VAT return due date UAE: a working guide

According to the government portal u.ae, VAT returns are usually due within 28 days of the end of the tax period. The standard tax period is a quarter for businesses with annual turnover below AED 150 million and a month for those at AED 150 million or above. The FTA can assign a different period to certain businesses.

Your periods are set when you register. Many quarterly filers have staggered quarters, for example February to April, so check the tax periods shown on your EmaraTax dashboard instead of assuming January to March.

• Due date = last day of the tax period + 28 days
• Quarterly: turnover below AED 150 million
• Monthly: turnover of AED 150 million or more
• Payment of any VAT due goes through EmaraTax by eDirham, card, eDebit or bank transfer

Count 28 days from the day after the period ends. For most month-ends this lands on the 28th of the following month.

• Quarter 1 July to 30 September 2026: due 28 October 2026
• Quarter 1 August to 31 October 2026: due 28 November 2026
• Quarter 1 November 2026 to 31 January 2027: due 28 February 2027
• Monthly period ending 30 November 2026: due 28 December 2026

Late filing and late payment attract administrative penalties under the federal penalties legislation for tax laws. The amounts change from time to time, so check the current schedule on the FTA website rather than relying on old figures. The better plan is never to be near the date.

A Dubai trading company with a quarter ending 31 October might work back like this. Bank statements for October are uploaded and reconciled by 7 November. Purchase bills and expense claims are closed by 10 November. The VAT 201 working is reviewed by 15 November, with questions to the owner the same day. The accountant files on EmaraTax by 20 November and the payment leaves the bank account two working days later.

Enter your tax periods once and HelloBooks shows the next due date on the dashboard. The AI agent drafts the VAT 201 working from the ledger, box by box, and lists anything that would change it: bills without a TRN, invoices with no VAT treatment, unreconciled bank lines in the period.

You or your accountant review the working, file it on EmaraTax and record the payment. Nothing is submitted by the agent. Accounting firms that want a reminder schedule across all their VAT clients can ask for it on a call booked through /book-a-demo.