Accounting and bookkeeping in the UAE

Accounting in the UAE is shaped by where the company is licensed. A mainland company and a free zone company are both expected to keep proper books, and since Corporate Tax was introduced a Taxable Person must keep records and documents for seven years after the end of the tax period they relate to. For an owner who lives abroad, a monthly bookkeeping routine is the practical way to keep those records usable when a tax return, a bank or a licence renewal asks for figures.

Ask a firm which accounting system it uses and whether you get access to it, how it deals with invoices in more than one currency, which emirates and free zones it has worked in, and whether bookkeeping and tax filings are priced together. Many providers in the UAE sell accounting next to licensing and visas, so compare the scope line by line. The UAE country guide explains how licences and free zones differ.

Accountanty lists 355 firms that offer accounting in the UAE: 182 accounting firms and 172 corporate services providers and 1 law firms. Most are small (249 small, 93 medium and 13 large network). English is by far the most common working language (223 firms), followed by Arabic (30), Russian (14) and French (9). Real estate, e-commerce and healthcare are the sectors named most often. By emirate: Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah and Ajman.

Firms offering accounting in the UAE

Avyanco

Corporate services provider · Medium-sized firm

Dubai

  • Company formation
  • Accounting and bookkeeping
  • Tax compliance
  • +7 more

Languages: English

View profile of Avyanco

Incorpyfy

Corporate services provider · Medium-sized firm

Dubai

  • Company formation
  • Accounting and bookkeeping
  • Tax compliance
  • +4 more

Languages: English · Arabic · Hindi

View profile of Incorpyfy

331 more firms offering accounting in the UAE

Frequently asked questions

How long must UAE companies keep accounting records?

The Corporate Tax law requires a Taxable Person to keep records and documents for seven years after the end of the tax period to which they relate. Ask your accountant how and where those records are stored, and whether you can export them if you change firm.

Does a free zone company still need an accountant?

Yes, in practice. A free zone company has its own obligations to its free zone authority and to the federal tax authority, and a bank or auditor will ask for organised books. Check which of these tasks the firm covers in its fee.

Can I get bookkeeping in my own language?

Some firms work in Arabic, Russian, French, Hindi or other languages besides English. Check the languages shown in the profile, and ask whether reports and meetings are in that language or only the first conversation.

Other services in the UAE

Accountants by city in the UAE

Setting up a company in the UAE: the guide and every firm

General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules, rates and fees change: check them with the official sources linked on this page or with a qualified adviser before you act.