Annual Compliance in United Arab Emirates
The annual corporate pack: renewal of the trade licence issued by your emirate DED or free-zone authority — which ties to the tenancy or Ejari and, on the mainland, to chamber of commerce membership — upkeep and filing of the Real Beneficiary (UBO) register under Cabinet Decision No. 109 of 2023, and the audited financial statements your registry or Corporate Tax position requires. Many free zones, DMCC and JAFZA among them, mandate audited financial statements annually, and audited financials are also required for Corporate Tax above a revenue threshold and for Qualifying Free Zone Persons. Economic Substance is NOT part of this pack: Cabinet Decision No. 98 of 2024, announced by the Ministry of Finance on 14 October 2024, discontinued the Economic Substance Regulations for financial years ending after 31 December 2022 and cancelled the related penalties, so there is no current ESR notification or report. Substance in the UAE now matters as a condition of the free-zone 0% Qualifying Free Zone Person status, which we assess with the Corporate Tax return, not as a standalone filing.
5–15 business days
AED
What we will need from you
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Current trade licence
Tenancy contract (Ejari) or flexi-desk / office agreement
Real Beneficiary register, register of partners/shareholders and register of nominee directors
A beneficial owner is a natural person who owns or controls 25% or more (Cabinet Decision 109 of 2023).
Financial statements, audited where required
Required annually by many free zones (DMCC, JAFZA) and, for Corporate Tax, above a revenue threshold and for Qualifying Free Zone Persons. The exact threshold is set by Ministerial Decision and is confirmed at quote, not quoted here.
Cost breakdown
Our fee and the government’s are always separate lines. Government fees are passed through at exactly what the authority charges — we add nothing to them.
| Trade licence renewalonly if it appliesAnnual, and set by your emirate DED or free-zone authority — there is no national figure. Renewal is tied to the tenancy or Ejari and, on the mainland, to chamber of commerce membership. | Confirmed before payment |
| Office / flexi-desk renewalonly if it appliesPriced by the zone or landlord; the licence cannot be renewed without it. | Confirmed before payment |
| UBO filing with the licensing authoritySet by the emirate DED or free-zone authority. | Confirmed before payment |
| Comriq professional fee | Fixed fee within 1 business day |
How it runs
You will see these exact stages update in your client portal as we progress.
Records Received
Licence, tenancy and statutory registers collected.
Audit Coordinated
An approved auditor is engaged and the report issued, where your zone or Corporate Tax position requires audited accounts.
UBO Register Updated
Real Beneficiary and shareholder registers refreshed and filed with the licensing authority.
Licence Renewed
Renewed trade licence delivered to your portal.
Indicative guidance — confirmed before payment
Requirements and statutory fees are set by Emirate DED or free-zone authority (licence and audit); the licensing authority for the Real Beneficiary register under the Ministry of Economy framework and change without notice. This page is general information, not legal or tax advice. Your engagement letter and quote are the binding documents.