When is the corporate tax return due?

Within nine months of the end of the tax period, with any tax payable due by the same date, according to the FTA.

Does every UAE company need an audit?

For corporate tax purposes, audited financial statements are required for taxable persons with revenue over AED 50 million and for qualifying free zone persons under Ministerial Decision No. 84 of 2025. Licensing authorities may have their own audit requirements.

How long must I keep records?

Seven years after the end of the tax period, under Article 56 of the Corporate Tax Law.

Can I still change last year’s accounts after filing?

Errors discovered later are corrected under the accounting standards and, where the tax return is affected, through the FTA’s amendment procedures. Lock the year once it is finalised to avoid accidental changes.

Blog · Payroll, expenses and banking

Year end closing checklist for UAE companies: from stock count to tax return

Year end in the UAE is now more than a final month-end close. Corporate tax returns depend on the year’s accounts, some companies need audited financial statements for tax, records must be kept for seven years, and e-invoicing preparation is under way. A year end done well also makes the audit and the tax return quicker and cheaper. This post gives a checklist for a company with a 31 December year end, adaptable to other dates, with official references for each deadline.

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Before the year end

The best year ends are planned in November. Book the stock count, tell the auditor your timetable, and clear old reconciling items while people still remember them.

Schedule a physical stock count for the last day of the year or as close as possible
Agree the audit timetable and the documents the auditor wants
Clear unexplained items in bank reconciliations and suspense accounts
Chase customers and suppliers to agree balances

Closing the year

Start with a normal month-end close for December, then add the year-end-only steps.

Count inventory and compare with the system; write down obsolete or damaged stock
Verify fixed assets physically against the register; write off missing items
Recalculate the end-of-service gratuity provision employee by employee
Review receivables for provisions and write-offs; check VAT bad debt relief conditions
Reclassify the current portion of loans and leases
Confirm deferred revenue, customer advances and accruals with schedules
Revalue foreign currency balances at the year-end rate

Audit and corporate tax

Under Ministerial Decision No. 84 of 2025, which applies to tax periods starting on or after 1 January 2025, a taxable person (other than a tax group) with revenue exceeding AED 50 million, and any qualifying free zone person, must prepare audited financial statements for corporate tax purposes. Free zone and other licensing authorities may require audits of smaller companies under their own rules, so check your licence conditions.

The corporate tax return and any tax payable are due within nine months of the end of the tax period. The FTA gives the example that a year ending 31 December 2025 must be filed and paid on or before 30 September 2026. Small business relief, for resident businesses with revenue up to AED 3 million, has been extended to tax periods ending on or before 31 December 2029; it is an election made in the return, so decide early whether you will use it.

Worked example: a December year end timetable

A Dubai mainland company with AED 14 million of revenue and a 31 December 2026 year end plans: stock count 31 December; December close by 8 January; draft accounts by 15 February; external review or audit, if required by its licence or chosen voluntarily, in March; corporate tax computation in April; return filed and AED 81,000 of estimated tax paid well before the 30 September 2027 deadline.

At 9% on taxable income above AED 375,000, the AED 81,000 estimate implies taxable income of about AED 1.275 million. Our view: file early. The deadline is generous, but the money and the computation are easier to manage while the year is fresh.

Records and e-invoicing readiness

Article 56 of the Corporate Tax Law requires records supporting the tax return to be kept for seven years after the end of the tax period. Archive the year’s ledger, reconciliations, schedules, contracts and supporting documents in a form you can retrieve quickly.

Year end is also a good moment to check e-invoicing readiness. Businesses with revenue below AED 50 million must appoint an accredited service provider from the Ministry of Finance list by 31 March 2027 and go live on 1 July 2027. Clean customer master data, with correct TRNs and legal names, is the part of that work your books can start on now.

How HelloBooks helps at year end

Because bank statements, bills and invoices are matched through the year, the year-end ledger in HelloBooks starts close to clean. The AI agent can list open items, prepare draft year-end journals for provisions and reclassifications, and produce the P&L, balance sheet and cash flow your auditor or accountant needs. It supports the 9% corporate tax computation from the same ledger for your tax agent to review.

It does not file the corporate tax return or VAT returns; you or your tax agent do that on EmaraTax. HelloBooks keeps complete invoice records with TRNs and line-level VAT, which you will need for e-invoicing, but it is not an accredited e-invoicing provider. Partner firms that want a custom year-end pack or report set for their clients can arrange it at /book-a-demo.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

When is the corporate tax return due?: Within nine months of the end of the tax period, with any tax payable due by the same date, according to the FTA.
Does every UAE company need an audit?: For corporate tax purposes, audited financial statements are required for taxable persons with revenue over AED 50 million and for qualifying free zone persons under Ministerial Decision No. 84 of 2025. Licensing authorities may have their own audit requirements.
How long must I keep records?: Seven years after the end of the tax period, under Article 56 of the Corporate Tax Law.
Can I still change last year’s accounts after filing?: Errors discovered later are corrected under the accounting standards and, where the tax return is affected, through the FTA’s amendment procedures. Lock the year once it is finalised to avoid accidental changes.