Accounting & Bookkeeping in the UAE
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Accounting and bookkeeping in the UAE keep your day-to-day records and IFRS financial statements accurate and audit-ready — supporting your VAT and 9% corporate-tax filings on time, without the cost of an in-house finance team. Legarithm manages the whole function for you: bookkeeping and reconciliations, IFRS financial statements, VAT and corporate-tax returns, management reporting and audit support. Whether you're setting up or scaling, one team keeps your accounting connected with company formation in the UAE, corporate tax, VAT and payroll — with one set of numbers across your business.
Why choose Legarithm for your UAE accounting
Since corporate tax arrived, clean books stopped being optional. The Federal Tax Authority now expects IFRS-based financial statements behind every corporate-tax return, VAT filing has to reconcile to your ledgers, and e-invoicing reporting begins its phased rollout from 2026. A shoebox of receipts and a spreadsheet no longer pass — and errors surface exactly when you can least afford them, at filing.
We give you an accounting team that already understands how UAE companies are taxed and run, because we do the tax, VAT and formation too. Your books, VAT returns and corporate-tax computation line up instead of contradicting each other, one accountable team owns the numbers month to month, and you get audit-ready statements without hiring, training or managing an in-house department.
UAE accounting and bookkeeping: key benefits
These are the outcomes clients actually engage us for.
UAE accounting and bookkeeping: who it’s for
Our UAE accounting and bookkeeping suits businesses that need accurate, compliant books without the cost of a full in-house finance department.
Free zone & mainland companies
Any UAE entity that must keep IFRS books and file VAT and corporate tax
Startups & SMEs
Founders who need clean numbers and filings but not a full-time accountant
Foreign-owned businesses
Groups that need UAE-compliant books that also reconcile to head office
E-commerce & service firms
High-volume transaction businesses that need reliable monthly bookkeeping
Companies facing an audit
Businesses that need historic books cleaned up and made audit-ready
Holding & SPV structures
Entities that still need statements and filings even with light activity
UAE accounting and bookkeeping: what’s included
Our UAE accounting and bookkeeping cover the full finance cycle, from daily records to audit-ready statements and tax filings, as one coordinated engagement.
Bookkeeping & reconciliations
Day-to-day recording of transactions and monthly bank and ledger reconciliation
IFRS financial statements
Balance sheet, profit and loss, and cash-flow statements to IFRS
VAT compliance
VAT registration, quarterly returns and input-VAT recovery with the FTA
Corporate tax support
Taxable-income computation and the annual corporate-tax return
Management reporting
Monthly or quarterly reports on cash, margins and performance
Accounts payable & receivable
Invoice processing, supplier payments and receivables tracking
Payroll & WPS
Salary runs, WPS-compliant payments and end-of-service accruals
Audit support & clean-up
Audit-ready files, auditor liaison and clean-up of historic books
Behind on your books?
Book a 30-minute consultation to review your needs, filings, and monthly fee.
In-house vs outsourced vs freelancer: how to keep your UAE books
Accounting and bookkeeping in the UAE can be done three ways — here is how an in-house hire, an outsourced team and a freelancer compare on cost, cover and compliance.
| Feature | In-house accountant | Outsourced (Legarithm) | Freelancer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | Salary + visa + software | One fixed fee, all-in | Low, but variable |
| IFRS statements | If qualified | Yes, always | Often not |
| VAT & corporate tax | Depends on hire | Handled in-house | Usually extra |
| Cover if they leave | You’re exposed | Team, no single point | You’re exposed |
| Audit-ready | Varies | Yes, every month | Varies |
| Scales with you | New hires | Change the package | Limited |
Most UAE SMEs get in-house-grade books at a fraction of the cost by outsourcing. A consultation confirms the right package — and our company formation team aligns the setup.
Get audit-ready UAE accounting from month one
One consultation tells you what your books need, what you’ll file, and the fixed monthly fee.
What we need to take over your books
We can start as soon as we can see the company and where the numbers currently live.
- Trade licence and incorporation documents
- VAT registration (TRN) and corporate-tax registration, if done
- FTA portal access or authorisation as your tax agent
- Financial year-end and last filed return, if any
- Emirates ID and passport of the authorised signatory
How our UAE accounting and bookkeeping works
Our UAE accounting and bookkeeping follows a clear five-step process, so your books move from messy or missing to audit-ready on a predictable cadence.
UAE accounting and bookkeeping: cost and packages
Our UAE accounting and bookkeeping is priced by package — bookkeeping only, bookkeeping plus tax, or a full outsourced finance function — scaled to your transaction volume and confirmed after a free consultation rather than as a one-size fee.
| Package | Bookkeeping | Books + Tax | Full finance function |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Clean records only | Books that must file | No internal finance team |
| Includes | Recording & reconciliation | Bookkeeping + VAT + corporate tax | Above + payroll, reporting, AP/AR |
| IFRS statements | Annual | Annual + tax computation | Monthly management + annual |
| Reporting | On request | Quarterly | Monthly |
| Legarithm fee | After a free consultation | After a free consultation | After a free consultation |
Fees scale with transaction volume, not a flat list price, and are confirmed after a free consultation. Filings run through our VAT and corporate-tax teams.
UAE accounting and bookkeeping: FAQ
Still have questions?
Is bookkeeping mandatory for companies in the UAE?
Yes. UAE companies must keep proper accounting records and IFRS-based financial statements, and retain them for at least seven years. The Federal Tax Authority can request them for VAT and corporate-tax purposes.
What accounting standard does the UAE use?
IFRS. Financial statements are prepared under International Financial Reporting Standards; smaller entities may use IFRS for SMEs. We prepare your statements to the standard that applies to you.
How does bookkeeping connect to VAT and corporate tax?
Your ledgers are the source of both filings — VAT returns must reconcile to your books, and the 9% corporate-tax computation is built from your IFRS financial statements. Clean books make both filings accurate and defensible. See our VAT and corporate-tax services.
What is the UAE corporate tax rate and who pays it?
Corporate tax is 0% on taxable income up to AED 375,000 and 9% above it. A qualifying free zone person can keep 0% on qualifying income. The return is filed within nine months of your financial year-end.
Do I still need bookkeeping if my company is dormant or a holding SPV?
Yes. Even with little activity, a UAE entity must maintain records and file where registered. We offer a light package that keeps a dormant or holding entity compliant at low cost.
Do you handle e-invoicing?
Yes. The UAE’s FTA e-invoicing model is voluntary from 1 July 2026 and mandatory from 1 January 2027 for businesses with revenue of AED 50 million or more, with smaller businesses following in 2027. We get your data and process ready for reporting through an accredited service provider.
Can you clean up a backlog of messy or missing books?
Yes. We routinely take over incomplete records, reconcile them, and bring them current so you start from correct, audit-ready numbers — often before a first audit or a late filing.
Can you run payroll and company setup too?
Yes. Our accounting runs alongside payroll, company formation in the UAE and corporate services, so your finance function is handled by one team.
We Are Always Available
Our team ensures your business setup is smooth, efficient, and compliant with local laws. Contact us today to discuss your project.
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