Previous experienceBusinesses subject to Value Added Tax
Tax Agency registration No. 30001887 — registered to act and correspond on your behalf before the FTA.
Verify on the FTA registerOpens the FTA's official register filtered to this entry (20043873).
Set the business up right the first time
Structure, licensing, tax registrations and the accounting foundation for establishing in the UAE — assessed from a financial and compliance perspective before anything is filed, so the decisions you make at the start do not become expensive to unwind later.
- MainlandTrade directly across the UAE market; licensed by the emirate's economic department.
- Free zoneInternational clients or a sector ecosystem; activities and ownership follow the zone's rules.
- OffshoreHolding and international structures — compared against how you will actually operate, never assumed.
The structure you choose at the start shapes everything that follows
Jurisdiction, legal form, ownership structure and activity selection determine your tax position, your banking options and the compliance you carry from day one. These are choices that are easy to make quickly and expensive to reverse.
Situations we are often called in for
- You are entering the UAE market and are unsure which jurisdiction fits.
- You have been advised to set up somewhere and want an independent view first.
- You are restructuring an existing business or adding another entity.
- A previous setup no longer matches how the business actually operates.
- You want the accounting and tax side handled alongside formation, not after it.
Every one of these is cheaper to settle before a licence is issued than after.
An independent view, before anything is filed
- We compare mainland, free zone and offshore options against how you actually intend to operate.
- We select activities that match the business today and do not constrain it later.
- We coordinate the formation, and the registrations that follow it, with the relevant authorities and service providers.
- We register you for Corporate Tax and, where applicable, VAT — correctly, at the outset.
- We put the accounting, banking file and record-keeping foundation in place from day one.
For founders, international businesses, groups adding entities and investors who want the implications assessed before committing. See what is included
In the order the process actually runs
Indicative timing — the authority and the activity decide the real calendar.
Mainland or free zone?
There is no universally better answer. The table sets out the questions we work through with you; the answer depends on where your customers are, what you do, who owns the business and your tax position.
| Consideration | Mainland | Free zone | How we assess it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who it suitsThe operating model each is designed for | Businesses that trade directly with customers across the UAE market, tender for government or mainland contracts, or need a physical presence in more than one emirate. | Businesses serving international clients, operating within a zone's ecosystem, or holding assets and intellectual property — often in a zone dedicated to their sector. | We start from where your customers are and how you will reach them, then rule options in or out before any comparison of costs. |
| Ownership & activitiesWho may own it and what it may do | Licensed by the economic department of the emirate. Activities are selected from that department's list and determine the licence type. | Licensed by the free-zone authority. Activities are limited to those the zone permits, and ownership follows the zone's rules. | We map your intended activities to the permitted lists and confirm the ownership rules that currently apply — with the authority, not from memory. |
| Office requirementsPremises, lease and address | A physical office or approved workspace in the emirate is generally required, and the lease forms part of the licence file. | Options range from a shared desk to a dedicated office, set by the zone; the choice can affect the number of visas available. | We confirm the current premises requirement for your shortlist and factor the lease into the setup budget before you sign anything. |
| Tax considerationsCorporate Tax, VAT and records | Corporate Tax registration applies. VAT registration depends on your taxable supplies. Records must be kept from the first transaction. | Corporate Tax registration applies here too. The free-zone tax treatment depends on meeting specific conditions and is assessed, never assumed. | As an FTA-registered tax agency we assess your position under current FTA requirements and register you correctly at the outset. |
| Fees and processing times are set by each authority and change; none are stated here. We confirm them with the relevant authority for your shortlist and put them in the written scope. | |||
Everything a compliant start actually requires
Six deliverables that take you from a structuring decision to a business that is licensed, registered, banked and keeping books.
Structure & licence advice
IncludedMainland, free zone or offshore, legal form and activity selection — compared against how you will actually operate, with the tax and banking consequences of each set out before you choose.
Authority applications & documents
IncludedWe prepare the application file, coordinate with the licensing authority and formation agents, and follow it through so that nothing stalls on a missing or inconsistent document.
Corporate bank-account file preparation
IncludedBanks expect a coherent picture: ownership, activity, expected flows and supporting documents. We prepare that file so the application is complete the first time — the opening decision itself rests with the bank.
VAT and Corporate Tax registrations
IncludedCorporate Tax registration and, where applicable, VAT registration, handled correctly at the outset by an FTA-registered tax agency — with the registration window that applies to your licence confirmed for you.
Accounting setup from day one
IncludedChart of accounts, an accounting system such as Zoho, Xero or QuickBooks, tax codes and record-keeping — established before the first invoice, not reconstructed after the first year.
Ongoing compliance calendar
IncludedLicence renewal, tax periods, filing dates and record-keeping obligations in one calendar we maintain with you, so that no deadline depends on memory.
You receive the registrations, the calendar and the opening books — in writing.
Six things start almost every setup
You do not need everything on day one. We send you a structured request and work from what you have.
- Passport copies of every shareholder and managerPlus Emirates ID and visa page where applicable
- Proposed activities in plain wordsWhat you will sell, to whom and from where — we map them to the licence lists
- Shareholders & managers and how ownership will be splitIncluding the documents of any corporate shareholder
- Office or lease intentionsPhysical office, shared desk or none yet — the choice affects which options remain open
- Initial capital planHow the business will be funded in its first months, for the banking file
- Existing licences, if anyFor a restructure, an added entity or the correction of an earlier setup
From idea to first invoice
Five steps, in order. Each ends with something you can see and approve, and no fees are committed until the scope is in writing.
Read before you choose a structure
Two factual summaries from the Knowledge Hub, each linked to its official source.
Corporate Tax registration — who must register and when the obligation begins
Every business in scope registers with the FTA, and the registration window is set by the licence. A summary of the obligation without rules of thumb.
VAT registration — mandatory, voluntary and what counts toward the threshold
How taxable supplies are counted, the difference between mandatory and voluntary registration, and the records a new business must keep from its first sale.
Questions founders ask first
No. Licences are issued by the relevant licensing authority. Our role is advisory and coordinating: we help you choose the right structure, prepare what is required and work with the authorities and formation agents so the process runs properly — with the financial consequences understood before you commit.
It depends on where your customers are, what activity you carry out, your ownership and your tax position. There is no universally better answer, and we would be cautious of anyone who offers one before asking about your business. The comparison above is where that conversation starts.
Yes. A meaningful part of this work is corrective: businesses that were set up quickly and later find the structure, activities or registrations do not match what they actually do. We review the current position, set out the options and coordinate the changes with the relevant authority.
Registration obligations depend on your specific circumstances and on current Federal Tax Authority requirements. The Corporate Tax registration window is set by your licence; VAT depends on your taxable supplies. We assess your position, confirm the dates that apply to you and register you — rather than applying a rule of thumb.
Structure first, then licence, bank and books — in the order the UAE process actually runs.
Tell us what you are planning
Whether you are entering the UAE, adding an entity or correcting an earlier setup, the first step is the same: a short consultation, a clear scope and a written quote before any work begins.
1234Discuss my UAE setup
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Setup is only the beginning
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