VAT Registration Services
Registered Tax Agent Regulated by the FTA (Federal Tax Authority)
VAT Registration Services in the UAE
Register correctly the first time, and avoid the AED 10,000 penalty that comes with getting the timing wrong.
Value Added Tax (VAT) is a consumption tax applied to the value added to goods and services at each stage of production or distribution, ultimately paid by the end consumer. Farahat & Co. provides complete VAT registration services in the UAE, guiding businesses through eligibility assessment, documentation, and submission through the FTA’s EmaraTax portal.
- FTA-registered tax agent, submitting applications directly through EmaraTax on your behalf
- Full entity coverage, including mainland, free zone, standalone businesses, tax groups, and non-resident suppliers
- Accuracy-first approach, reducing the risk of delays, rejected applications, or missed deadlines
Deciding whether, and when, to register for VAT should be a well-informed decision based on your business’s financial situation and objectives.
Our Specialists In VAT Registration Services
Romany Shayb
Senior VAT Consultant
Ahmad Ali Jourieh
Senior VAT Consultant
Nayomi Jayaweera
VAT Consultant
As a Trusted VAT Consultancy in the UAE, Farahat & Co. Offers the Following VAT Services:
VAT Registration Thresholds: Mandatory and Voluntary
VAT registration in the UAE is categorised based on a business’s taxable turnover.
- Mandatory registration: required once your taxable supplies and imports exceed AED 375,000 over the previous 12 months, or are expected to exceed this amount within the next 30 days.
- Voluntary registration: available once taxable supplies, imports, or taxable expenses exceed AED 187,500 over the previous 12 months. This is particularly useful for startups and businesses with significant setup costs, since voluntary registration allows recovery of input VAT on expenses like office fit-out, equipment, and professional fees that would otherwise be unrecoverable.
- Below AED 187,500: businesses under this threshold are not required or eligible to register.
You’ll also need to confirm whether your supplies are taxable at the standard 5% rate, zero-rated, or exempt, since this affects both your registration position and how you handle VAT going forward.
VAT Registration for Non-Resident Businesses
The registration threshold does not apply to non-resident businesses. A business with no place of establishment or fixed establishment in the UAE that makes taxable supplies here must register for VAT regardless of the value of those supplies, unless another party in the UAE is responsible for accounting for the VAT under the reverse charge mechanism.
In practical terms, this means a foreign company making even a single taxable sale in the UAE, where no UAE-based party is responsible for the VAT, may need to register immediately, with no AED 375,000 buffer to rely on. This is a common area of confusion, and non-resident businesses operating in or selling into the UAE should confirm their position early rather than assuming domestic thresholds apply to them.
Documents Required for VAT Registration
- Valid trade licence
- Passport and Emirates ID copies of the business owner and authorised signatories
- Memorandum and Articles of Association, or equivalent incorporation documents
- Financial statements or turnover records for the previous 12 months
- Bank account details
- Description of business activities
- Details of customs registration, where applicable
Complete, accurate documentation at the outset reduces the risk of delays or requests for additional information from the FTA.
Our VAT Registration Process
- Eligibility assessment: we review your turnover, business activity, and structure to confirm whether registration is mandatory, voluntary, or not yet required.
- Document preparation: we gather and review the trade licence, financial records, and ownership documents needed for the application.
- EmaraTax application: we complete and submit your registration application through the FTA’s EmaraTax portal.
- TRN issuance: once approved, typically within 5 to 10 business days, we confirm your 15-digit Tax Registration Number and your assigned filing frequency.
- Ongoing compliance setup: we help you set up VAT-compliant invoicing and record-keeping practices from day one, so your first return isn’t a scramble.
Penalties for Late VAT Registration
Failure to register within the required 30-day window results in a flat penalty of AED 10,000 under Cabinet Decision No. 49 of 2021. Beyond the direct fine, a business that registers late becomes liable for VAT on all taxable supplies made from the date it should have registered, even if VAT was never collected from customers during that period, meaning the cost of delay can extend well beyond the AED 10,000 penalty itself.
Why Choose Farahat & Co. for VAT Registration
- FTA-registered tax agent: applications submitted and managed directly through EmaraTax
- Full entity coverage: mandatory, voluntary, tax group, and non-resident registration scenarios all handled under one service
- Accuracy-first review: documentation checked thoroughly before submission to avoid delays
- Ongoing support: registration is the starting point, not the end, and we continue supporting your VAT compliance well beyond your TRN issuance
- Established track record: over four decades supporting UAE businesses across audit, accounting, and tax compliance