https://sgaworld.ae/blog/ UAE audit, accounting, VAT, corporate tax and transfer pricing insights from SGA World. en-ae Mon, 19 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://sgaworld.ae/erpnext-e-invoicing-uae/ https://sgaworld.ae/erpnext-e-invoicing-uae/ Mon, 19 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT accounting ERPNext can be used for UAE e-invoicing, but not on its own. Its UAE regional setup stores TRNs, Arabic names and VAT flags, yet it does not create PINT AE files or connect to Peppol. You need a connector to an Accredited Service Provider, clean master data and a credit-note workflow. Businesses with revenue of AED 50 million or more must appoint an ASP by 30 October 2026. https://sgaworld.ae/zoho-books-e-invoicing-uae/ https://sgaworld.ae/zoho-books-e-invoicing-uae/ Tue, 06 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT vat Zoho Books lets a UAE business issue PINT AE e-invoices over the Peppol network, with Zoho Software Trading LLC acting as its Accredited Service Provider. Setup has three stages: verify your organisation in Zoho Books, appoint and link Zoho as your ASP on EmaraTax, then clean your item and customer data. Businesses with revenue of AED 50 million or more must appoint an ASP by 30 October 2026. https://sgaworld.ae/how-many-comparables-transfer-pricing-study/ https://sgaworld.ae/how-many-comparables-transfer-pricing-study/ Mon, 28 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT transfer-pricing There is no fixed number of comparables required for a transfer pricing benchmarking study. What matters is that the final set is genuinely comparable, independent and documented. In practice a defensible UAE study often ends with a final set in the single or low double digits, after screening thousands of companies through documented quantitative and qualitative steps. https://sgaworld.ae/internal-vs-external-comparables-transfer-pricing/ https://sgaworld.ae/internal-vs-external-comparables-transfer-pricing/ Mon, 28 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT transfer-pricing An internal comparable is a similar transaction between the tested party or its group and an independent party; an external comparable is an independent company found in a benchmarking database. A reliable internal comparable is generally preferred because it matches the tested party's facts most closely, but internal comparables are rare, so most UAE studies use external comparables. https://sgaworld.ae/tnmm-benchmark-study-uae/ https://sgaworld.ae/tnmm-benchmark-study-uae/ Mon, 28 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT transfer-pricing A TNMM benchmark study uses the Transactional Net Margin Method to test whether a related-party transaction earns an arm's length profit. It compares the tested party's net profit indicator with independent comparable companies and checks that it falls within the interquartile range. It is the most common method in UAE transfer pricing because net-margin data is easier to find than comparable prices. https://sgaworld.ae/transfer-pricing-benchmarking-tools-databases/ https://sgaworld.ae/transfer-pricing-benchmarking-tools-databases/ Mon, 28 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT transfer-pricing A transfer pricing benchmarking tool is a database of independent company financials used to find comparables and build an arm's length range. The most widely used professional tools are Moody's Orbis and TP Catalyst, which is built on Orbis for transfer pricing. A professional database gives the coverage, independence data and documented search trail an FTA review expects. https://sgaworld.ae/dmcc-suffix-change-fzco-2025/ https://sgaworld.ae/dmcc-suffix-change-fzco-2025/ Sun, 05 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT dmcc Since 2 January 2025, new DMCC companies use the suffix FZCO instead of DMCC, and new branches use FZ Branch. Existing companies move across over time: both suffixes were declared valid for an 18-month transition, the change is free and DMCC issues a Suffix Change Certificate. After the change, update your bank, FTA registrations, invoices and audited accounts. https://sgaworld.ae/aml-compliance-uae-dubai/ https://sgaworld.ae/aml-compliance-uae-dubai/ Wed, 24 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT compliance UAE AML compliance is governed by Federal Decree-Law No. 10 of 2025, in force from 14 October 2025, and Cabinet Resolution No. 134 of 2025. Real estate brokers, precious metals dealers, company service providers, and auditors and accountants in certain work must assess risk, verify customers and beneficial owners, register on goAML and report suspicious and threshold transactions. https://sgaworld.ae/uae-extends-einvoicing-deadline-to-october-2026/ https://sgaworld.ae/uae-extends-einvoicing-deadline-to-october-2026/ Mon, 11 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT vat On 10 May 2026 the UAE Ministry of Finance extended the deadline for businesses with revenue of AED 50 million or more to appoint an e-invoicing Accredited Service Provider from 31 July to 30 October 2026. The go-live date of 1 January 2027 did not change, leaving about nine weeks between appointment and go-live. https://sgaworld.ae/erpnext-dubai/ https://sgaworld.ae/erpnext-dubai/ Sun, 19 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT accounting ERPNext is an open-source ERP built on the Frappe framework that covers accounting, inventory, sales, purchasing, projects and payroll. With correct setup it supports UAE VAT, Arabic print formats, multi-currency and UAE payroll, and it can connect to an Accredited Service Provider for e-invoicing from 2027. SGA World implements ERPNext and keeps the accounting in it right. https://sgaworld.ae/how-to-choose-audit-firm-in-dubai/ https://sgaworld.ae/how-to-choose-audit-firm-in-dubai/ Wed, 08 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT audit To choose an audit firm in Dubai, first confirm the signing partner is on the Ministry of Economy and Tourism register and the firm is approved by your free zone. Then compare sector experience, the team, methodology, communication, reputation, scope and fee, scalability and advisory value, and appoint the auditor before your financial year end. https://sgaworld.ae/dmcc-approved-auditors-2026-official-guide-by-sga-world-auditing-accounting-llc-spc/ https://sgaworld.ae/dmcc-approved-auditors-2026-official-guide-by-sga-world-auditing-accounting-llc-spc/ Sun, 11 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT dmcc DMCC companies must have their annual accounts audited by a firm on DMCC's Approved Auditor List and upload the audited financial statements, with a summary sheet signed by the audit partner, on the DMCC Member Portal within six months of the financial year end. Approval lasts 12 months, and a report from a non-approved firm can be rejected. https://sgaworld.ae/how-to-obtain-dubai-icv-certificate-for-dubai-municipality/ https://sgaworld.ae/how-to-obtain-dubai-icv-certificate-for-dubai-municipality/ Tue, 25 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMT audit Suppliers to Dubai Municipality and other Dubai government entities may need an In-Country Value (ICV) certificate when tendering. The Dubai ICV Programme, launched on 11 May 2025 by Dubai Economy and Tourism and Dubai Finance, runs through the TASHAROK shared procurement programme across seven entities. Certificates are based on audited IFRS financial statements and data on local spending and Emirati employment. https://sgaworld.ae/fta-clarification-on-valuation-method-for-qualifying-immovable-property-disposal/ https://sgaworld.ae/fta-clarification-on-valuation-method-for-qualifying-immovable-property-disposal/ Fri, 24 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMT corporate-tax FTA Public Clarification CTP009, issued on 26 September 2025, explains how real estate developers apply the valuation method under Ministerial Decision No. 120 of 2023. The excluded gain is market value at the start of the first tax period, from DLD, DMT or an authorised valuer, minus the higher of original cost and net book value, spread across periods in line with revenue recognition. https://sgaworld.ae/e-invoicing-in-uae/ https://sgaworld.ae/e-invoicing-in-uae/ Thu, 23 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMT vat UAE e-invoicing requires businesses to exchange B2B and B2G invoices and credit notes as structured data through Accredited Service Providers, with data reported to the FTA. Businesses with revenue of AED 50 million or more must appoint a provider by 30 October 2026 and go live on 1 January 2027; others appoint by 31 March 2027 and go live on 1 July 2027. https://sgaworld.ae/free-zone-mainland-operating-permit-dubai/ https://sgaworld.ae/free-zone-mainland-operating-permit-dubai/ Mon, 13 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMT free-zones Under Dubai Executive Council Resolution No. 11 of 2025, effective 3 March 2025, Dubai free zone companies (except DIFC financial institutions) can operate in mainland Dubai through a branch licence, a mainland branch run from the free zone for AED 10,000 a year, or a temporary permit for AED 5,000 valid up to six months. Mainland income is generally not qualifying income for the 0% QFZP rate. https://sgaworld.ae/dubai-ca-experts-sga-world-uae-services/ https://sgaworld.ae/dubai-ca-experts-sga-world-uae-services/ Wed, 17 Sep 2025 00:00:00 GMT audit Chartered accountants in Dubai provide audit, VAT, corporate tax, accounting and advisory services. The UAE has no local CA title, so accountants hold qualifications such as ICAI CA, ICAEW, ACCA or CPA. To sign a statutory audit, an auditor must be registered with the Ministry of Economy and Tourism, and free zones often require their own approval. https://sgaworld.ae/outsourcing-payroll-services-for-businesses-in-uae/ https://sgaworld.ae/outsourcing-payroll-services-for-businesses-in-uae/ Thu, 04 Sep 2025 00:00:00 GMT payroll Outsourcing payroll in the UAE means a specialist calculates salaries, gratuity and leave each month and prepares the WPS salary file, while you keep control of approvals and payment. It usually suits SMEs without a dedicated payroll specialist, especially since June 2026, when MOHRE began treating salaries as due on the first day of each month with no grace period. https://sgaworld.ae/why-smes-outsource-accounting-in-the-uae-2025-insights/ https://sgaworld.ae/why-smes-outsource-accounting-in-the-uae-2025-insights/ Thu, 04 Sep 2025 00:00:00 GMT accounting UAE SMEs outsource accounting to keep up with corporate tax, VAT, free zone rules and e-invoicing without hiring a full in-house team. Outsourced accounting usually covers bookkeeping, VAT and corporate tax returns, payroll, management reports and audit support, and commonly costs AED 1,000 to AED 5,000 a month depending on volume and scope. https://sgaworld.ae/dubai-international-academic-city-the-complete-guide/ https://sgaworld.ae/dubai-international-academic-city-the-complete-guide/ Thu, 14 Aug 2025 00:00:00 GMT free-zones Dubai International Academic City (DIAC) is a free zone dedicated to higher education, launched by TECOM Group in 2007 and regulated by the Dubai Development Authority. It hosts universities such as BITS Pilani, Manipal, Amity, Heriot-Watt and the University of Birmingham Dubai. Companies in DIAC are licensed by DDA, pay corporate tax like other free zone companies and must submit audited accounts each year. https://sgaworld.ae/dubai-international-academic-city-audit-services/ https://sgaworld.ae/dubai-international-academic-city-audit-services/ Sun, 10 Aug 2025 00:00:00 GMT free-zones Companies in Dubai International Academic City must submit audited IFRS financial statements to the Dubai Development Authority each year, prepared by a DDA-approved auditor and usually due within six months of the year end. Education audits focus on tuition received in advance, scholarships and refunds, student receivables, campus leases under IFRS 16 and fees paid to parent universities. https://sgaworld.ae/discover-top-dubai-auditors-for-your-business-needs/ https://sgaworld.ae/discover-top-dubai-auditors-for-your-business-needs/ Fri, 01 Aug 2025 00:00:00 GMT audit The best auditor for a Dubai company is one your authority accepts. All statutory auditors must be registered with the Ministry of Economy and Tourism, and most free zones, including DMCC, JAFZA and DAFZA, accept audits only from their own approved lists. DMCC companies upload audited accounts within six months of the year end, and real estate escrow audits need a Dubai Land Department certified auditor. https://sgaworld.ae/dmcc-audit-deadline-2025-extention/ https://sgaworld.ae/dmcc-audit-deadline-2025-extention/ Tue, 24 Jun 2025 00:00:00 GMT dmcc DMCC companies must upload audited financial statements and the auditor-signed summary sheet on the DMCC Member Portal within six months of the financial year end, so 30 June for a December year end. For 2024 accounts only, DMCC granted a one-time three-month grace period, extending the deadline to 30 September 2025. https://sgaworld.ae/uae-small-business-relief-sbr-ct-exemption-guide/ https://sgaworld.ae/uae-small-business-relief-sbr-ct-exemption-guide/ Fri, 20 Jun 2025 00:00:00 GMT corporate-tax Small Business Relief lets a UAE resident business with revenue of AED 3 million or less, in the current and every previous tax period, be treated as having no taxable income. Under Ministerial Decision No. 131 of 2026 it applies to tax periods ending on or before 31 December 2029. QFZPs and large multinational group members cannot claim it, and losses in SBR years cannot be carried forward. https://sgaworld.ae/mastering-financial-reporting-council-could-see-significant/ https://sgaworld.ae/mastering-financial-reporting-council-could-see-significant/ Thu, 19 Jun 2025 00:00:00 GMT audit Well-known auditors in the UAE include the Big Four (KPMG, Deloitte, EY and PwC), international networks such as BDO, Grant Thornton, Crowe and RSM, and independent UAE firms such as Saif Chartered Accountants and SGA World. The best auditor for you depends on your size and licence: always confirm Ministry of Economy and Tourism registration and, in a free zone, that the firm is on the zone's approved auditor list. https://sgaworld.ae/UAE-Tax/guide-to-uae-corporate-tax-calculation/ https://sgaworld.ae/UAE-Tax/guide-to-uae-corporate-tax-calculation/ Tue, 09 Jul 2024 00:00:00 GMT corporate-tax UAE corporate tax is calculated on taxable income: accounting profit adjusted for non-deductible expenses, exempt income, reliefs and losses. Taxable income up to AED 375,000 is taxed at 0% and the rest at 9%. A company with taxable income of AED 1,000,000 therefore pays AED 56,250. Qualifying Free Zone Persons pay 0% on qualifying income. https://sgaworld.ae/UAE-Tax/corporate-tax-impact-assessment-in-uae/ https://sgaworld.ae/UAE-Tax/corporate-tax-impact-assessment-in-uae/ Tue, 09 Jul 2024 00:00:00 GMT corporate-tax A corporate tax impact assessment reviews how UAE corporate tax affects a business before it files: estimated tax at 0% and 9%, reliefs such as Small Business Relief and the QFZP rate, transfer pricing exposure and record-keeping gaps. Companies in Abu Dhabi and Dubai use it before their first return or after a change in structure. https://sgaworld.ae/UAE-Tax/understanding-qualifying-free-zone-person-qfzp-in-uae-corporate-tax-law/ https://sgaworld.ae/UAE-Tax/understanding-qualifying-free-zone-person-qfzp-in-uae-corporate-tax-law/ Tue, 09 Jul 2024 00:00:00 GMT corporate-tax A Qualifying Free Zone Person (QFZP) is a free zone company that meets the conditions in the UAE Corporate Tax Law to pay 0% on qualifying income. It must have adequate substance in the free zone, earn qualifying income, keep non-qualifying revenue within the lower of 5% or AED 5 million, follow transfer pricing rules and prepare audited accounts. Failing a condition costs the 0% rate for five tax periods.