Corporate Tax Consultants in Dubai
Corporate Tax in the UAE, explained simply
Corporate Tax applies to business profits across the UAE. The standard rate is 9% on taxable income above AED 375,000, and 0% on taxable income up to that threshold. Every taxable person must register with the Federal Tax Authority (FTA) and file a Corporate Tax return within nine months of the end of their tax period, even where no tax is due.
The rules are straightforward on the surface and full of detail underneath: free zone treatment, exemptions, transfer pricing, relief for small businesses, and penalties for late registration or filing. That is where we come in. Alif’s team, led by an FTA-registered Tax Agent, manages the whole process so you stay compliant and never pay more than the law requires.
Our Corporate Tax services in Dubai
Corporate Tax Registration
FTA registration handled correctly the first time, with the right entity classification and documentation.
Corporate Tax Return Filing
Accurate returns prepared and filed within the nine-month deadline, with full working papers.
Corporate Tax Planning
Legitimate structuring and planning to manage your effective rate, including Small Business Relief eligibility.
Free Zone Assessment
Analysis of Qualifying Free Zone Person status and whether the 0% free zone rate applies to your income.
Transfer Pricing Compliance
Documentation and disclosure for related-party transactions in line with FTA requirements.
Penalty Resolution
Support with late registration penalties, reconsideration requests and getting your position regularised.
Who needs to register for Corporate Tax?
Corporate Tax registration is broader than many businesses expect. You likely need to register if you fall into any of the following:
- Mainland companies and branches operating in the UAE
- Free zone companies, including those expecting the 0% qualifying rate (registration is still mandatory)
- Foreign companies with a permanent establishment in the UAE
- Natural persons conducting business in the UAE with turnover above AED 1 million in a calendar year
Not sure where you fall? A short call settles it. Book a free consultation.
International Tax
A tax that crosses the international border brings about International tax. It includes multidimensional rules for cross-border transactions, transfer pricing foreign tax credits and international era treaties.
Alif Accounting and Tax Consultants offer advice to foreign businesses engrossed in international operations through international tax planning, compliance with international tax laws, optimisation of their structure or dispute resolutions on International taxes.
Why businesses choose Alif for Corporate Tax
An FTA-registered Tax Agent oversees your filing
Your filing is overseen by an FTA-registered Tax Agent, not a call centre.
Big 4 trained leadership
Big 4 trained leadership, with ex-EY experience across audit and tax.
One firm for the full picture
Accounting, Tax-consultancy, VAT, Audit-and Assurance and AML under one roof.
Fixed, transparent fees
Fixed, transparent fees. No surprises at filing time.
Corporate Tax UAE, frequently asked questions
The UAE Corporate Tax rate is 9% on taxable income above AED 375,000, and 0% up to that threshold. Large multinational groups within the scope of the OECD Pillar Two rules are subject to a 15% domestic minimum top-up tax from January 2025.
All taxable persons must register with the FTA, including free zone companies and businesses expecting to pay 0%. Registration is mandatory even if no tax is ultimately due.
Returns must be filed, and any tax paid, within nine months of the end of the relevant tax period. For a January to December financial year, that means the following 30 September.
The FTA applies an administrative penalty of AED 10,000 for late Corporate Tax registration. Late filing and late payment attract separate penalties, which is why deadlines matter.
Free zone companies register like everyone else, and may benefit from a 0% rate on qualifying income if they meet the Qualifying Free Zone Person conditions. Non-qualifying income is taxed at 9%, and the conditions are detailed, so an assessment is worth doing before you assume the 0% applies.
Small Business Relief lets eligible UAE businesses with revenue of AED 3 million or less elect to be treated as having no taxable income for the period. It applies to tax periods ending on or before 31 December 2026, and electing for it has trade-offs we can walk you through.