Get your VAT right with a VAT consultant in Dubai who files the way the FTA expects: you pay what you owe, on time, and not a dirham more.
In-house tax team in Dubai, transparent pricing 
Appreciated by UAE Ministry of Economy Real partners and trust 
Partner of Dubai International Chamber 
Loved by 1,000+ clients Value added tax looks simple: 5% on most sales, minus the VAT you paid on your costs. In practice, the rules keep changing. One wrong box on a return can cost more than a year of professional fees.
Here is what usually goes wrong, and what a VAT consultant takes off your desk:
You must register within 30 days of reaching the AED 375,000 threshold; the penalty for missing it is AED 10,000. Many businesses forget the forward-looking test: one large signed contract can trigger registration before a single dirham arrives.
Is your supply taxed at 5%, zero-rated or exempt? The answer decides whether you can recover the VAT on your own costs.
A missing TRN on an invoice, a blocked cost such as client entertainment, or a supplier you never checked can cost you the deduction. Since 1 October 2026, the FTA can refuse input tax if you cannot show you verified the supplier.
A late return costs AED 1,000. Late payment adds 14 % a year, charged monthly.
The longer an error in an earlier return stays open, the more it costs to fix.
Unused excess input tax now lapses after five years.
Businesses whose excess input tax has expired, or will expire within a year of 1 January 2026, can still claim a refund or offset until this date.
With movingo's VAT consultancy services in Dubai, you get one team that registers you, files for you, fixes old errors and explains in plain words what the law means for your business.
More than seven years of experience in accounting and VAT in Dubai. Mohammad handles FTA matters, VAT registrations, reporting, audits and outsourced accounting for movingo clients.
From a freelancer close to the threshold to a group that files monthly, our UAE VAT services cover the whole cycle.
Written answers you can act on: is this contract zero-rated or exempt, how to treat a mixed supply, how to value a deal between connected companies under Article 25 of the Executive Regulation (the market value rule). Every answer is backed by the law and Federal Tax Authority guidance.
Mandatory or voluntary. We check your numbers, prepare the documents, submit the application on EmaraTax and answer the FTA's questions until your TRN arrives.
We reconcile your sales and purchases, prepare the return and file it before the 28th day after the end of the period. You receive the amount due and the payment deadline.
We review every cost for input VAT recovery, match it against your output VAT and file a refund claim when your input tax is higher than your output tax.
A review of your past returns, invoices and contracts. We find errors before the FTA does and tell you how much each one costs to fix.
Found an error in a filed return? Form 211 is the way to correct it. A timely voluntary disclosure keeps the cost at 1 % per month on the tax difference and cuts the penalties.
The FTA asked for documents or announced a VAT audit? We prepare the files, reply to clarification requests and stay with you until the case closes.
If you close the business or no longer meet the conditions, we file the application on time. Late deregistration costs AED 1,000 per month, up to AED 10,000.
We check that your invoices meet the tax requirements and that imported services go through the Reverse Charge Mechanism (RCM).
Related companies can file one joint return. We check the conditions and set up the group.
Clean books and complete records, kept for the five years the law requires, so any figure on your return can be traced back to a document.
Bookkeeping services →Not sure which service you need? Send us your last return and we will tell you where the risks are.
Send my returnThe right VAT consultancy services in UAE do more than file forms. They protect your cash flow and your standing with the FTA:
With movingo, VAT services in Dubai run on a simple routine. You send us your documents; we take care of the rest:
You tell us about your business and send your latest VAT documents. We confirm where you stand: registered or not, which rate applies and whether there are risks from the past.
If you need a TRN, we prepare and submit the application. If you are already registered, we take over your EmaraTax profile and check that your details are correct.
We agree your tax codes, invoice templates and the way you send us data, so the quarterly routine stays short.
Each period, your Dubai VAT consultant sends a short checklist. You send bank statements and invoices. We reconcile them, file the return and tell you exactly what to pay before the 28th.
Refund claims, supplier checks, voluntary disclosures and FTA audits, handled by the team that already knows your books.
Send us your documents, and your VAT consultant will take the routine from here.
Hand it overOur prices are fixed and published here, so you know the cost before any work begins. No hidden fees, no surprises on the invoice. This applies to all our VAT services in the UAE.
AED 1,500 per hour
Written answers backed by the law and FTA guidance
AED 1,000
As a standalone service
AED 1,000 per return
As a standalone service
AED 1,000
All-inclusive
We always start with an introductory call, so you know exactly what you pay before you commit.
Get a quoteValue added tax in the UAE is charged at the standard rate of 5% on most goods and services, but some industries sell mainly zero-rated or exempt supplies. The difference matters: zero-rated businesses can recover input VAT, exempt businesses cannot. Your taxable turnover counts both 5 % and 0 % supplies. Where the customer is matters too: the same service can be 5 % for a client in Dubai and 0 % for a client in London.
| Industry | Typical supplies | Rate in the UAE | What to watch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail and trading | Goods sold in the UAE | 5% | Abroad: 0% as an export. Goods must leave the UAE within 90 days with customs and commercial evidence, or the FTA treats the sale as 5% |
| Exporters | Goods and services sold outside the UAE | 0% | Anything sold locally is 5%. Proof of export is everything: without it, the FTA taxes the sale at 5% |
| E-commerce | Online sales to UAE customers | 5% | Abroad: 0% on goods shipped abroad and on electronic services to customers outside the UAE. Watch place of supply, shipping evidence and the customer's location |
| IT, consulting and professional services | Services for UAE customers | 5% | Abroad: 0% if the customer is outside the UAE and has no place of business here, with proof. Services linked to UAE real estate or goods stay at 5%; a client who spends over a month in the UAE breaks the 0% |
| Hospitality and restaurants | Hotels, food, events | 5% | Same 5% for foreign guests and tourists: the service is consumed in the UAE. Prices shown to consumers must include VAT; hotel stays are not refundable under the tourist refund scheme |
| Commercial real estate | Offices, shops, warehouses | 5% | Rent is taxable; fit-out VAT is recoverable. Property abroad is outside UAE VAT |
| Residential real estate | Long-term rent and resale | Exempt | No input VAT recovery on related costs; bare land is also exempt |
| New residential property | First sale within three years of completion | 0% | First sale or lease only; strict timing and evidence rules, later supplies are exempt |
| Construction and contracting | Building and fit-out services | 5% | Treatment depends on the building: residential, commercial or charity. Projects abroad are outside UAE VAT |
| Education and healthcare | Qualifying education, preventive and basic healthcare | 0% | Only qualifying services. Cosmetic treatments, non-recognised curricula, uniforms and canteen food are 5% |
| Banks and finance | Margin-based financial services | Exempt | Explicit fees are 5%; services to customers outside the UAE may be 0 %. Exempt income limits input VAT recovery |
| International transport | Passengers and goods moved between the UAE and abroad | 0% | Keep tickets, bills of lading and customs papers |
| Local transport | Local passenger transport; freight within the UAE | Exempt (passengers) 5 % (freight) | Tourist and sightseeing trips are 5%, not exempt |
| Oil, gas and precious metals | Crude oil, natural gas, investment-grade metals | 0% | Strict purity and definition rules; B2B trade in precious metals and stones goes through reverse charge. Exports are 0% |
If you are not sure where your business stands, our guide explains who is exempt from VAT in the UAE. We can also check your invoices line by line.
Get a quoteYour licence type changes your paperwork, but not your basic duty. Our VAT consultancy services in UAE cover all three structures.
A Mainland business registers once its taxable supplies and imports pass AED 375,000 in 12 months. VAT is a federal tax, so the rate is 5 % in every emirate: a sale in Sharjah is taxed the same as a sale in Dubai or Abu Dhabi.
Free Zone companies follow the same VAT rules as Mainland companies. Services are taxed at 5 % everywhere. Special rules apply only to goods in Designated Zones, such as Jebel Ali Free Zone: goods moved between these zones under customs control are generally outside the scope of VAT, while goods moved to the Mainland are treated as imports.
Not every Free Zone is a Designated Zone, so we check the current FTA list before we advise you. See our guide to VAT registration for Free Zone companies.
As a rule, an offshore company with no taxable supplies in the UAE has no UAE VAT to pay. If it trades in the UAE, the same AED 375,000 threshold applies. We read your contracts and your structure and tell you which case you are in.
A 0 % rate under Corporate Tax does not change your VAT position. VAT and Corporate Tax run on the same EmaraTax portal and the same books. This Corporate Tax link is why one set of clean records should support both; see our Corporate Tax services.
Business setup in Dubai is the best time to plan VAT. If you register voluntarily above AED 187,500 of taxable expenses, you can recover VAT on setup costs such as fit-out and equipment. We help you decide when to register. If you still need a licence, our company formation team can handle it.
Search for a VAT consultant Dubai businesses trust and you will find dozens of options. Here is why clients stay with us:
More than 400 companies run their finances with our help, and our team has over 15 years of combined experience.
Our clients have avoided more than AED 5 million in penalties.
We take responsibility for your filings: if a fine appears on our watch, we cover it.
A 4.9 rating from more than 1,000 clients.
Our in-house team includes ACCA- and CPA-qualified accountants who work with FTA forms and EmaraTax every day. Nothing is outsourced.
A fixed price, agreed upfront. No hidden fees.
Every VAT consultant on our team explains the law in plain words, with links to official sources.
VAT, Corporate Tax, bookkeeping and reporting stay in one place, and your VAT balances match your financial statements, with IFRS compliance where it applies.
Rules and penalties changed several times in 2026, and one wrong rate or late filing is expensive. VAT consultancy services in Dubai keep your registration, returns and input tax correct and reduce the risk of penalties.
No. Most goods and services are taxed at 5%. Some are zero-rated at 0 %, some are exempt, and some, such as salaries and dividends, are outside the scope of VAT.
Yes. There is Corporate Tax at 9 % on taxable income above AED 375,000, excise tax on selected goods such as tobacco and energy drinks, and customs duties on many imports. There is no personal income tax.
Yes. Consultancy services are taxed at 5% when the customer is in the UAE. If the customer is outside the UAE and outside the GCC states that apply VAT, the service can be zero-rated, with proof.
Yes. Imported goods are generally subject to 5% VAT, collected at customs, whether the buyer is a business or an individual.
No. Only businesses whose taxable supplies and imports exceed AED 375,000 in the past 12 months or are expected to in the next 30 days. Corporate Tax registration is a separate duty, and it applies to almost every company.
A late return costs AED 1,000, or AED 2,000 if repeated within 24 months. Late payment adds 14 % per year on the unpaid tax, charged monthly.
No. A Free Zone company recovers input tax like any other registrant: the part linked to taxable supplies. A refund arises only when input tax is higher than output tax, and the FTA decides on a refund claim within 25 business days, or up to 55 if it audits the claim.
A trade licence, the Emirates ID and passport of the owners and the authorised signatory, the Memorandum of Association, bank account details, proof of business activity and your turnover figures. Importers and exporters also need customs registration details.
The FTA processes a complete application within 20 business days and charges nothing for registration. Mismatched names or missing signatory documents are the most common causes of delay.
Registration is mandatory above AED 375,000 and voluntary above AED 187,500 of taxable supplies, imports or expenses.
Classifying supplies correctly, keeping invoices that meet the legal requirements, recovering input tax on blocked costs, passing the new supplier checks and filing on time.
Quarterly for most businesses, and monthly if annual turnover is AED 150 million or more. Each return and payment is due within 28 days of the end of the tax period.
Yes, if their taxable supplies pass AED 375,000 in 12 months. Below that, they do not have to register. The Corporate Tax threshold for freelancers is different: AED 1 million.
To add VAT, multiply the price without VAT by 0.05. For AED 1,000, VAT is AED 50 and the total is AED 1,050. To remove VAT from a price that includes it, divide by 1.05: AED 1,050 ÷ 1.05 = AED 1,000.
VAT applies to supplies of goods and services made in the UAE by a taxable person in the course of business, and to imports. A business becomes a taxable person once it passes the registration threshold.
5%. VAT is a federal tax, so the rate is the same in every emirate.
Any business, sole establishment or freelancer with taxable supplies or imports above AED 187,500 can register, and above AED 375,000 must register. Tourists can reclaim 85 % of VAT on qualifying purchases of at least AED 250 from participating retailers.
No. The law does not require an accountant or an FTA approved tax agent, and you can register and file yourself on EmaraTax. But you need complete records, and a mistake costs more than a good professional.
We register your business, file your returns, recover your input tax and fix old errors. For every question, you get a clear answer from a VAT consultancy Dubai team that explains the law in plain words. Ask us about VAT consultancy UAE support for your exact case.
