Excise tax services
Excise Tax Consultants in Dubai & the UAE
Alif Accounting & Tax Consultants helps businesses that produce, import or stockpile excise goods in the UAE to register, file and stay compliant. Our tax team is led by an FTA-registered Tax Agent who can deal with the Federal Tax Authority for you.
The basics
What is excise tax in the UAE?
Excise tax is charged on specific goods that are harmful to health, such as tobacco products and certain drinks. Unlike VAT, it is charged once, when the goods are produced, imported or released for consumption, so the business that brings the goods into the UAE market is responsible for it.
The rules changed for drinks on 1 January 2026. Energy drinks are taxed at 100%, and sweetened drinks have been taxed on a tiered model since 1 January 2026, based on sugar and sweetener content per 100 ml, which means each product needs to be categorised correctly.
Alif guides businesses through excise registration, product classification, returns and the records the Federal Tax Authority (FTA) expects, so the right tax is paid and nothing is missed.
Excise tax at a glance
Specific goods such as tobacco products and certain drinks
Businesses that produce, import or stockpile excise goods
Taxed at 100%
Tiered by sugar content per 100 ml since 1 January 2026
Federal Tax Authority (FTA), through EmaraTax
What we do
Our excise tax services
End-to-end support for businesses dealing in excise goods.
Excise registration
Registering your business for excise tax on EmaraTax, with the right activity and documents.
Product classification
Making sure each product is in the right category, including sugar-content tiers for sweetened drinks.
Excise returns
Preparing and filing your excise returns accurately and on time.
Compliance review
Checking your records, stock movements and calculations before the FTA does.
FTA correspondence
Our FTA-registered Tax Agent deals with FTA queries and reviews on your behalf.
How it works
How we manage your excise tax
Free consultation
We learn which goods you deal in and how they enter the UAE market.
Classify
We confirm which products are excise goods and how each is categorised.
Register
We register your business and set up the records you need.
File and review
We file your returns and review your position as the rules change.
Get your excise tax right
Book a free consultation. We will check which of your products are excise goods and what you need to do.
FAQs
Excise tax in the UAE, frequently asked questions
It is a tax on specific goods that are harmful to health, such as tobacco products and certain drinks. It is charged when the goods are produced, imported or released for consumption.
Businesses that produce, import or stockpile excise goods in the UAE. If you are unsure whether your products are excise goods, our team can check with you.
Energy drinks are taxed at 100%. Since 1 January 2026, sweetened drinks are taxed on a tiered model based on their sugar and sweetener content per 100 ml, so each product needs to be categorised correctly.
No. Excise tax is charged once on specific goods when they enter the market. VAT is charged at each stage of supply on most goods and services. Excise goods are usually subject to both.
It depends on your products, volumes and the support you need. Book a free consultation for a quote based on your business.