Annual audit
Statutory audit of your financial statements for licence renewal, banks and corporate tax.
Dubai South Audit Services: Audit, Accounting and Tax for Dubai South Free Zone Companies
Dubai South free zone companies submit audited financial statements each year, usually before licence renewal, signed by an auditor the authority accepts. Every company registers for UAE corporate tax, where 0% applies only to a Qualifying Free Zone Person, and part of the zone is a VAT designated zone for goods. SGA World provides audit, accounting, VAT and corporate tax services for Dubai South companies.
- Ministry of Economy and Tourism approved auditor
- 500+ clients
- Dubai & Abu Dhabi
Dubai South at a glance
- Location
- Around Al Maktoum International Airport
- Districts
- Logistics, Aviation, Business Park
- Annual audit
- Before licence renewal
- Corporate tax
- 0% QFZP / 9% standard
- VAT
- Designated zone rules for goods in part of the zone
Dubai South is a large free zone and city district built around Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC), with direct road links to Jebel Ali Port. Its Logistics District, Aviation District and Business Park attract logistics, aviation, e-commerce and trading companies. Dubai South companies submit audited financial statements each year, usually before licence renewal, and every company deals with UAE corporate tax and VAT.
SGA World provides audit, accounting, bookkeeping, VAT and corporate tax services for Dubai South free zone companies, from FZEs and FZCOs to branches of foreign groups, from our office in Business Bay, Dubai.
Working across several zones? See our overview of all UAE free zones.
- Built around Al Maktoum International Airport
- DWC
- Audited accounts before licence renewal
- Annual
- Corporate tax for QFZPs and others
- 0% / 9%
- Designated zone VAT rules in part of the zone
- Goods
At a glance
Dubai South Companies: Key Facts
- Audit: audited financial statements are submitted each year, usually before licence renewal.
- Auditor: the audit report must come from an auditor the authority accepts.
- Corporate tax: every company registers; 0% only for a Qualifying Free Zone Person on qualifying income.
- VAT: Dubai Aviation City is on the designated zone list; check whether your premises fall inside it.
- Logistics: customs, warehouse and inventory records must match the accounts.
- Records: keep accounting records for 7 years for corporate tax.
Our services
Which Services Do We Provide for Dubai South Companies?
Bookkeeping and accounting
Monthly books, inventory accounting, reconciliations and year-end statements.
Corporate tax and QFZP
Registration, QFZP assessment, de minimis testing and the annual return.
VAT
Registration, returns and designated zone VAT treatment for goods.
Transfer pricing
Benchmarking and documentation for related-party transactions.
Payroll
Monthly payroll, gratuity and leave for your Dubai South team.
About the zone
What Is Dubai South?
Dubai South, first launched as Dubai World Central, is a master-planned area of southern Dubai built around Al Maktoum International Airport. It is linked to Jebel Ali Port by a logistics corridor, which makes it a natural base for sea-air and multimodal trade.
Its business areas include:
- the Logistics District, for freight forwarding, warehousing and e-commerce fulfilment;
- the Aviation District, for aircraft maintenance, aviation services and training;
- the Business Park, for offices, trading and professional services.
Companies set up as a Free Zone Establishment (FZE), a Free Zone Company (FZCO) or a branch. Whatever the licence, the company must keep proper accounts, have them audited and meet its tax obligations.
Compliance
What Must Dubai South Companies Do Every Year?
- Audited financial statements
- Accounts prepared under IFRS, audited and submitted before licence renewal.
- Corporate tax return
- Filed on EmaraTax within 9 months of the financial year end, whether or not tax is due.
- QFZP review
- If relying on the 0% rate, check qualifying income, the de minimis limit and substance each year.
- VAT returns
- Quarterly or monthly returns, with correct treatment of designated zone goods movements.
- Customs and inventory
- Import, re-export and warehouse records that reconcile to the books.
- UBO records
- Keep the register of ultimate beneficial owners up to date with the authority.
Choosing an auditor
What Should a Dubai South Company Look For in an Auditor?
Dubai South accepts audited financial statements only from audit firms it recognises. A report from a firm it does not accept can be rejected at licence renewal, which means a second audit and a delayed licence.
When you appoint an auditor for a Dubai South company, check that:
- the firm is accepted by the Dubai South authority;
- the audit partner is a registered auditor with the UAE Ministry of Economy and Tourism;
- the firm understands inventory, customs and designated zone issues common in logistics and aviation;
- the same audited accounts can be used for your corporate tax return and any QFZP claim.
SGA World audits Dubai South companies and plans the work around the licence renewal date and the corporate tax deadline.
Tax
How Do Corporate Tax and VAT Apply in Dubai South?
Corporate tax. Every Dubai South company must register for corporate tax. A company that meets all the conditions to be a Qualifying Free Zone Person pays 0% on qualifying income, which can include logistics services, distribution of goods in or from a designated zone, financing and leasing of aircraft, engines and rotable components, and transactions with other free zone persons. Aircraft maintenance on its own is not a listed qualifying activity. Other taxable income is taxed at 9%. Non-qualifying revenue must stay within the lower of 5% of revenue or AED 5 million, and audited accounts are a condition of QFZP status.
VAT. Dubai Aviation City is listed as a designated zone in Cabinet Decision No. 59 of 2017. Inside a designated zone, some supplies of goods can be outside the scope of VAT, while services are taxed normally. Not every Dubai South location is necessarily inside the designated area, so confirm your premises before applying these rules.
See our QFZP guide and VAT services.
Worked example
Example: A Freight Forwarder in the Dubai South Logistics District
A freight forwarder in the Dubai South Logistics District moves sea-air cargo between Jebel Ali Port and Al Maktoum airport for shippers in Asia and Africa.
- Audit: audited accounts are prepared before licence renewal and shared with the bank that finances its guarantees.
- QFZP: logistics services are a qualifying activity, so freight income from foreign and free zone customers can be taxed at 0%, if all QFZP conditions are met.
- De minimis: services to mainland importers need tracking against the 5% / AED 5 million limit.
- VAT: international transport is often zero-rated, while local services are taxed at 5%.
The company keeps job files, customs references and invoices linked, so revenue can be traced at audit and for the QFZP test.
What to prepare
What Documents Do We Need for a Dubai South Audit?
Company documents
Dubai South licence, memorandum and articles, and share register.
Accounts
Trial balance, ledgers, bank and payment statements.
Operations
Job files, shipment records, customs references and agent statements.
Inventory
Stock records and goods in transit for trading companies.
Related parties
Group charges, agency agreements and balances.
Tax
Corporate tax registration, VAT returns and the chosen tax route.
Fees and timing
How Long Does a Dubai South Audit Take and What Affects the Fee?
Fieldwork is typically one to three weeks. Book it two months before renewal.
The fee depends on transaction volume, inventory and goods in transit, foreign currency activity, related parties and whether QFZP and corporate tax work is included.
How we work
How Does Our Dubai South Audit Process Work?
Step01
Plan
Agree scope, timetable and documents, working back from your licence renewal date.
Step02
Stock and fieldwork
Review stock counts and test revenue, purchases, customs and bank balances.
Step03
Report
Agree adjustments and issue the audited financial statements.
Step04
Submit
Submit for licence renewal and use the same figures for your corporate tax return.
Why SGA World
Why Choose SGA World for Dubai South Audit Services?
We check the Dubai South rules first
We confirm the current Dubai South requirements for your licence before planning the audit and tax filings.
Ministry-approved audit firm
SGA World is a Ministry of Economy and Tourism approved audit firm, so our reports are accepted where it matters.
Audit and tax in one team
Auditors, VAT, corporate tax and transfer pricing specialists work together, so nothing falls between advisers.
Qualified chartered accountants
A team of chartered accountants qualified in India and the UK, focused on UAE rules.
500+ clients
Mainland and free zone companies, from start-ups and SMEs to regional groups.
Listed with major UAE banks
Our audit work is recognised by major UAE banks for facilities and account reviews.
Industries
Which Dubai South Industries Do We Support?
Freight forwarding and warehousing
- Freight, storage and handling revenue
- Designated zone VAT on goods movements
- QFZP qualifying activity checks for logistics
Aviation, MRO and aircraft services
- High-value spare parts inventory
- Long-term maintenance contracts
- Aircraft leasing and related-party charges
E-commerce and fulfilment
- Marketplace and payment-gateway reconciliations
- Fulfilment and returns costs
- VAT on sales to UAE consumers
Trading and re-export
- Inventory, landed costs and margins
- Customs records and re-exports
- Mainland sales against the de minimis limit
Business Park and professional services
- Time-based billing and unbilled revenue
- VAT on services to UAE and overseas clients
- Owner pay and connected-person rules
Avoid problems
Common Mistakes Dubai South Companies Make
Leaving the audit until renewal week
Licence renewal is delayed
Assuming all of Dubai South is a designated zone
VAT may be due on goods
Customs records that do not match the books
Questions from auditors and authorities
No year-end stock count
Audit qualifications on inventory
Selling to the mainland without tracking it
Can breach the QFZP de minimis limit
Undocumented group charges
Transfer pricing adjustments
Dubai South desk
Get Your Dubai South Audit and Tax Done on Time
Tell us your licence renewal date and financial year end. We will plan the audit, accounts and tax filings around them.
We handle
- Annual audit for licence renewal
- Bookkeeping and inventory accounts
- Corporate tax and QFZP review
- VAT and designated zone treatment
- Transfer pricing and payroll
Location: Dubai
Dubai Office
Our Dubai office in The Exchange Tower, Business Bay serves Dubai South companies and free zone companies 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 12 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
Dubai South Audit and Accounting – FAQs
Short answers to the questions UAE businesses ask us most. Still unsure?
Talk to our team01.Do Dubai South companies need an annual audit?
Yes. Dubai South free zone companies submit audited financial statements each year, usually before the licence is renewed.
02.Which auditor can a Dubai South company use?
An audit firm the Dubai South authority accepts, with an audit partner registered with the UAE Ministry of Economy and Tourism. SGA World audits Dubai South companies.
03.Is Dubai South a designated zone for VAT?
Dubai Aviation City is listed as a designated zone in Cabinet Decision No. 59 of 2017. Check whether your premises fall within the designated area before treating goods movements as outside the scope of VAT.
04.Do Dubai South companies pay corporate tax?
Every Dubai South company must register for corporate tax. A Qualifying Free Zone Person pays 0% on qualifying income and 9% on other taxable income; other companies pay 0% up to AED 375,000 and 9% above.
05.What company types are available in Dubai South?
Free Zone Establishments (FZE) with one shareholder, Free Zone Companies (FZCO) with two or more shareholders, and branches of UAE or foreign companies.
06.Which services does SGA World provide for Dubai South companies?
Audit, bookkeeping and accounting, corporate tax and QFZP reviews, VAT, transfer pricing and payroll.
07.Are logistics services qualifying income for a Dubai South QFZP?
Logistics services are a qualifying activity, subject to all QFZP conditions, including substance, audited accounts and the de minimis limit.
08.Is aircraft maintenance a qualifying activity?
Not on its own. Financing and leasing of aircraft, engines and rotable components are listed qualifying activities; maintenance is not.
09.How long does a Dubai South audit take?
Usually one to three weeks of fieldwork once the books are closed.
10.Do Dubai South companies need customs records for the audit?
Yes, for trading and logistics companies the auditor reconciles customs and shipment records to revenue and stock.
11.Which company types are available in Dubai South?
Free Zone Establishments, Free Zone Companies and branches of UAE or foreign companies.
References:Dubai South · Federal Tax Authority · UAE Ministry of Finance — reviewed 14 October 2026
