Yes. Our office is in Al Barsha, but we handle corporate tax registration and filing for businesses across Dubai and the wider UAE, in person or remotely.