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VAT registration in the UAE
UAE VAT is charged at 5%. Registration is mandatory once your taxable supplies and imports pass AED 375,000, and you may register voluntarily from AED 187,500. Both tests look back over the last 12 months and forward over the next 30 days. Once you are liable, you have 30 days to apply to the Federal Tax Authority (FTA) on EmaraTax and get your Tax Registration Number (TRN).
With UAE Accountant you send one free request with your turnover, activity and emirate. It reaches up to three licensed tax and accounting firms, who contact you with quotes to check your position and register you. You compare and choose, with no obligation.
What VAT registration support includes
You can ask for the registration only, or registration with ongoing VAT returns. Quotes usually cover:
Threshold check
Working out your taxable supplies and imports over the past 12 months and the next 30 days, and telling you if registration is mandatory, voluntary or not yet possible.
EmaraTax application
Preparing and submitting the VAT application, with turnover figures, banking details, activities and customs information where you import or export.
Answering FTA questions
Responding if the FTA asks for more documents or explanations before it issues the TRN.
Invoice and system set-up
Making sure your invoices show your TRN and VAT correctly from the effective date, and that your accounting software is ready.
Your first return
Explaining your tax periods and the first return date, or quoting for VAT return filing as an ongoing service.
Changes and deregistration
Updating your tax record when your details change, and applying to deregister if you stop making taxable supplies.
Who needs VAT registration
These are the most common situations behind a VAT registration request:
- Businesses past AED 375,000
Taxable supplies and imports over the last 12 months, or expected in the next 30 days, have passed the mandatory threshold.
- Growing businesses above AED 187,500
Voluntary registration lets you recover VAT on costs and can matter to business customers. A firm can tell you if it makes sense.
- New companies with large contracts
The forward-looking 30-day test can make registration mandatory before you have a year of trading.
- Non-resident businesses
A non-resident that makes taxable supplies in the UAE has no registration threshold.
- Mainland and free-zone companies alike
VAT registration depends on your supplies, not on whether you are on the mainland or in a free zone. See our free zone pages and emirate pages.
VAT registration deadlines and penalties
The thresholds and time limits below come from the FTA and Cabinet Decision 52 of 2017. Check your own case with a licensed firm or the FTA.
Tax penalties were revised from 14 April 2026. Under the new rules, not reporting a change to your tax record costs AED 1,000, or AED 5,000 if repeated within 24 months. A tax agent can check which penalties apply if you registered late.
If you also need corporate tax registration, do both together: see corporate tax registration. For a full walk-through, read VAT registration in the UAE, step by step.
| Item | Rule |
|---|---|
| Mandatory registration | Taxable supplies and imports over AED 375,000 (12 months back or 30 days ahead) |
| Voluntary registration | From AED 187,500 |
| Non-resident businesses | No threshold |
| Time to apply | Within 30 days of becoming liable to register |
| First VAT return | 28 days after the end of your first tax period |
| Deregistration | Apply within 20 business days after you stop making taxable supplies, or once 12-month supplies fall below the voluntary threshold |
Documents and information to prepare
For the application, the firm will usually ask for:
- Your trade licence and its licensed activities.
- Emirates ID and passport copies of the owners and the authorised signatory, with proof of authority.
- The memorandum or articles of association, or the free-zone equivalent.
- Turnover for the last 12 months and expected turnover for the next 30 days, supported by invoices or a sales report.
- Expected imports and exports, and customs registration details if you have them.
- Company bank account details (IBAN) and contact details.
- Your corporate tax registration number, if you already have one.
Share access through EmaraTax’s official tax agent or user options rather than sending your password.
What affects the fee for VAT registration
Registration fees depend on how much checking and preparation is needed. The main factors are:
Clarity of your turnover
Clean sales records make the threshold check quick. Mixed or missing records take longer.
Type of supplies
Exports, imports and a mix of standard, zero-rated and exempt supplies need more analysis.
Entity type
A non-resident business or a group of related companies takes more work than one local company.
Late registration
If you passed the threshold some time ago, the firm may need to look at back periods.
Bundled services
Registration alone is quoted differently from a package with quarterly returns or bookkeeping.
What to ask a firm before you choose
Ask these questions when you compare quotes, and avoid these common mistakes:
- Are you an FTA-registered tax agent? Only a person on the FTA register with a local licence may act as a tax agent. Ask for the tax agency number.
- When do you think we became liable, and why? The answer should come from your 12-month and 30-day figures.
- What happens after the TRN is issued? Ask whether invoice checks and the first return are in the quote.
- Will the EmaraTax account stay in our name? You should always keep control of your own account.
- Mistake to avoid: counting only past sales. The 30-day forward test can make you liable earlier.
- Mistake to avoid: charging VAT on invoices before you have a TRN.
- Mistake to avoid: forgetting to update your tax record after a change of address, activity or signatory.
We ask each firm for its trade licence and, where relevant, its FTA tax agent registration.
How to get quotes for VAT registration
- 1
Send your request
Tell us your emirate, activity and rough turnover. It takes a few minutes and is free.
- 2
Firms contact you
Up to three licensed tax and accounting firms check the details and send a quote.
- 3
Compare and choose
Compare scope, timing and fees. Choose one firm, or none. No obligation.
Available in these emirates
VAT registration FAQ
What is the VAT registration threshold in the UAE?
Registration is mandatory when taxable supplies and imports exceed AED 375,000, and voluntary from AED 187,500. Both look back 12 months and forward 30 days.
How long do I have to register?
30 days from the date you become liable to register.
Do free-zone companies need VAT registration?
It depends on your supplies, not on your licence location. A free-zone company that passes the threshold must register. A firm can check your activities.
Is VAT registration the same as corporate tax registration?
No. They are separate registrations on EmaraTax with separate rules. Many businesses need both. See corporate tax registration.
When is my first VAT return due?
By the 28th day after your first tax period ends. Most businesses file quarterly, unless the FTA assigns monthly periods. See VAT return filing.
Can I cancel my VAT registration?
You can apply to deregister within 20 business days after you stop making taxable supplies, or once your 12-month supplies fall below the voluntary threshold. A final return follows.
Related services
Get quotes for VAT registration
One free request reaches up to three licensed tax and accounting firms. No obligation.