Yes. Under UAE Federal Decree-Law No. 32 of 2021 on Commercial Companies and Federal Decree-Law No. 47 of 2022 on Corporate Tax, all registered commercial entities — both mainland and free zone — are required to maintain audited books of accounts and financial records prepared in accordance with IFRS standards for a minimum statutory period of 5 years (and 7 years for real estate records). Non-compliance carries administrative fines from AED 10,000 to AED 50,000.
UAE Corporate Tax is levied at a standard statutory rate of 9% on annual taxable net profits exceeding AED 375,000. Taxable profits up to AED 375,000 are subject to a 0% rate to support startups and SMEs. Qualifying Free Zone Persons (QFZP) that satisfy substance, qualifying activities under Cabinet Decision No. 55 of 2023, and de minimis tests can also benefit from 0% on qualifying income.
Taxable persons must file their annual Corporate Tax declaration and settle any tax liability via the EmaraTax portal within 9 months from the end of their relevant fiscal tax year (e.g., for a tax year ending December 31, 2024, the statutory deadline is September 30, 2025). Missing deadlines triggers an automatic AED 500 monthly delay fine.
VAT registration is mandatory when a business's taxable supplies and imports exceed AED 375,000 over the prior 12 months or are expected to exceed this threshold in the next 30 days. Voluntary registration is available once taxable supplies or taxable expenses exceed AED 187,500, enabling early-stage businesses to recover input VAT incurred on initial capital expenditures and rent.
GoAML is the United Nations-developed reporting platform deployed by the UAE Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) to combat illicit financial flows. Registration is mandatory for all financial institutions and Designated Non-Financial Businesses and Professions (DNFBPs), including real estate developers and brokers, gold and precious metal dealers, corporate service providers, trusts, and independent auditors. Failure to register results in Ministry of Economy fines up to AED 5,000,000.
An Outsourced Money Laundering Reporting Officer (MLRO) oversees institutional AML/CFT policy maintenance, performs Customer Due Diligence (CDD) and Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD) reviews, screens counterparties against UAE Executive Office and UN sanctions lists, files Suspicious Transaction Reports (STRs) on GoAML, and conducts annual staff compliance training.
Outsourcing to AK Global eliminates internal overhead (visas, gratuity, workstation costs) while providing a multi-disciplinary team of certified accountants, FTA registered tax consultants, and software specialists. You benefit from ISO 9001-governed quality control, perpetual audit readiness, and zero disruption from staff turnover.
All mainland LLCs, public joint-stock companies, entities operating in free zones (such as DMCC, ADGM, DIFC, JAFZA), companies applying for bank credit facilities, and taxable persons claiming Qualifying Free Zone Person (QFZP) status under UAE Corporate Tax Law must submit audited financial statements prepared according to IFRS.
Cabinet Resolution No. 57 of 2020 requires UAE entities carrying out "Relevant Activities" (Banking, Insurance, Fund Management, Lease-Finance, Headquarters Business, Shipping, Holding Company, Intellectual Property, and Distribution & Service Centers) to demonstrate adequate economic presence and file annual notifications and ESR reports with the Ministry of Finance.
ADNOC vendor onboarding requires rigorous technical, HSE, and audited financial filings on the SAP Ariba portal. In addition, an audited In-Country Value (ICV) score provides substantial competitive weight in tender awards. AK Global manages end-to-end ADNOC vendor registration and works with accredited certifying bodies to calculate, document, and certify your ICV score under MoIAT guidelines.
A CICPA (Critical Infrastructure and Coastal Protection Authority) pass is a mandatory security permit required for commercial entities, vehicles, and personnel operating within protected industrial, maritime, and oilfield areas across Abu Dhabi. AK Global assists your enterprise with security sponsor agreements, company security file opening, personnel vetting submissions, and expedited pass issuance.
We operate under ISO 9001:2015 certified quality systems. Every client engagement is governed by an executed Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA). All accounting records, bank reconciliations, and tax files are housed within encrypted, access-restricted institutional cloud servers with multi-factor authentication.
