UAE Tax Penalty and Deadline Help

Quick answer

If you have missed a UAE tax deadline, file first: Corporate Tax late filing penalties grow by AED 500 every month for the first 12 months, then AED 1,000 a month, and unpaid tax attracts 14% a year calculated monthly. Once you are filed, you can ask the FTA to reconsider a penalty within 40 business days of the decision, and escalate to the Tax Disputes Resolution Committee if it is refused. Pick your situation below.

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All 10 guides

FTA Penalty Notice? How to Request Reconsideration or a Waiver in UAE (Step by Step)An FTA penalty notice starts a clock of 40 business days. This guide shows how to count it, which grounds actually work, how to write the request on EmaraTax and what to do if the FTA says no.How Much Does Corporate Tax Filing Cost in UAE? 2026 Price Guide for SMEsTwo quotes for the same Corporate Tax return can differ several times over. This guide explains what actually drives the fee, which return types cost least and most, what is often charged extra, and why the cheapest filing can end up the most expensive.How to Choose a Tax Agent in UAE: FTA-Registered Checklist and 9 Red FlagsThe FTA fines your company, not your adviser, when a return is late or wrong. Before the 30 September 2026 rush, here is how to tell a tax agent from an accountant, verify registration, test an adviser on your own facts and spot the warning signs early.Late VAT Registration in UAE: The AED 10,000 Penalty, Backdated VAT and How to Fix ItPassing the AED 375,000 threshold without registering does not just cost AED 10,000. The FTA backdates your registration, and the VAT on every sale since then comes out of your pocket. Here is how to size the exposure and fix it this week.Missed the Corporate Tax Deadline in UAE? Late Filing Penalties and What to Do in the Next 7 DaysThe late filing penalty adds AED 500 every month for a year, then AED 1,000 a month, and late payment interest runs alongside it. Here is how the numbers stack and exactly what to do this week.Nil Corporate Tax Return UAE: Filing Under Small Business ReliefYour business has sales and maybe a profit, yet the return can still show AED 0 Corporate Tax. Here is how the Small Business Relief election works on EmaraTax, what Revenue to declare and what the FTA still expects from you.Nil Corporate Tax Return in UAE: Dormant and Zero-Revenue Companies Still Have to FileNo sales, no bank account, no profit: the FTA still expects a return for every registered company. Here is what a nil Corporate Tax return contains, how to file it on EmaraTax and what ignoring the reminders costs.Should You Elect Small Business Relief in UAE? When Not ToTicking the Small Business Relief box feels like a free win. In a loss year, a borrowing year or a year before fast growth it can cost you 9% on future profits. Here is the test to run before you file.Corporate Tax Deregistration in UAE: When You Must Deregister, Final Return and PenaltiesA cancelled licence does not close your Corporate Tax registration. Until the FTA approves deregistration, returns stay due and a late deregistration penalty of AED 1,000 a month builds. Here is the order to close a company without leaving tax debts behind.E-Invoicing for SMEs in UAE: The July 2027 Deadline, Choosing an ASP and PenaltiesE-invoicing reaches most UAE SMEs in 2027: an Accredited Service Provider appointed by 31 March and structured invoices from 1 July. Here is who is in which wave, how to choose a provider, what changes in your books, and a 6-month plan that starts now.

Frequently asked questions

What should I do first if I missed the Corporate Tax deadline?+

File the return and pay any tax as soon as possible. The late filing penalty adds AED 500 for each month of delay during the first year and AED 1,000 a month after that, so every month you wait costs more.

How do I challenge an FTA penalty?+

Submit a reconsideration request to the FTA within 40 business days of the penalty decision, with your reasons and evidence. If the FTA rejects it, the next step is the Tax Disputes Resolution Committee.

Can the AED 10,000 late Corporate Tax registration penalty be waived?+

Yes, if the first Corporate Tax return is filed within 7 months of the end of the first tax period. Outside that window the route is a reconsideration request.

Does a dormant company with no revenue still have to file?+

Yes. Every registered UAE company must file a Corporate Tax return for each tax period, even with zero revenue, and the late filing penalties apply to nil returns too.

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UAE Tax Penalty and Deadline Help

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Frequently asked questions

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