Books ready for VAT, tax and audit
Bookkeeping services in the UAE
Every UAE tax deadline depends on your books. VAT returns are due every quarter, the corporate tax return follows the financial statements, and many free zones ask for audited accounts to renew your licence. Corporate tax records must be kept for 7 years. If the books are behind, every one of those jobs costs more and takes longer.
Outsourced bookkeeping keeps your records current every month, so returns and audits start from clean figures. With UAE Accountant you send one free request with your transaction volume, software and emirate. Up to three licensed accounting firms contact you with quotes. You compare and choose, with no obligation.
What bookkeeping services include
Most firms offer bookkeeping as a monthly or quarterly service. Quotes usually cover:
Recording transactions
Entering sales, purchases, expenses and payments in your accounting software, with VAT coded correctly on each line.
Bank and card reconciliations
Matching every bank and card statement to the books each month, and following up on items that do not match.
Receivables and payables
Tracking who owes you and whom you owe, with ageing reports that help with cash flow.
Monthly management reports
A profit and loss account, balance sheet and short commentary, so you see the numbers while they still matter.
VAT-ready figures
Closing each quarter on time so VAT return filing can start straight away.
Year-end support
Preparing the year-end file for your auditor and for corporate tax filing, and catching up on months that were missed.
Who needs outsourced bookkeeping
Outsourcing is common for these businesses:
- New companies
Starting with a clean chart of accounts and good habits is cheaper than fixing a messy first year.
- SMEs without a full-time accountant
A firm gives you trained staff and a review for less than a full in-house team.
- Businesses electing Small Business Relief
Revenue of AED 3 million or less may use cash-basis financial statements, but you still need records to file and elect the relief. See the Small Business Relief guide.
- Free-zone companies
A Qualifying Free Zone Person needs audited IFRS financial statements, and many free zones ask for audited accounts at licence renewal. See free zones and audit.
- Businesses with a backlog
If months or years are unrecorded, a firm can quote a catch-up project before the next deadline.
The deadlines your books must support
Bookkeeping has no filing date of its own. The timing that matters comes from the returns and audits that use your books. Check your own case with a licensed firm or the FTA.
Tax penalties were revised from 14 April 2026. Under the new rules, not providing records in Arabic when required costs AED 5,000. A tax agent can check what else applies to you.
E-invoicing also changes bookkeeping: from 2027, B2B invoices pass through Accredited Service Providers, and your books need to match them. See e-invoicing readiness and the UAE tax deadlines calendar.
| Deadline | What the books must be ready for |
|---|---|
| 28th day after each VAT period (usually quarterly) | VAT return and payment |
| 9 months after year-end (30 September for a 31 December year-end) | Corporate tax return and payment |
| Each financial year | Audited statements where required: revenue over AED 50 million, every Qualifying Free Zone Person, every tax group |
| Free-zone licence renewal | Audited accounts in many free zones, from an approved auditor where the zone requires it |
| 7 years | How long corporate tax records must be kept |
Documents and information to prepare
To quote and start, a firm will usually ask for:
- Your trade licence, and your VAT TRN and corporate tax registration number if you have them.
- Bank and card statements for the period to be recorded.
- Sales invoices, purchase invoices, receipts and expense claims.
- Payroll records and WPS salary files, if you have staff.
- Loan, lease and other contracts that affect the accounts.
- Last year’s financial statements, trial balance or audit report.
- Access to your accounting software, or a note of the system you would like to use.
The FTA keeps a list of accredited tax accounting software vendors, updated during the year. Ask the firm to check your software against the current list. See accounting software.
What affects the fee for bookkeeping
Bookkeeping is usually quoted per month. The main factors are:
Number of transactions
The volume of invoices, bank lines and expense claims is the biggest driver.
Bank accounts and currencies
More accounts and foreign-currency transactions mean more reconciliation.
Backlog
Catch-up work for past months is usually quoted as a separate project.
Reporting needs
Monthly management reports, budgets or reports to investors add time.
Extra services
Payroll and WPS, VAT returns or CFO services in the same package change the quote.
Software
Cloud software with bank feeds is faster to work with than spreadsheets or paper.
What to ask a firm before you choose
Ask these questions when you compare quotes, and avoid these common mistakes:
- Does your trade licence include accounting or bookkeeping activities? Since Federal Decree-Law 41 of 2023, accounting as a profession needs a licence from the Ministry of Economy and Tourism.
- Are you, or a partner firm, an FTA-registered tax agent? Useful if you want VAT and corporate tax filed by the same team. Ask for the tax agency number.
- When will we get monthly reports, and who reviews them? A named reviewer is a good sign.
- Who owns the data and the software subscription? The records should stay in your company’s name if you change firm.
- Mistake to avoid: doing the books once a year. Quarterly VAT returns need current figures.
- Mistake to avoid: mixing personal and business spending in one account.
- Mistake to avoid: throwing away records too early. Corporate tax records must be kept for 7 years.
We ask each firm for its trade licence and, where relevant, its FTA tax agent registration. Read how to choose an accounting firm in Dubai, or see bookkeeping in Dubai and Sharjah.
How to get quotes for bookkeeping
- 1
Send your request
Tell us your emirate, rough monthly transactions, software and any backlog. It is free.
- 2
Firms contact you
Up to three licensed accounting firms ask a few questions and send a monthly quote.
- 3
Compare and choose
Compare scope, reporting and fees. Choose one firm, or none. No obligation.
Bookkeeping FAQ
Is bookkeeping a legal requirement in the UAE?
You need records to file VAT and corporate tax returns, and corporate tax records must be kept for 7 years. A licensed firm can explain what your company must keep.
Can a small business keep cash-basis accounts?
Businesses with revenue of AED 3 million or less may prepare cash-basis financial statements for corporate tax. A firm can tell you what applies above that.
Do I need an audit as well as bookkeeping?
For corporate tax, audited statements are required when revenue is over AED 50 million, for every Qualifying Free Zone Person and for every tax group. Many free zones also ask for them. See audited financial statements in the UAE.
Can you catch up on past years?
Yes. Mention the backlog in your request and firms will quote a catch-up project before the monthly service.
Which accounting software should I use?
It depends on your size and needs. Ask firms which systems they support, and check software against the FTA’s current list of accredited vendors. See accounting software.
Does UAE Accountant do the bookkeeping?
No. We are a free matching service. We pass your request to up to three licensed accounting firms, and the firm you choose does the work.
Get quotes for bookkeeping
One free request reaches up to three licensed accounting firms. No obligation.