Latest Articles & Guides
UAE tax, VAT, bookkeeping & CFO insights — practical guides for business owners.
Excise Tax UAE: No Lab Report, Highest Sugar Tier Now
Excise tax in the UAE now follows sugar, not price. Without a lab report your drink is taxed at the highest tier. File by 15 October via EmaraTax today.
Marketplace VAT in UAE: Amazon Is Not Your Tax Department
Marketplace VAT in the UAE is charged on the full price, not your payout. See the gross-vs-net trap, the gross threshold test and the two-proof export rule.
Salon VAT in UAE: A Doctor Does Not Zero-Rate a Facial
Salon VAT in UAE is 5% on cosmetic work even from a doctor. Learn the medical-necessity test, package trap and branch rule before your next return is filed.
UAE E-Invoicing: 'Approved' No Longer Means Accredited
UAE e-invoicing changed on 1 Oct: pre-approval is gone. Verify your ASP is fully accredited before the 30 Oct deadline, or your appointment may fail you.
VAT Exemption in UAE: the Status That Doesn't Exist
Searching for a UAE VAT exemption? There is no exempt-business status - only exempt supplies that forfeit your input VAT. The classification that matters.
UAE VAT Refund: Your Supplier's Sins Get Screened First
Your UAE VAT refund rests on input VAT the FTA can reject under its new supplier-evasion screen. The five-year clock, the KYS test, and the pre-claim checklist.
E-Invoicing UAE: Your ERP Generates It. It Can't Deliver It.
UAE e-invoicing Phase 1: appointing an ASP by 30 Oct 2026 is a separate obligation from going live 1 Jan 2027. Why your ERP e-invoice module is not compliance.
VAT Registration Threshold UAE: Your Imports Count Too
UAE VAT registration is mandatory at AED 375,000 - but imports and reverse-charge services count toward it. Here is the math most businesses get wrong.
UAE E-Invoicing: No VAT Number Doesn't Mean No Obligation
Not VAT-registered? UAE e-invoicing still applies to you. Why every business needs a TIN, the 30 Oct ASP deadline, and what to do now — free readiness check.
103,000 FTA Inspections This Year — Is Your Business Next?
FTA inspections rose 21% in 2026 — 103,680 visits in six months. What the enforcement surge means for your records, your registrations, and your next review.
UAE Supplier Verification: Your Bookkeeping App Can't Do It
Your bookkeeping app codes invoices — it can't verify suppliers. Under FTA Decision 13/2026, undocumented supplier checks can kill your input VAT claims.