Trusted VAT Advisory to Keep Your Business Compliant and Cost-Efficient
Value Added Tax in the UAE is governed by Federal Decree-Law No. 8 of 2017, and applies to most goods and services at the standard 5% rate. Businesses that cross AED 375,000 in taxable turnover must register with the Federal Tax Authority (FTA); those between AED 187,500 and AED 375,000 can register voluntarily, which can make sense if there’s meaningful input VAT to recover.
VAT consultancy is about more than getting registered — it’s making sure your business classifies supplies correctly, recovers every eligible input VAT credit, keeps records the way the FTA expects, and files accurately and on time. Getting any of these wrong doesn’t just cost money in penalties; it can also mean overpaying VAT you were never obligated to pay in the first place.
Understanding the path to VAT compliance
VAT registration is a formal process with the FTA, and generally follows these steps:
- Determine whether your turnover meets the mandatory or voluntary registration threshold.
- Prepare and submit the registration application, along with supporting documentation (trade licence, financial records, and Emirates ID/passport details for the authorized signatory).
- Receive a Tax Registration Number (TRN) from the FTA once approved.
- Begin charging VAT on taxable supplies and maintain proper records of all VAT-related transactions.
- File VAT returns with the FTA on the assigned schedule and settle any VAT due.
Missing a registration deadline, or registering late, carries its own FTA penalty — it’s generally worth confirming your position early rather than waiting until turnover has clearly passed the threshold.
For registration, filing, or return preparation specifically, our specialist teams handle each directly:
- Registering for VAT for the first time → VAT Registration Services
- Submitting your VAT return on schedule → VAT Filing Services
- Preparing or reconciling a VAT return → VAT Return Services
- Excise Tax registration and compliance (tobacco, energy drinks, and similar goods) → Excise Tax Consultancy Services
- Free Zone-specific tax filing → Freezone Tax Filing Services
Need help with a different type of tax entirely? Visit our Tax Consultancy Services hub for VAT, Excise Tax, and Tax Residency Certificate matters, or Corporate Tax Consultancy for corporate tax specifically.
Why choose Gateway Accounting for VAT consultancy
- Experienced team — advisors with hands-on experience across FTA registration, filing, and audit processes, not just theoretical VAT knowledge.
- Personalized approach — VAT positions built around your actual supply chain and business activity, not a generic checklist.
- Up to date with regulations — VAT rules and FTA guidance have been refined repeatedly since 2018; our advice reflects the current framework, not the version from when VAT first launched.
- Transparent, competitive pricing — clear scope and fees agreed upfront, with no surprise add-ons partway through an engagement.
Whether the goal is tightening up VAT reporting accuracy, reducing what your business legitimately owes, or simply confirming you’re meeting the FTA’s current requirements, this is the kind of ongoing support VAT consultancy is meant to provide — reviewed and adjusted as both your business and the regulations around it change.