Corporate Tax in the UAE
Corporate Tax is still relatively new territory for a lot of UAE businesses, and getting it right matters. RBO Accounting Services FZE provides professional Corporate Tax services to help you understand your obligations, complete registration, prepare and file your returns, keep your financial records in order, and stay compliant going forward.
Our Corporate Tax support covers startups, SMEs, mainland companies, free zone businesses, and other taxable persons across the UAE. From your first registration through return filing, tax planning, and transfer pricing, we tailor our assistance to how your business is actually structured.
Need help with UAE Corporate Tax? Contact RBO Accounting Services FZE for a Corporate Tax consultation.
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Professional Corporate Tax Services in the UAE
The UAE Corporate Tax regime applies to financial years beginning on or after 1 June 2023. It’s calculated on taxable income, and it comes with its own set of registration, record-keeping, filing, and payment obligations that businesses need to stay on top of.
RBO offers a structured range of Corporate Tax services to help UAE businesses manage all of this.
Our services include:
- Corporate Tax registration
- Corporate Tax return filing
- Corporate Tax planning
- Tax compliance support
- Taxable income assessment
- Financial record review
- Transfer pricing support
- Corporate Tax advisory
- FTA-related support
Corporate Tax Registration in the UAE
If your business is subject to UAE Corporate Tax, you’re required to register with the Federal Tax Authority and get a Corporate Tax Registration Number.
Registration currently runs through the FTA’s EmaraTax platform, and the documentation required depends on the type of taxable person you are.
RBO can help with:
- Corporate Tax registration assessment
- Document preparation
- Taxable person information
- EmaraTax registration support
- Corporate Tax Registration Number application
- Registration information review
- FTA registration-related queries
Corporate Tax registration amendments
For the official registration process, you can also refer to the Federal Tax Authority’s Corporate Tax Registration service.
Corporate Tax Return Filing in the UAE
Your Corporate Tax return needs to be built from your relevant financial and tax information and submitted within the applicable deadline.
The Ministry of Finance states that taxable persons generally need to file their return within 9 months from the end of the relevant Tax Period, with Corporate Tax payment generally due by the same deadline.
Our return filing support can include:
- Financial statement review
- Taxable income calculation
- Tax adjustments
- Deductible and non-deductible expense review
- Corporate Tax workings
- Return preparation
- Return filing support
- Corporate Tax payment coordination
Supporting documentation
Corporate Tax Planning in the UAE
Good Corporate Tax planning comes down to understanding how the UAE rules apply to your specific business and shaping your financial and operational decisions around that.
RBO provides planning and advisory support covering:
- Taxable income assessment
- Business structure considerations
- Deductible expense review
- Tax-efficient business planning
- Related-party transactions
- Tax period considerations
- Compliance planning
- Financial record requirements
Our focus is on helping you actually understand your Corporate Tax position, so you can make informed decisions within the applicable UAE tax framework — not just react to it.
Corporate Tax for Mainland Businesses
Mainland companies may have their own registration, filing, and record-keeping requirements depending on their status and activities.
RBO can help mainland businesses with:
- Corporate Tax registration
- Tax return preparation
- Financial record review
- Taxable income calculations
- Corporate Tax compliance
- Ongoing accounting and tax support
Accurate accounting matters here more than people often expect, since Corporate Taxable Income generally starts from your accounting income before any tax adjustments are applied.
Corporate Tax for Free Zone Businesses
Free zone businesses fall within the UAE Corporate Tax framework too, though specific rules can apply depending on your status and whether you qualify for particular treatment under the legislation. The Ministry of Finance confirms that juridical persons established in UAE Free Zones are within the scope of Corporate Tax and must meet the applicable requirements.
RBO can help free zone businesses with:
- Corporate Tax registration
- Tax status assessment
- Corporate Tax return filing
- Financial record review
- Compliance support
- Tax planning
- Transfer pricing considerations
Contact RBO to discuss your free zone Corporate Tax requirements.
Corporate Tax & Accounting Records
Corporate Tax compliance and accounting go hand in hand.
The Ministry of Finance explains that accounting income — based on your financial statements — is the starting point for taxable income, with adjustments applied from there. That means the reliability of your financial records really matters, covering things like:
- Revenue
- Expenses
- Assets
- Liabilities
- Related-party transactions
- Financial statements
- Supporting documentation
RBO offers integrated accounting and Corporate Tax services, so your financial records and your tax compliance are working together, not separately.
Transfer Pricing Services in the UAE
If your business has related-party transactions, the UAE’s transfer pricing requirements may come into play.
RBO provides transfer pricing support to help review those transactions and prepare the documentation needed to meet applicable requirements, including:
- Related-party transaction review
- Transfer pricing assessment
- Documentation support
- Transaction analysis
- Tax compliance considerations
Coordination with accounting and financial records
Corporate Tax Compliance Services
Corporate Tax compliance is a lot more than filing one return a year. It usually involves managing:
- Corporate Tax registration
- Accurate accounting records
- Taxable income calculations
- Tax adjustments
- Supporting documentation
- Return filing
- Corporate Tax payment
- Transfer pricing requirements where applicable
- Record retention
RBO helps you build an organized approach to all of it, with ongoing accounting and tax support along the way.
Corporate Tax Services for Businesses Across the UAE
RBO provides Corporate Tax and accounting support to businesses throughout the UAE, including:
- Dubai
- Abu Dhabi
- Sharjah
- Ajman
- Ras Al Khaimah
- Fujairah
- Umm Al Quwain
Visit our Areas We Serve page to find location-specific accounting and tax services.
Who Needs Corporate Tax Registration in the UAE?
Whether you need to register depends on your legal status, activities, income, and any applicable exemptions or special provisions. Businesses worth checking their position include:
- UAE mainland companies
- Free zone companies
- UAE-incorporated juridical persons
- Businesses managed and controlled in the UAE
- Foreign entities with a UAE Permanent Establishment
- Natural persons conducting business activities in the UAE where the applicable revenue threshold is exceeded
The Ministry of Finance and FTA set out the official rules on which persons are subject to Corporate Tax.
UAE Corporate Tax Rate
The general structure currently looks like this:
- 0% on taxable income up to AED 375,000
- 9% on taxable income above AED 375,000
Different rules can apply to certain entities, including qualifying businesses and large multinational groups subject to applicable international tax rules. Worth noting: it’s best to assess your own circumstances rather than assume the standard rate applies to every entity or every type of income.
Our Corporate Tax Process
- Understand Your Business — We review your business structure, activities, financial year, and current Corporate Tax position.
- Assess Your Corporate Tax Obligations — We identify the relevant registration, filing, and compliance requirements based on the applicable rules.
- Organize Financial Information — Your accounting records and relevant financial information are reviewed to support Corporate Tax calculations.
- Corporate Tax Registration — Where applicable, we assist with registration through the FTA’s EmaraTax platform.
- Calculate Taxable Income — Your financial information is reviewed and the applicable tax adjustments are considered.
- Prepare the Corporate Tax Return — The relevant information and calculations are organized for return preparation.
- Filing & Ongoing Compliance — Your return is filed within the applicable deadline, and you can continue receiving support for future tax periods.
Why Choose RBO for Corporate Tax Services?
Corporate Tax requires accounting, financial records, and tax compliance to work together — which is exactly where RBO fits in:
Integrated Accounting & Tax Support Your accounting records and Corporate Tax requirements are managed through connected financial processes, not siloed apart.
Practical Tax Guidance We explain Corporate Tax requirements in plain, practical business terms.
Compliance-Focused Approach We help you get your registration, filing, and supporting documentation properly organized.
Support for Mainland & Free Zone Businesses Our services are built to work across different UAE business structures.
Ongoing Financial Support Beyond Corporate Tax, you can also access bookkeeping, financial reporting, VAT, and other accounting services from RBO.
Corporate Tax vs. VAT
It’s easy to conflate the two, but they’re separate UAE tax obligations:
- Corporate Tax
Tax on taxable income/profits
Generally assessed for each Tax Period
Registration applies according to applicable rules
Return is filed with the FTA
Based on taxable income after applicable adjustments
- VAT
Tax on applicable taxable supplies
Filed according to the assigned VAT tax period
Registration depends on applicable VAT requirements
Return is filed with the FTA
Based on output and recoverable input VAT
RBO provides both Corporate Tax Services and VAT Registration & Filing Services for businesses that want integrated tax support.
COMMON QUESTIONS
Frequently Asked Questions
Corporate Tax is a federal tax on the taxable income of corporations and other businesses under the UAE Corporate Tax framework. It applies to financial years beginning on or after 1 June 2023.
Taxable persons are generally required to register with the Federal Tax Authority and obtain a Corporate Tax Registration Number, with specific requirements depending on the entity and applicable rules.
The standard structure is 0% on taxable income up to AED 375,000 and 9% above that, subject to applicable rules and special regimes.
The Ministry of Finance states that taxable persons generally need to file within 9 months from the end of the relevant Tax Period.
Yes — free zone juridical persons fall within the Corporate Tax framework and need to comply with applicable requirements, though specific treatment can depend on whether the business qualifies for relevant provisions.
Yes. We support the registration process, including preparing the required information and handling the EmaraTax registration.
Yes. We can review your financial information, prepare your Corporate Tax calculations, and support the filing of your return.
Yes. We offer planning and advisory support based on your business’s structure, activities, and applicable UAE tax requirements.
Yes. We can support businesses with applicable related-party transaction requirements.
Yes. We support businesses in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah, and Umm Al Quwain.
Need Help With Corporate Tax in the UAE?
Whether you need to register for Corporate Tax, prepare your first return, review your taxable income, plan ahead for future obligations, or get a handle on transfer pricing, RBO Accounting Services FZE is here to help.
Speak with RBO about your Corporate Tax requirements today.
Forming a New UAE Entity? Secure Day-One Corporate Tax Compliance
Under FTA Decision No. 3 of 2024, newly incorporated companies must complete Corporate Tax registration within strict timelines (typically 3 months from trade licence issuance) or face an immediate AED 10,000 penalty. When you establish your enterprise through RBO, company formation is seamlessly bundled with day-one tax compliance, compliant opening balance sheets, and Small Business Relief (0% Tax) Structuring.