VAT registration & filing, handled end to end

Once your taxable turnover passes the mandatory threshold, VAT registration stops being optional. We register you with the Federal Tax Authority, set up compliant invoicing, and file your returns on schedule — so input credits are claimed, deadlines are met, and penalties never appear. Voluntary registration below the threshold can also make sense when your clients are VAT-registered businesses; we will tell you honestly which side of that line you sit on.

Corporate tax without the scramble

Every UAE company now lives inside the corporate tax regime — registration, adequate books, and an annual return filed within nine months of year end. Free zone companies carry extra conditions to keep qualifying income at 0%. Our monthly closing keeps you audit-ready year-round, so the filing season is an administrative step, not a crisis. New to the regime? Start with our plain-English UAE corporate tax guide.

Bookkeeping that stands up to scrutiny

Banks, auditors, free zone authorities and the FTA all ask the same thing: show us the records. We maintain your ledgers to IFRS standards, reconcile monthly against your bank, run payroll through WPS, and hand you management accounts you can actually read — revenue, margin, runway. Businesses across Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah run on our stack, from single-founder consultancies to trading companies with inventory.

Who this is for

Mainland and free zone entities, holding companies, freelancers on permits, and companies that have fallen behind and need their books rebuilt before an audit or a bank review. If your accounting is a shoebox of invoices, that is a normal starting point — bring the shoebox.

Corporate bank account opening

The account is where new UAE companies stall — strict KYC, risk-appetite mismatches, silent rejections. We prepare your file the way compliance teams want to read it, match your profile to banks that actually approve your activity, and manage the process to a working IBAN. Traditional or digital-first, mainland or free zone. The full playbook is in our UAE business banking guide.

PRO services & government liaison

Every stamp, renewal and attestation the UAE asks of a company — establishment cards, licence renewals, immigration files, labour quotas, document clearing across Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah authorities — handled by our in-house PRO team, with receipts shared and no "typing office" markups. You see exactly what government charged and what we did.

Residency & Golden Visas

Investor visas through your own company, employee visas against your quota, family sponsorship, and 10-year Golden Visas for those who qualify by investment, property or talent. We run the full pipeline — entry permit, medical, Emirates ID, stamping — and diarise every renewal so nothing lapses.

Trademarks, IP & the deals in between

Register your trademark before someone else does; protect the name you are building. Alongside IP, our corporate desk covers valuations, restructuring, M&A support and clean liquidations — the unglamorous paperwork that decides whether a deal closes smoothly or unravels.

Opening a company in the UAE is more straightforward than most founders expect — the difficulty is in the decisions, not the paperwork. Get the activity, jurisdiction and structure right at the start and the rest is administration. Here is the path we walk every client through.

1. Define your business activity

Everything flows from your activity — the specific commercial actions your company is licensed to perform (trading, consultancy, software, e-commerce, restaurant, and so on). The UAE licenses hundreds of activities, and your choice decides which authorities you can register with, whether you need external approvals, and how many visas you can hold.

2. Choose free zone, mainland or offshore

This is the biggest decision:

• Free zone — 100% foreign ownership, fast setup, and (for qualifying income) 0% corporate tax. Best for services, holding, trading outside the UAE and e-commerce.
• Mainland — licensed by the emirate’s Department of Economy. Lets you trade directly in the local UAE market and take government contracts.
• Offshore — for holding assets, international trade and privacy; not for operating inside the UAE or obtaining residence visas.

3. Pick your legal structure and name

Most new companies register as an LLC (mainland) or an FZ-LLC / FZE / FZCO (free zone). You’ll then reserve a trade name that follows the UAE naming rules — no offensive or religious terms, and initials only if they match a real person’s full name.

4. Submit documents and apply for the licence

Typical documents are passport copies of the shareholders, a passport photo, and sometimes a business plan or proof of address. The authority issues an initial approval, you sign the incorporation documents (often remotely), and the trade licence is issued. Many free-zone licences are issued within a few working days once KYC clears.

5. Apply for visas

Your licence comes with a visa quota. Each investor or employee visa runs through entry permit, medical test, Emirates ID and visa stamping. This is also what lets you sponsor family members.

6. Open a corporate bank account

The final step — and the one that trips people up. UAE banks run strict KYC and want to understand your activity, source of funds and expected flows. A clean, well-documented file makes the difference between an account in two weeks and one in two months.

How long does it take?

With clean documents, a typical free zone incorporation runs on this clock:

• Day 1–2: activity selection, name reservation and initial approval
• Day 3–7: KYC clearance, signing, and trade licence issued
• Week 2–3: establishment card, entry permit, medical, Emirates ID
• Week 3–8: corporate bank account, depending on your profile and bank

Mainland timelines are similar for simple activities; anything needing external approvals (healthcare, education, food, financial services) adds time.

The documents you will actually need

• Colour passport copies for every shareholder and director
• Passport-size photo on a white background
• UAE entry stamp or visa page copy, where applicable
• Proof of residential address, if the authority or bank requests it
• A short business plan or activity description for regulated activities and for the bank account

Dubai, Abu Dhabi or Sharjah?

The UAE is seven emirates, and where you register changes cost and positioning. Dubai offers the deepest market and the most free zones. Abu Dhabi is home to ADGM, a common-law financial centre, and offers strong incentives for industrial and tech businesses. Sharjah — including SPC Free Zone and SHAMS — is often the most cost-effective entry point for publishers, media and e-commerce. The right emirate follows your customers and your budget, not habit.

Five mistakes founders make

• Choosing an activity that does not match what they actually invoice for
• Buying the cheapest licence, then discovering it cannot get a bank account approved
• Ignoring visa quotas until a key hire is waiting
• Missing the corporate tax registration deadline after incorporation
• Signing an office lease before the licence type is settled

Frequently asked questions

Can I open a company in the UAE without visiting?

In many free zones, yes — incorporation and even some banking steps can be completed remotely. Your residence visa, if you want one, requires you to enter the UAE for biometrics and the medical test.

Do I need a local sponsor?

No. Free zones have always allowed 100% foreign ownership, and most mainland activities now do as well. See our full free zone vs mainland comparison.

What is the minimum share capital?

Most free zones require no paid-up capital to be deposited for standard activities; the amount stated on the licence is declarative. Regulated activities are the exception.

Government rules, fees and thresholds in the UAE change. Treat this as a practical overview, not legal or tax advice — confirm the current position for your activity with Corpora or the relevant authority before you act.

“Free zone or mainland?” is the first real question every founder faces in the UAE. Both give you a legitimate, fully-owned company — they differ in where you can trade and what it costs.

Ownership

Both now allow 100% foreign ownership for the vast majority of activities. The old mandatory local-sponsor rule for mainland companies was removed for most sectors, so ownership is rarely the deciding factor anymore.

Market access — the real difference

• Mainland can trade directly with the UAE domestic market and bid for government contracts.
• Free zone companies operate within their zone and internationally; to sell into the UAE mainland they typically work through a distributor or open a mainland branch.

Corporate tax

Both are inside the UAE corporate tax regime, but a Qualifying Free Zone Person can access a 0% rate on qualifying income if it meets the conditions (adequate substance, qualifying activities, transfer-pricing rules). Mainland profit above the threshold is taxed at the standard rate.

Cost and setup speed

Free zones are usually faster and offer packaged pricing (licence + visas + flexi-desk). Mainland cost varies with activity and office requirements. For many first-time founders a free zone is the cheaper, quicker entry point.

A simple rule

• Selling to UAE consumers, retail, or chasing government work → mainland.
• Services, consulting, holding, e-commerce or international trade → free zone.

The honest answer depends on your customers and your numbers — which is exactly what a short consultation settles.

Cost in practice

Free zone packages bundle licence, flexi-desk and visa quota into one predictable annual fee, which is why they suit first entities. Mainland adds the Department of Economy licence, external approvals where relevant, and usually a physical office with an Ejari tenancy. Over three years the gap narrows — renewals, visas and accounting are broadly comparable — so decide on market access, then check the real cost breakdown.

Visas and office requirements

Free zone visa quotas scale with the workspace you rent: a flexi-desk typically supports a small quota, a private office more. Mainland quotas are tied to office size approved by the ministry. Either way, every visa follows the same government pipeline described in our step-by-step setup guide.

Popular zones by industry

• Trading & commodities: DMCC (Dubai), JAFZA next to Jebel Ali port
• Finance & funds: DIFC (Dubai) and ADGM (Abu Dhabi) — common-law courts, top-tier credibility
• Tech & startups: Dubai Internet City, in5, Abu Dhabi's Hub71 ecosystem
• Media & creators: Dubai Media City, SHAMS (Sharjah)
• Cost-effective generalists: IFZA, SPC Free Zone (Sharjah), RAKEZ (Ras Al Khaimah)

Can you switch later?

Yes — companies migrate both directions. A free zone company that outgrows distributor arrangements can open a mainland branch or incorporate a sister LLC; a mainland company can add a free zone entity for international invoicing. Structure follows strategy, and restructuring is routine work — but starting right avoids paying twice.

Frequently asked questions

Can a free zone company sell in Dubai Mall?

Not directly. Onshore retail requires a mainland licence or a local commercial agent; many brands run a free zone HQ plus a mainland trading arm.

Is mainland more prestigious with banks?

Banks care more about substance, activity clarity and flows than jurisdiction. A well-documented free zone company opens accounts smoothly — see our banking guide.

Which is better for corporate tax?

A qualifying free zone company can keep 0% on qualifying income; mainland profit above the threshold is taxed at 9%. The detail matters — read the corporate tax guide.

Government rules, fees and thresholds in the UAE change. Treat this as a practical overview, not legal or tax advice — confirm the current position for your activity with Corpora or the relevant authority before you act.

“How much does it cost to set up in Dubai?” has no single answer — but it does have an honest breakdown. Here is where the money actually goes, so there are no surprises.

The trade licence

Your biggest one-off cost. Free-zone packages commonly start in the low thousands of dirhams for a service licence with no visa, rising with the number of visas and the zone’s prestige. Mainland licence cost depends on activity and any external approvals.

Visas

Each visa carries government fees for the entry permit, medical, Emirates ID and stamping, plus an establishment card for the company. Budget per visa, and remember visas renew every 1–3 years.

Office or desk

Free zones offer flexi-desk or virtual-office options that satisfy the licence at low cost. Mainland and larger visa quotas may require a physical office with a tenancy contract (Ejari).

Bank account and deposits

Opening the account is usually free, but many banks expect a minimum balance; falling below it triggers monthly charges. Factor this into working capital.

The recurring costs most people forget

• Annual licence renewal — roughly comparable to the first-year licence.
• Visa renewals every few years.
• Accounting, VAT filing and corporate-tax registration.
• Office/desk renewal.

Where Corpora is different

We separate our service fee from the government charges and share every receipt, so you can see exactly what is a real cost and what is our work. No inflated bundles, no hidden markup.

Three example budgets

Solo consultant (free zone, no visa): a service licence with flexi-desk at the entry tier, no visa costs, minimal accounting. The leanest legitimate presence in the UAE.

Founder with residence visa: licence + one investor visa + Emirates ID and medical + establishment card, plus a modest accounting retainer once trading starts.

Trading company, team of five: higher-tier licence with office, five visas, import/export code, VAT registration once past the threshold, and monthly bookkeeping. Budget for deposits and working capital the bank expects to see.

Dubai vs Abu Dhabi vs Sharjah

Like-for-like, Sharjah zones (SPC, SHAMS) and northern-emirate zones (RAKEZ, Fujairah) usually undercut Dubai entry pricing; Abu Dhabi sits between, with strong incentives for priority sectors; Dubai commands a premium for DMCC and DIFC addresses that pays back in credibility for client-facing businesses. The cheapest licence that cannot open a bank account is the most expensive licence you can buy.

How to keep costs down — legitimately

• Match the visa quota to the next 12 months, not the five-year dream
• Start on a flexi-desk; upgrade the office when hiring forces it
• Choose activities in one licence group to avoid multiple licences
• Pay government fees directly where possible — at Corpora that is the default, with every receipt shared
• Bundle accounting and renewals into a fixed annual plan instead of surprise invoices

Frequently asked questions

Are there really AED 5,750 licences?

Entry-tier zero-visa licences at that level exist in several zones. They are real, but add visas, a desk and banking support and the first-year total lands meaningfully higher — which is why we quote all-in from day one.

What is the single most underestimated cost?

Renewals. Year two arrives fast, and licence + visa + desk renewals repeat most of year one's government fees. Our setup guide covers the full cycle.

Does Corpora charge a markup on government fees?

No. Service fee and government charges are separated on every quote, and receipts are shared. That is the core of how we work.

Government rules, fees and thresholds in the UAE change. Treat this as a practical overview, not legal or tax advice — confirm the current position for your activity with Corpora or the relevant authority before you act.

The corporate bank account is the last step of setup and the one that causes the most frustration. UAE banks sit under strict compliance rules, so they scrutinise new companies carefully. Come prepared and it is smooth; improvise and it drags.

Why the KYC is strict

UAE banks must satisfy anti-money-laundering and “know your customer” obligations. They want to understand who owns the company, what it really does, where the money comes from and where it will flow.

What you’ll need

• Trade licence, incorporation documents and share certificate
• Passports and Emirates IDs of shareholders and signatories
• A clear description of your activity and expected transactions
• Proof of business — contracts, invoices, a website, or a business plan
• Sometimes personal bank statements showing source of funds

Common reasons applications stall

• Vague or mismatched business activity
• No demonstrable UAE substance or local presence
• High-risk activity or jurisdiction without extra documentation
• Incomplete KYC on beneficial owners

How to get approved faster

Match your activity to a bank that is comfortable with it, prepare a tidy document pack, and tell a clear, consistent story about your business. Choosing the right bank for your profile is half the battle — and where an introduction from an established firm helps.

Choosing the right bank

Traditional banks (Emirates NBD, FAB, Mashreq, ADCB) offer full facilities — cards, trade finance, multi-currency — with stricter onboarding and minimum balances. Digital-first providers (such as Wio or Mashreq NeoBiz) onboard new SMEs faster with lower balances and app-based banking. Many companies run both: a digital account to start trading within weeks, a traditional account as flows grow.

Realistic timelines

• Digital providers: often 1–3 weeks for straightforward profiles
• Traditional banks: 2–6 weeks, longer for high-risk activities or complex ownership
• Non-resident shareholders without UAE visas: expect extra scrutiny and documentation

A UAE residence visa for at least one signatory — usually the founder, via the investor visa — materially improves both speed and options.

If you get rejected

A rejection is rarely final and usually diagnostic: the activity looked unclear, the flows didn't match the story, or a document was missing. Fix the file — tighten the activity description, evidence the contracts, resolve the KYC gap — and apply to a bank whose risk appetite fits your profile. Matching profile to bank up front is precisely the work we do; it is far cheaper than burning applications.

Frequently asked questions

Can I open an account before the licence?

No — the trade licence and incorporation documents are the foundation of the application. Licence first, always; see the full setup sequence.

Do free zone companies struggle with banks?

Not inherently. Banks bank thousands of free zone companies. What they reject is vagueness — regardless of jurisdiction.

What minimum balance should I expect?

Digital SME accounts start near zero; traditional business accounts commonly expect an average balance, with fees if you dip below. Factor it into your setup budget.

Government rules, fees and thresholds in the UAE change. Treat this as a practical overview, not legal or tax advice — confirm the current position for your activity with Corpora or the relevant authority before you act.

The UAE introduced a federal corporate tax on business profits, effective for financial years starting on or after 1 June 2023. It is low by global standards, but every company needs to register and understand where it stands.

Who has to pay

Corporate tax applies to UAE companies and to individuals carrying on business under a licence. Even if your profit falls below the taxable threshold, you generally still need to register and file.

The rates

• 0% on taxable profit up to the threshold (AED 375,000).
• 9% on taxable profit above it.
• Large multinationals may fall under separate global minimum-tax rules.

Free zone companies

A Qualifying Free Zone Person can keep a 0% rate on qualifying income if it meets the conditions — real substance in the zone, qualifying activities, and compliance with transfer-pricing and documentation rules. Non-qualifying income is taxed at the standard rate.

Small business relief

Smaller companies under a revenue threshold may elect for small business relief, which can simplify obligations for eligible periods. Whether it benefits you depends on your numbers.

Registration and deadlines

Registration is done through the Federal Tax Authority, and the deadline depends on your licence issue date — missing it can mean penalties. Returns are filed annually. This is exactly the kind of date worth handing to your accountant.

Registering, step by step

• Create your EmaraTax account with the Federal Tax Authority
• Submit the corporate tax registration with licence and shareholder details
• Receive your Tax Registration Number (TRN)
• Diarise your first tax period and the nine-month filing deadline that follows it

Registration is required even when your expected liability is zero — the penalty regime treats late registration as its own offence.

The records you must keep

Proper books are now a legal requirement, not good practice: ledgers, invoices, contracts and bank statements supporting your return, retained for the statutory period. If your revenue passes the audit thresholds set by your free zone or the law, audited financials follow. This is where monthly accounting stops being a cost and becomes insurance.

Corporate tax vs VAT — don't confuse them

VAT is a 5% transaction tax you collect for the government once turnover passes the mandatory threshold. Corporate tax is a profit tax you pay on your own results. Different registrations, different returns, different deadlines — a company can owe one, both, or neither.

Free zone substance, in plain terms

Keeping the 0% qualifying rate is conditional: real activity in the zone (people, premises, spend appropriate to your income), income from qualifying activities, audited accounts, and staying inside the de-minimis limit for non-qualifying revenue. Fail the conditions and the standard rate applies across the board — which is why structure and bookkeeping decisions belong together; see free zone vs mainland.

Frequently asked questions

My company made a loss. Do I still file?

Yes — registration and filing obligations apply regardless of profit, and carried-forward losses can offset future taxable income if properly documented.

Are salaries deductible?

Legitimate business expenses, including arm's-length salaries, are generally deductible in computing taxable profit, subject to the law's limits on certain payments.

When is the deadline?

Returns are due within nine months of your financial year end; registration deadlines were phased by licence issue date. Confirm your specific dates — this is the one item not to guess.

Government rules, fees and thresholds in the UAE change. Treat this as a practical overview, not legal or tax advice — confirm the current position for your activity with Corpora or the relevant authority before you act.