Annual audit
Statutory audit for licence renewal, banks and corporate tax, with stock count attendance.
Hamriyah Free Zone Audit Services: Audit, Accounting and Tax for HFZA Companies in Sharjah
Hamriyah Free Zone (HFZA) in Sharjah is an industrial and port-based free zone and a VAT designated zone. HFZA companies are generally expected to submit audited financial statements from an auditor the authority accepts when renewing their licence, and every company registers for UAE corporate tax, where 0% applies only to a Qualifying Free Zone Person. SGA World provides HFZA audits, accounting, VAT and tax.
- Ministry of Economy and Tourism approved auditor
- 500+ clients
- Dubai & Abu Dhabi
Hamriyah Free Zone at a glance
- Location
- Hamriyah, Sharjah, with its own port
- Focus
- Industry, oil and gas, steel, maritime
- Annual audit
- Generally at licence renewal
- VAT
- Designated zone for goods
- Corporate tax
- 0% QFZP / 9% standard
Hamriyah Free Zone (HFZA) on Sharjah's northern coast is one of the UAE's main industrial and port-based free zones, with its own deep-water port and large land plots for oil and gas, steel, petrochemicals, maritime and manufacturing companies. HFZA companies are generally expected to submit audited financial statements at licence renewal, and every company deals with UAE corporate tax and VAT.
SGA World provides audit, accounting, bookkeeping, VAT and corporate tax services for Hamriyah Free Zone companies, from our office in Business Bay, Dubai.
Working across several zones? See our overview of all UAE free zones.
- Industrial free zone with its own port
- Sharjah
- Audited accounts generally needed at licence renewal
- Renewal
- VAT designated zone for goods
- Designated
- Corporate tax for QFZPs and others
- 0% / 9%
At a glance
Hamriyah Free Zone Companies: Key Facts
- Authority: the Hamriyah Free Zone Authority (HFZA), under the Government of Sharjah.
- Audit: audited financial statements are generally submitted at licence renewal, from an auditor the authority accepts.
- VAT: Hamriyah Free Zone is a designated zone, so some goods movements can be outside the scope of VAT.
- Corporate tax: every company registers; 0% only for a Qualifying Free Zone Person on qualifying income.
- Industry: manufacturing and processing are qualifying activities, but stock and costing must be well documented.
- Records: keep accounting records for 7 years for corporate tax.
Our services
Which Services Do We Provide for Hamriyah Free Zone Companies?
Cost and inventory accounting
Production costing, bulk stock records and monthly management accounts.
Corporate tax and QFZP
QFZP assessment for manufacturing and trading income, and the annual return.
VAT
Designated zone treatment, import VAT and returns.
Internal audit
Controls over purchasing, stores, production and dispatch.
Transfer pricing
Group supplies, toll manufacturing and financing at arm's length.
About the zone
What Is Hamriyah Free Zone?
Hamriyah Free Zone was established by the Government of Sharjah in 1995 and is run by the Hamriyah Free Zone Authority (HFZA). It sits on the coast between Sharjah and Ajman, with its own port for bulk, break-bulk and container cargo.
It is known for:
- oil and gas storage, services and equipment;
- steel and metal products;
- petrochemicals and plastics;
- maritime services and ship supply;
- food processing and building materials.
Companies set up as a Free Zone Establishment (FZE), a Free Zone Company (FZC) or a branch. Whatever the licence, the company must keep proper accounts, have them audited and meet its tax obligations.
Compliance
What Must Hamriyah Free Zone Companies Do Every Year?
- Audited financial statements
- Accounts prepared under IFRS, audited and submitted at licence renewal, from an auditor HFZA accepts.
- 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.
- Stock and customs records
- Year-end stock counts and customs 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 Hamriyah Free Zone Company Look For in an Auditor?
HFZA expects audited accounts from an auditor it accepts. A report from a firm it does not accept can be rejected at renewal, which means a second audit and a delayed licence.
When you appoint an auditor for an HFZA company, check that:
- the firm is accepted by the Hamriyah Free Zone Authority;
- the audit partner is a registered auditor with the UAE Ministry of Economy and Tourism;
- the team can handle stock counts, bulk inventory and heavy plant;
- the same audited accounts can be used for your corporate tax return and any QFZP claim.
SGA World audits Hamriyah Free Zone companies and plans the work around your renewal date and the corporate tax deadline.
Tax
How Do Corporate Tax and VAT Apply in Hamriyah Free Zone?
Corporate tax. Every HFZA company must register for corporate tax. A Qualifying Free Zone Person pays 0% on qualifying income and 9% on other taxable income. For Hamriyah's industrial companies, key qualifying activities include manufacturing and processing of goods, trading of qualifying commodities, logistics services and the distribution of goods in or from a designated zone to customers who resell or process them. 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. Hamriyah Free Zone is listed as a designated zone in Cabinet Decision No. 59 of 2017. Supplies of goods within or between designated zones can be outside the scope of VAT if the conditions are met, while services are taxed normally. Goods released into the UAE mainland are subject to VAT.
See our QFZP guide and VAT services.
Worked example
Example: A Petroleum Products Trader in Hamriyah
A Hamriyah Free Zone company stores fuel products in leased tanks and sells to ship operators and to traders in East Africa.
- Stock: tank dips, temperature corrections and surveyor reports support the year-end quantity; prices are checked for write-downs.
- QFZP: trading of qualifying commodities can be qualifying, but only under strict conditions; sales to UAE end users are not.
- VAT: Hamriyah is a designated zone; supplies of fuel to vessels and exports have specific VAT treatments that need care.
- AML: counterparties are screened against sanctions lists before each deal.
What to prepare
What Documents Do We Need for a Hamriyah Free Zone Audit?
Company documents
Hamriyah Free Zone licence, memorandum and articles, and share register.
Accounts
Trial balance, ledgers, bank statements and confirmations.
Stock
Tank dips, surveyor reports and stock reconciliations.
Trades
Contracts, bills of lading and pricing references.
Related parties
Group charges, loans and balances.
Tax
Corporate tax registration, VAT returns and the chosen tax route.
Fees and timing
How Long Does a Hamriyah Free Zone Audit Take and What Affects the Fee?
Fieldwork usually takes one to three weeks once the books are closed. Plan it at least two months before any licence renewal or bank deadline, and well inside the corporate tax filing date.
The fee depends on bulk stock measurement, trade volume, foreign currency, related parties, the condition of the books and whether corporate tax work is included. We confirm a fixed fee after reviewing your trial balance.
How we work
How Does Our Hamriyah Free Zone Audit Process Work?
Step01
Plan
Agree scope, timetable and the stock count method, working back from your renewal date.
Step02
Stock count
Attend or review the count of bulk stock, work in progress and finished goods.
Step03
Fieldwork
Test costing, fixed assets, sales, purchases and bank balances.
Step04
Report and file
Issue the audited accounts for renewal and use them for the corporate tax return.
Why SGA World
Why Choose SGA World for Hamriyah Free Zone Audit Services?
We check the Hamriyah Free Zone rules first
We confirm the current Hamriyah Free Zone 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 Hamriyah Free Zone Industries Do We Support?
Oil and gas storage and services
- Tank stock measurement and losses
- Contract revenue and retentions
- Qualifying commodity trading rules
Steel and metal products
- Scrap, yield and weighbridge records
- Price-driven stock write-downs
- Plant and machinery depreciation
Petrochemicals and plastics
- Standard costing and variances
- Hazardous material provisions
- Export evidence for zero-rating
Maritime and ship supply
- Vessel-related revenue and costs
- Foreign currency balances
- Designated zone VAT on goods
Food processing and building materials
- Expiry and write-downs
- Distributor rebates
- Mainland sales against the de minimis limit
Avoid problems
Common Mistakes Hamriyah Free Zone Companies Make
Leaving the audit until renewal week
Licence renewal is delayed
No agreed method for measuring bulk stock
Qualified audit opinion on inventory
Charging VAT on all goods movements
Designated zone rules may apply
Selling to mainland end users without tracking it
Can breach the QFZP de minimis limit
Exporting without proper evidence
Zero-rating can be denied
Undocumented group supplies
Transfer pricing adjustments
HFZA desk
Get Your Hamriyah Free Zone Audit and Tax Done on Time
Tell us your licence renewal date, products and financial year end. We will plan the stock count, audit and tax filings around them.
We handle
- Annual audit and stock count attendance
- Cost and inventory accounting
- Corporate tax and QFZP review
- Designated zone VAT
- Internal audit and transfer pricing
Location: Dubai
Dubai Office
Our Dubai office in The Exchange Tower, Business Bay serves Hamriyah Free Zone companies and free zone companies across the northern emirates.
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
Hamriyah Free Zone Audit and Accounting – FAQs
Short answers to the questions UAE businesses ask us most. Still unsure?
Talk to our team01.Do Hamriyah Free Zone companies need an audit?
HFZA companies are generally expected to submit audited financial statements at licence renewal. An audit is also required to claim Qualifying Free Zone Person status for corporate tax.
02.Which auditor can an HFZA company use?
An audit firm the Hamriyah Free Zone Authority accepts, with an audit partner registered with the UAE Ministry of Economy and Tourism. SGA World audits Hamriyah Free Zone companies.
03.Is Hamriyah Free Zone a designated zone for VAT?
Yes. Hamriyah Free Zone is listed as a designated zone in Cabinet Decision No. 59 of 2017, so some supplies of goods can be outside the scope of VAT. Services are taxed normally.
04.Do Hamriyah Free Zone companies pay corporate tax?
Every HFZA 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.Which services does SGA World provide for Hamriyah Free Zone companies?
Audit and stock count attendance, cost and inventory accounting, corporate tax and QFZP reviews, VAT, internal audit and transfer pricing.
06.How is bulk stock audited in Hamriyah?
Using tank dips, weighbridge records or independent surveyor reports, reconciled to the stock ledger at the year end.
07.Can commodity trading qualify for 0% corporate tax?
Trading of qualifying commodities can be a qualifying activity, subject to strict conditions on the commodities and how they are traded.
08.How long does a Hamriyah audit take?
Usually one to three weeks of fieldwork, plus stock measurement.
09.Which company types are available in Hamriyah Free Zone?
Free Zone Establishments (FZE), Free Zone Companies (FZC) and branches.
References:Hamriyah Free Zone Authority · Federal Tax Authority · UAE Ministry of Finance — reviewed 14 October 2026
