Sales and purchase records
Every customer invoice, supplier bill and credit note recorded with the correct VAT code and document attached.
Bookkeeping Services in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Across the UAE
Bookkeeping is recording every sale, purchase, payment and receipt in your accounting system with the supporting document, and reconciling it to the bank. In the UAE, books must support VAT returns and corporate tax, be kept for seven years and follow IFRS (or the cash basis below AED 3 million revenue). SGA World keeps books monthly for companies in Dubai and Abu Dhabi and catches up books that have fallen behind.
- Ministry of Economy and Tourism approved auditor
- 500+ clients
- Dubai & Abu Dhabi
Good bookkeeping is the difference between a VAT return you can defend and one built on guesses. Every sale, purchase, payment and receipt needs to be recorded with the right VAT treatment, matched to the bank and backed by a document the FTA can inspect for years afterwards.
SGA World keeps books for startups, SMEs, mainland and free zone companies in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and across the UAE. We record your transactions every month, reconcile your bank accounts and keep your records ready for your VAT return, your corporate tax return and your audit. If your books are behind, we catch them up first.
- How long records must be kept for corporate tax
- 7 years
- Revenue limit for cash-basis books
- AED 3M
- Deadline to issue a tax invoice or credit note
- 14 days
- Penalty for failing to keep records
- AED 10,000
At a glance
Bookkeeping in the UAE: Key Facts
- What it is: recording every transaction with its document and reconciling to the bank.
- Basis: accrual basis under IFRS; the cash basis is allowed only if revenue is up to AED 3 million.
- Keep records: 7 years for corporate tax; VAT records 5 years (15 for real estate).
- Invoices: tax invoices and credit notes issued within 14 days; simplified invoices allowed up to AED 10,000.
- Software: cloud systems such as Zoho Books make records easier to keep and ready for e-invoicing.
- Penalty: AED 10,000 for failing to keep records, AED 20,000 if repeated within 24 months.
The basics
What Is Bookkeeping, and How Is It Different From Accounting?
Bookkeeping is the day-to-day recording of financial transactions: sales invoices, supplier bills, expenses, payments, receipts and bank charges, each posted to the right account with the right VAT code and the source document attached.
Accounting builds on those records: month-end adjustments, accruals and depreciation, management reports, financial statements and tax computations. Without accurate bookkeeping, none of that work is reliable.
Many small UAE businesses need bookkeeping most of all: someone to keep the records current and clean every month. Growing companies usually add month-end close and management reporting, which we provide as part of accounting outsourcing.
Scope of work
What Do Our Bookkeeping Services Include?
Bank reconciliations
Each bank, card and payment-gateway account matched to the ledger every month, with differences cleared.
Expenses and petty cash
Staff expenses, petty cash and card spending recorded and supported by receipts.
Receivables and payables
Who owes you and whom you owe, with ageing reports so nothing is missed or paid twice.
General ledger and trial balance
A clean ledger and monthly trial balance, ready for reporting, VAT and the year-end audit.
VAT-ready records
Records arranged so the VAT return can be prepared and reconciled to the books each period.
Choose a frequency
Which Bookkeeping Frequency Suits Your Business?
How often your books are updated depends on volume and how quickly you need the numbers.
Monthly bookkeeping
- Best for
- Most SMEs, VAT registrants and companies with staff
- What you get
- Books closed each month, bank reconciled and a trial balance
Quarterly bookkeeping
- Best for
- Low-volume businesses that file VAT quarterly
- What you get
- Books updated before each VAT return, with a quarterly review
Catch-up bookkeeping
- Best for
- Books months or years behind, or before an audit
- What you get
- Backlog recorded, balances reconciled and records rebuilt
Review only
- Best for
- Companies with an in-house bookkeeper
- What you get
- Monthly review, corrections and VAT checks by a senior accountant
UAE rules
What Records Must a UAE Business Keep?
Bookkeeping in the UAE is shaped by tax law as much as by accounting standards.
- Corporate Tax Law, Article 56
- Keep accounting records and supporting documents for 7 years after the end of the tax period.
- Ministerial Decision No. 114 of 2023
- Use the accrual basis under IFRS. The cash basis is allowed where revenue is up to AED 3 million.
- VAT law
- Keep tax invoices, credit notes, import and export records and VAT workings for 5 years, or 15 years for real estate.
- Tax invoices
- Issue a tax invoice within 14 days of the supply. A simplified tax invoice is allowed for supplies up to AED 10,000 or to unregistered customers.
- Tax credit notes
- Issue within 14 days of the event, referring to the original invoice and showing the VAT adjusted.
- Cabinet Decision No. 75 of 2023
- Failing to keep records: AED 10,000 penalty, AED 20,000 if repeated within 24 months.
From 2027, e-invoicing will require B2B and B2G invoices to be issued through an Accredited Service Provider, so invoice data in your books needs to be complete and consistent.
Documents checklist
What Documents Do You Send Your Bookkeeper Each Month?
Most clients share documents through a shared folder or by forwarding them into the accounting software.
Sales documents
- Sales invoices and tax credit notes issued
- POS or e-commerce sales reports and marketplace settlement statements
- Customer receipts and remittance advices
- Export documents, such as customs declarations and bills of lading, for zero-rated sales
Purchase and expense documents
- Supplier tax invoices and credit notes, showing the supplier TRN
- Import customs declarations for import VAT
- Staff expense claims with receipts
- Petty cash vouchers and card receipts
Bank and payment records
- Bank statements for every account, or read-only bank feeds
- Credit card and payment-gateway statements
- Loan statements and repayment schedules
- Cheque registers, including post-dated cheques
Other records
- Payroll summaries and WPS files from your payroll provider
- New contracts, leases and asset purchases
- Shareholder loans or capital introduced
- Any letters from the FTA or your bank
Behind on your books?
How Does Catch-Up Bookkeeping Work?
Step01
Assess the backlog
We check which months are missing, the state of the bank records and any VAT or corporate tax deadlines at risk.
Step02
Collect the records
Bank statements first, then sales and purchase invoices; we list what is missing so you can request copies.
Step03
Rebuild the books
Transactions recorded month by month, with VAT codes applied and documents attached.
Step04
Reconcile balances
Bank, receivable, payable and VAT balances reconciled to statements and filed returns.
Step05
Fix past errors
Differences with filed VAT returns identified, with advice on whether a voluntary disclosure is needed.
Step06
Move to monthly
Once current, the books continue on a monthly routine so the backlog does not return.
Cash or accrual
Can Your Business Keep Books on a Cash Basis?
Under Ministerial Decision No. 114 of 2023, the cash basis is an option for small businesses, but it changes what your books show.
| Question | Cash basis | Accrual basis |
|---|---|---|
| Allowed if revenue is up to AED 3 million | Yes | Yes |
| Allowed if revenue is above AED 3 million | No | Yes |
| Records sales when invoiced | No | Yes |
| Shows money owed to and by you | No | Yes |
| Accepted for audited IFRS statements | No | Yes |
| Simpler to maintain | Yes | No |
VAT follows its own time-of-supply rules whichever basis you choose, so invoices still need to be tracked for VAT. Most growing businesses keep accrual books from the start.
Pricing
How Much Do Bookkeeping Services Cost in Dubai and Abu Dhabi?
Published 2026 market guides commonly place bookkeeping for small UAE businesses at about AED 500 to AED 2,500 a month, with larger SMEs paying more. The fee depends on the work, not the company's size:
- Number of transactions: invoices, bills, receipts and bank lines each month.
- Number of bank accounts, cards and currencies.
- Inventory: stock movements and cost of sales add work.
- VAT: whether books must be ready for monthly or quarterly VAT returns.
- Document quality: documents sent on time and complete cost less to process.
- Catch-up work: backlog months are quoted separately as a one-off.
We review a sample month and quote a fixed monthly fee, so you know the cost upfront.
Bookkeeping desk
Clean, Current Books Every Month
We record and reconcile your transactions each month, keep every document attached and make sure your VAT, corporate tax and audit start from accurate records.
What you get
- Fixed monthly fee
- Transactions recorded with VAT codes
- Bank and card reconciliations
- Monthly trial balance
- Catch-up of any backlog
Software
Which Bookkeeping Software Do We Use?
We keep books in cloud accounting software, so you can see your numbers at any time and keep ownership of your data. We implement and support Zoho Books and can work in other mainstream cloud systems you already use.
Whatever system you use, it should handle:
- UAE VAT: correct VAT codes, tax invoices showing your TRN, and VAT return reports.
- Bank feeds: automatic import of bank transactions for faster reconciliation.
- Document capture: invoices and receipts attached to each entry.
- Multi-currency: many UAE businesses buy or sell in USD, EUR or INR.
- E-invoicing readiness: the ability to connect to an Accredited Service Provider before the 2027 deadlines.
If you are still on spreadsheets, we can set up the software, chart of accounts and opening balances before monthly bookkeeping starts.
Dubai and Abu Dhabi
Are Bookkeeping Rules Different in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and the Free Zones?
The bookkeeping rules are federal, so they are the same in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and every other emirate: the same VAT law, corporate tax law and IFRS-based accounting. Differences come from where the company is licensed:
- Free zone companies often need audited financial statements to renew their licence, so their books must be audit-ready every year.
- Qualifying Free Zone Persons must separate qualifying and non-qualifying income in their books to keep the 0% rate. See QFZP rules.
- ADGM and DIFC companies follow their own company regulations for filing accounts, alongside federal tax rules.
- Designated zone businesses need careful VAT coding for goods moving inside designated zones.
We serve clients in both emirates from our offices in Business Bay, Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
Is it time?
Signs Your Bookkeeping Needs Help
These are the problems we see most often when a business first comes to us.
VAT returns are prepared from bank statements
Without invoices recorded, input VAT is missed or claimed without valid tax invoices.
Bank balances do not match the books
Unreconciled differences hide missing income, duplicate payments or errors.
Receipts are in drawers and inboxes
Documents that cannot be found will not survive an FTA audit or the 7-year retention rule.
Owners pay personal costs from the company
Mixed spending makes profit unclear and creates corporate tax adjustments.
Books are months behind
Late records lead to late VAT returns, penalties and a rushed year-end audit.
Avoid penalties
Common Bookkeeping Mistakes in the UAE
Claiming VAT without a valid tax invoice
Input tax can be denied on an FTA audit
Recording sales when paid, not invoiced
VAT may be due earlier than the cash arrives
Wrong VAT code on imports or exports
Reverse charge or zero rating reported incorrectly
Credit notes issued late or incomplete
VAT adjustments may not be allowed
Personal and business spending mixed
Corporate tax deductions are lost or challenged
No backup of documents
Records cannot be produced for 7 years
Glossary
Bookkeeping Terms Explained
- General ledger
The full record of all accounts and transactions in the books.
- Chart of accounts
The list of accounts used to classify income, expenses, assets and liabilities.
- Bank reconciliation
Matching the bank statement to the ledger and explaining differences.
- Trial balance
A list of all ledger balances, used to check the books and prepare statements.
- Accrual basis
Recording income and expenses when earned or incurred rather than when paid.
- Cash basis
Recording transactions when cash is received or paid; allowed up to AED 3 million revenue.
- Tax invoice
An invoice meeting VAT law requirements, including the supplier's TRN.
- Catch-up bookkeeping
Recording and reconciling past months that were never booked or were booked wrongly.
Why SGA World
Why Choose SGA World for Bookkeeping?
Books kept for audit
As a Ministry of Economy and Tourism approved audit firm, we know what auditors test and keep your records ready for it.
VAT and corporate tax aware
Every entry coded with VAT and corporate tax in mind, so returns reconcile to the books.
Dubai and Abu Dhabi
Offices in Business Bay, Dubai, and in Abu Dhabi, serving mainland and free zone companies.
Location: Dubai
Dubai Office
Our Dubai office in The Exchange Tower, Business Bay is the central hub for our audit, accounting and tax services across the UAE.
Dubai
Office 1923, The Exchange Tower, Business Bay, Dubai
Abu Dhabi
Khalidiya Towers M-B6, W10, Al Bateen, Al Khalidiyah, Abu Dhabi
Talk to an auditor
Tell us your company type, jurisdiction and deadline. We will confirm the scope, timeline and fee.
- WhatsApp us+971 50 627 3556
- Call us+971 4 570 1795
- Email us[email protected]
- Book an appointmentChoose a time that suits you
Prefer a form? Send us a detailed enquiry.
Who prepared this page
Written and reviewed by SGA World's audit and tax team
This guide is prepared by chartered accountants at SGA World Auditing Accounting L.L.C S.P.C in Business Bay, Dubai, a Ministry of Economy and Tourism approved audit firm, and checked against Federal Tax Authority legislation and guidance. It is reviewed whenever the rules change.
- Last reviewed 7 October 2026
- Chartered accountants from India and the UK
- FTA representation through Saif Chartered Accountants
Have a question about your company?
Tell us your activity, jurisdiction and deadline. A chartered accountant will reply.
Ask an expertFrequently asked questions
Bookkeeping Services in the UAE – FAQs
Short answers to the questions UAE businesses ask us most. Still unsure?
Talk to our team01.What do bookkeeping services include?
Recording sales, purchases, expenses, payments and receipts with the correct VAT codes, attaching documents, reconciling bank and card accounts, and keeping receivables, payables and the ledger up to date.
02.How much do bookkeeping services cost in Dubai?
Market guides in 2026 commonly quote about AED 500 to AED 2,500 a month for small businesses, depending on transaction volume, bank accounts, inventory and VAT work. We quote a fixed monthly fee after reviewing a sample month.
03.What is the difference between bookkeeping and accounting?
Bookkeeping records day-to-day transactions. Accounting adds month-end adjustments, management reports, financial statements and tax computations based on those records.
04.Is bookkeeping mandatory in the UAE?
Yes. Every business must keep accounting records that support its VAT and corporate tax position, for seven years for corporate tax and five years for VAT, or fifteen for real estate.
05.Can a small business use cash-basis bookkeeping?
Yes, if its revenue is up to AED 3 million, under Ministerial Decision No. 114 of 2023. VAT time-of-supply rules still apply, so invoices must still be tracked.
06.How often should bookkeeping be done?
Monthly for most businesses with staff or VAT registration. Low-volume businesses can update quarterly before each VAT return, but monthly gives more reliable numbers.
07.Can you catch up books that are months or years behind?
Yes. We rebuild the records month by month, reconcile bank and VAT balances, flag any VAT errors needing a voluntary disclosure, then continue monthly.
08.Which bookkeeping software do you use?
We implement and support Zoho Books and can work in other mainstream cloud accounting systems you already use. If you are on spreadsheets, we can set up the software for you.
09.Do I need a separate bank account for my business?
Yes. Keeping business and personal money separate makes bookkeeping accurate and avoids corporate tax problems with mixed spending.
10.What happens if I do not keep proper records?
The FTA can charge AED 10,000 for failing to keep records, AED 20,000 for a repeat within 24 months, and may deny input VAT or reassess tax.
11.What makes an invoice a valid UAE tax invoice?
It must say Tax Invoice and show the supplier's name, address and TRN, the date, a description, the VAT amount and, for full invoices, the customer's details. It must be issued within 14 days of the supply.
12.Do free zone companies need bookkeeping?
Yes. Free zone companies must register for corporate tax, often need audited accounts for licence renewal, and QFZPs must separate qualifying and non-qualifying income.
13.Do you provide bookkeeping in Abu Dhabi?
Yes. The rules are federal and the same across the UAE, and we serve clients from our offices in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
14.Can you review our in-house bookkeeper's work?
Yes. A monthly review by a senior accountant catches VAT coding errors, unreconciled balances and missing documents before they reach a return or audit.
15.Who owns the books and documents?
You do. The books stay in your accounting software and the documents in your folders; you control our access.
16.Will bookkeeping change with e-invoicing?
Yes. From 2027, B2B and B2G invoices must go through an Accredited Service Provider, so customer TRNs, VAT codes and invoice data in the books must be complete and consistent.
