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Accounting, since corporate taxDubaiJune 2026

Your books are now your tax position.

Since UAE corporate tax arrived, bookkeeping stopped being just admin. Your records are now the evidence behind every filing, every VAT return, every bank review. Keep them clean from January, rather than trying to reconstruct them at year-end when there is no time left to fix whatever does not reconcile.

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What clean books actually take

Four habits, held every month. Hold them and the filing becomes a sign-off.

Capture

Every invoice, receipt, and bank entry recorded as it happens, never chased a year later.

Classify

The correct VAT and corporate tax treatment on every line, by someone who knows the consequence.

Reconcile

Matched to the bank statement, nothing unexplained, each month closed before the next begins.

Filing-ready

Records that hold up at the FTA, the bank, and an audit, kept to IFRS on Zoho Books.

IFRS standard, five-year FTA record retention, audit-ready at any point.

An FTA audit checks the source records, line by line.

An auditor works from the source records, not the year-end summary. The records that have to exist are more granular than most UAE businesses keep on their own, and they have to be held for five years.

Correct VAT on each lineTax invoices issued and received
Supporting the classificationsContracts and agreements
Every entry reconciledBank statements
Where goods cross bordersImport and export records
For every revenue and expense entryLedgers and documentation
Held for five yearsFTA record retention

Monthly maintenance is the only practical way to hold this standard for five years without a reconstruction. If you are not yet registered, our UAE VAT registration guide explains when the obligation begins.

E-invoicing is coming, and the system has to be ready before it does.

The UAE e-invoicing mandate is phasing in on a Peppol-based model, with a pilot through 2026 and a wider go-live around 2027. Invoices will have to be captured and exchanged in a structured format, so your accounting setup has to be built for it ahead of the deadline. Getting it right early is part of staying clean. We cover the timeline in our UAE e-invoicing update.

Monthly control. Quarterly review. Annual close.

Maintained books turn your year-end into a single sign-off. The work runs on a rhythm, so nothing piles up.

1
Monthly control
Transaction recording and classification, bank reconciliation, AP and AR ledger maintenance, VAT input and output tracking, and management accounts covering P&L and balance sheet. On Zoho Books, with client read access.
2
Quarterly review
VAT returns filed through EmaraTax, accounts reviewed against the prior quarter, payroll reconciled where it applies. The quarterly check catches errors that compound over a year.
3
Annual close
Year-end accounts to IFRS, audit coordination with FTA-registered auditors, corporate tax computation support, and bank-ready financial statements. Because the books stayed current all year, the close is a sign-off.
4
Ongoing
Audit-ready at any point, bank-ready for an account-health review, and a complete, accessible ledger on Zoho Books throughout.
Accounts review and bookkeeping preparation

The assumption that turns bookkeeping into a crisis.

What UAE founders commonly believe

Sorting out the books at year-end is easier than paying for monthly bookkeeping all year.

The advisor's note: A business that waits until year-end to sort out twelve months of transactions does not really have books. It has a reconstruction project, and a reconstruction is not bookkeeping. It is an investigation: every transaction traced back against bank statements and whatever paperwork still exists, contradictions resolved, records produced that hold up under FTA scrutiny, all under the same deadline as your corporate tax return and any audit-required renewals. The fee comes out higher than twelve months of monthly work, the records are less reliable, and it all lands exactly when your year-end numbers need to mean something to a bank, a return, or an investor. Monthly maintenance is not overhead. It is risk management for the price of a few hours of data entry, handed over.

Two or three years behind? A catch-up engagement is a defined project, not open-ended recovery: we rebuild the missing periods from your bank statements, invoices, and contracts, bring the books current, and move you onto monthly maintenance.

A senior accountant on your books, not a queue.

Bookkeeping is where the cheap version costs you the most. A junior keying in transactions without understanding the tax treatment gives you a ledger that looks complete and then fails at the filing. We run it differently.

You deal with the principal

One senior advisor owns your account, from the first scope to the year-end sign-off. The person who knows your business is the one classifying the entries, so the judgement calls are made by someone who understands the consequence, not passed down a queue.

Classified for the filing, not just recorded

We treat each line for VAT and corporate tax as it goes in, so the return becomes a sign-off. When the FTA or a bank asks a question, the answer is already sitting in the ledger.

We tell you what we see

If your records show a problem coming, a threshold you are about to cross, a treatment that will not hold, an audit your licence is going to need, you hear about it early. We do not quietly file past a risk and leave you to find it later.

Three levels of engagement, scaled to your volume.

The right level comes down to how much moves through your accounts, and how much of the tax and audit work you want us to carry. We confirm which one fits after we have seen a sample month.

Essentials

For service and consulting companies with a steady, low transaction count that need clean, compliant records without the overhead.

  • Monthly transaction recording and classification
  • Bank reconciliation on Zoho Books
  • VAT input and output tracking
  • Quarterly management accounts, client read access
  • Five-year FTA-ready record retention

For a steady, low monthly transaction count.

Most common

Standard

For trading and operating businesses with suppliers, payroll, and the VAT filings that come with real movement through the accounts.

  • Everything in Essentials, at higher volume
  • AP and AR ledger maintenance
  • Quarterly VAT return preparation and filing via EmaraTax
  • Monthly P&L and balance sheet, reviewed
  • Payroll reconciliation where applicable

For growing volume, suppliers, and payroll.

Full

For companies that want the books, the returns, and the year-end carried under one roof, audit-ready and bank-ready year-round.

  • Everything in Standard
  • Year-end accounts prepared to IFRS
  • Audit coordination with FTA-registered auditors
  • Corporate tax computation support
  • Bank-ready financial statements on request

For full scope under one roof.

Scoped, never published. The fee follows your actual transaction volume and complexity, never a flat per-company rate. We review a sample month, agree the scope in writing, and the number holds. See how we price, or tell us your volume and we will place you on the right level.

Your books, live in Wafeq.

Begin your bookkeeping with DM Consultancy and your numbers live in Wafeq, FTA-ready accounting software, from day one, so you see your position in real time rather than waiting for a report. Current partner benefits may be available, subject to partner terms.

  • VAT and Corporate Tax ready, with e-invoicing built in
  • Unlimited users and real-time financial reporting
  • Payroll, inventory, and multi-currency, all included
Book a call to get started
Premium plan
Current partner benefits may be available
Subject to current partner terms.

When monthly bookkeeping earns its place, and when it does not.

We would rather scope you correctly than over-sell. Some companies need managed monthly books. A few do not yet.

You need it if

  • You are VAT-registered, or trading near the AED 375,000 registration threshold
  • Your licence is in a zone that requires audited accounts, such as DMCC, DIFC, or ADGM
  • You intend to claim the QFZP 0% rate and must hold audited financials to qualify
  • A bank reviews your account health, or you expect to apply for finance
  • You are two or three years behind and the year-end is no longer a sign-off

Full monthly may not be needed yet if

  • You are a dormant holding entity with almost no transactions in the period
  • Your only obligation is record retention, with no VAT and minimal activity
  • You have an in-house finance function and want oversight, not the doing
Even here, an FTA obligation means records must exist. We offer a lightweight level that satisfies compliance without the overhead, and we tell you which side of the line you are on.

Bookkeeping sits at the centre of your UAE tax position.

VAT returns, corporate tax filings, and QFZP qualifying conditions all depend on what the books show, which is why most bookkeeping clients run them with us too.

Corporate Tax & VAT

For UAE entities with tax obligations: CT registration, VAT filing, QFZP qualifying conditions, FTA representation.

  • Corporate Tax registration and annual return filing
  • VAT registration, quarterly returns through EmaraTax
  • QFZP qualifying conditions assessed and maintained
  • FTA correspondence and audit representation
  • Coordination with bookkeeping records so filings hold

Scoped to your entity type and filing obligations.

See Corporate Tax & VAT

Why founders hand over the books and stay.

5.0 Verified Google reviews and LinkedIn recommendations, each name real and each source linked. Read on Google
Google review
Everything was perfect, very fast, easy and super professional. You helped me and my family get our Golden Visas without any stress.
VVladimir VlasovGolden Visa client
Google review
From the initial assessment to final implementation, the team demonstrated strong expertise, structured methodology, and clear communication.
GGraphic IndustryBusiness setup client
Google review
They delivered what they promised without any hidden agenda and informed me of better and less costly ways to achieve what I need.
DD JamilResidency and corporate client
Google review
Thanks to Manish Kumar, we were finally able to speed up the process of getting our visa after months of struggling with other agents.
SSali AbdolahVisa client
Google review
He was super quick to reply, very efficient and honestly the best I have worked with. He made the whole process so much easier.
AAbdolah KeriaVisa client
LinkedIn recommendation
Manish demonstrated deep expertise, professionalism, and a thorough understanding of the incorporation process. Proactive, responsive, and efficient.
RRajesh SuguruGlobal CEO, Digital Disruption Technologies
Google review
They've assisted me and my family obtain golden residency in the UAE. All timelines were clearly defined and all processes transparent.
NNicole FlandorpGolden Visa client
LinkedIn recommendation
Communication was clear from the start, everything managed end to end with full transparency on costs.
WWaqqas SheikhPrincipal Engineer
LinkedIn recommendation
Manish was instrumental in setting up our company in Dubai. Always responsive, readily available to answer our questions.
OOmer LiaquatProject Manager
LinkedIn recommendation
A trusted advisor, a skilled navigator of complex regulatory landscapes, with unshakeable integrity.
RRrahul AroraaGM, Facilities Management
LinkedIn recommendation
Great and professional support from Manish. I recommend working with him on any project.
FFahd BaidrisDataRobot

Bookkeeping in the UAE, answered plainly.

Reviewed by Manish Kumar Pandey, Founder & Managing Director, DM Consultancy · Last reviewed June 2026

Is bookkeeping legally required for a UAE company?

Financial records have to be kept for every UAE entity under the Commercial Transactions Law and the UAE Corporate Tax Law, which requires records good enough to support the tax return. Free zone companies in DMCC, DIFC, and ADGM need annual audited accounts for licence renewal. UAE VAT law requires records held for five years. And for banking submissions, corporate tax filing, and investor reporting, professionally maintained books are essential.

I have been running my UAE company for two years without keeping proper books. What do I do?

A catch-up engagement rebuilds the transaction records for the missing periods from your bank statements, invoices, receipts, and contracts. Once that is done, we bring the books current and move you onto ongoing monthly maintenance.

What accounting standard does the UAE use?

The FTA accepts financial statements prepared under IFRS, International Financial Reporting Standards, or IFRS for SMEs. UAE banks universally recognise IFRS-compliant accounts, and we prepare all accounts to IFRS.

Do I need audited accounts to file UAE corporate tax?

Not always, but increasingly in practice. QFZP free zone entities have to hold audited accounts as a condition of the 0% rate. DMCC, DIFC, and ADGM require annual audits for licence renewal. And banks financing UAE businesses usually ask for audited financials.

How is bookkeeping priced for a UAE company?

Bookkeeping is scoped to your monthly transaction volume and the complexity of your activity, never a published per-company rate. A low-volume service business and a trading business with hundreds of supplier invoices are completely different engagements. We review a sample period, agree the scope in writing, and the fee holds. Working out the figure takes a short conversation rather than a form.

What records does the FTA require UAE businesses to keep?

The FTA requires records good enough to verify your VAT and corporate tax positions, for a minimum of five years. That includes tax invoices issued and received, contracts and agreements, import and export records, bank statements, accounting ledgers, and supporting documentation for every revenue and expense entry.

A note on specialist services. Accounting, bookkeeping, VAT and corporate tax, and legal or liquidation work are delivered with our trusted, independently licensed partners. This page is general information, not tax or legal advice; confirm your position with an independent tax advisor before acting.

A senior read, no pitch

Not sure what your company has to file?

Answer a few questions and a senior advisor maps out the accounting and compliance your structure actually needs. No obligation.

Bookkeeping and accounting are delivered on Wafeq, FTA-ready accounting software, scoped and coordinated by DM Consultancy.

Financial statements prepared for review
Begin here

Books behind, or starting fresh? Tell us where yours stand.

Tell us your transaction volume and your year-end date. We will tell you what monthly maintenance involves, what a catch-up would cost, and whether you need an audit for your licence or your QFZP status. If we are the right fit, we carry on. If not, you leave with a clear view of where your records stand.

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