Books, VAT and corporate tax kept in order from month one.
- Management accounts on a cycle you can run the business on
- Filing deadlines held on one calendar with the licence and visa renewals
- Statutory audit signed by a Ministry of Economy registered auditor
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Who this is for
Four kinds of business, one set of books.
The obligations are the same for all of them; what differs is how much the books have to prove, and to whom.
UAE companies are required to keep accounting records that reflect their financial position, and corporate tax law adds specific record-keeping obligations on top of that. Some free zones and licence types require audited financial statements at renewal. Clean, current books are also what a bank looks for when it reviews an existing relationship, so bookkeeping is not a back-office chore — it is infrastructure the rest of the business depends on.
Situation
Start with where the books are.
Most businesses arrive at one of four points. Each one has a next step that is cheaper today than at the filing deadline.
A new licence and no bookkeeping yet
The licence is issued, the account is open and nothing records a transaction. The books start before the first VAT period closes.
→VAT: register now, or not yet?
Whether the thresholds or the rules make registration mandatory, voluntary or premature for your figures.
→Corporate tax from the first period
Registration with the FTA, the filing cycle and the records that make taxable income computable.
→Audited accounts required at renewal
Some free zones and licence types require audited statements; the system has to support an auditor from day one.
→
Scope
What you get, and what we never do
What is included
- Assessment of your current record-keeping against your entity's obligations.
- Chart of accounts and bookkeeping system setup matched to your activity.
- Ongoing transaction processing and bank reconciliation.
- Management accounts on an agreed cycle.
- Coordination with your licensed auditor where audited accounts are required.
- Handover of clean records ahead of corporate tax and VAT filing deadlines.
What is not
- Statutory audit sign-off — this must be performed by a licensed audit firm.
- Corporate tax or VAT return filing itself, unless separately agreed as part of tax and compliance scope.
- Investment, valuation, or forensic accounting advice.
- Any guarantee about the outcome of a tax authority review.
What it costs
Priced for the scope, stated before the first month.
No figure of ours is published; every one of them is in the engagement letter before work starts.
How the work is priced
A monthly fee agreed for the scope — transactions, filings, the reporting cycle — and stated in the engagement letter before the first month. It changes when the scope does, never by surprise.
What the practice bills
Bookkeeping, VAT and corporate-tax work run under one engagement with Velarozone; the VelaroZone service fee is itemised in it, and the accounting practice's work is priced within the same letter.
Statutory audit
A separate engagement with a Ministry of Economy registered auditor, quoted by the auditor for your entity's size and complexity. We prepare the records and coordinate the audit.
Authority charges
Registration with the Federal Tax Authority carries no authority fee; late registration and late filing carry penalties the authority sets, which is what the calendar exists to prevent.
Nothing above is a figure: the scope decides the fee, and the letter states it.
Compared
Four ways to keep the books, side by side.
A comparison of the working model, not of prices; no figure here is ours to publish for another firm.
How the four models answer the same six questions.
Who holds the filing calendar
- Arranged through Velarozone
- Your adviser, with the licence and visa renewals on the same calendar
- A freelance bookkeeper
- You do
- An in-house accountant
- The accountant, for the accounts only
- A large outsourcing firm
- The firm's team, on its own schedule
Management accounts
- Arranged through Velarozone
- On the cycle agreed in the engagement
- A freelance bookkeeper
- If asked, and if the tools allow
- An in-house accountant
- Yes, from a salaried seat
- A large outsourcing firm
- Yes, in the firm's format
Corporate tax and VAT filings
- Arranged through Velarozone
- Prepared and filed under the engagement
- A freelance bookkeeper
- Depends on the individual's registration and experience
- An in-house accountant
- Yes, if experienced with UAE tax
- A large outsourcing firm
- Yes
Statutory audit
- Arranged through Velarozone
- Signed by a registered auditor; records prepared and coordinated by us
- A freelance bookkeeper
- Not possible: audit is a licensed engagement
- An in-house accountant
- Not possible
- A large outsourcing firm
- Usually a sister firm, separately engaged
Cost shape
- Arranged through Velarozone
- A monthly fee for the scope, in the engagement letter
- A freelance bookkeeper
- Hourly or monthly, informal
- An in-house accountant
- A salary, a visa and a desk
- A large outsourcing firm
- A monthly retainer with a minimum
Fits best
- Arranged through Velarozone
- A company that wants one adviser across the licence, the visas and the books
- A freelance bookkeeper
- Very low volume with no filings due yet
- An in-house accountant
- Volume that justifies a full-time seat
- A large outsourcing firm
- A group that reports in the firm's own system
| Arranged through Velarozone | A freelance bookkeeper | An in-house accountant | A large outsourcing firm | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Who holds the filing calendar | Your adviser, with the licence and visa renewals on the same calendar | You do | The accountant, for the accounts only | The firm's team, on its own schedule |
| Management accounts | On the cycle agreed in the engagement | If asked, and if the tools allow | Yes, from a salaried seat | Yes, in the firm's format |
| Corporate tax and VAT filings | Prepared and filed under the engagement | Depends on the individual's registration and experience | Yes, if experienced with UAE tax | Yes |
| Statutory audit | Signed by a registered auditor; records prepared and coordinated by us | Not possible: audit is a licensed engagement | Not possible | Usually a sister firm, separately engaged |
| Cost shape | A monthly fee for the scope, in the engagement letter | Hourly or monthly, informal | A salary, a visa and a desk | A monthly retainer with a minimum |
| Fits best | A company that wants one adviser across the licence, the visas and the books | Very low volume with no filings due yet | Volume that justifies a full-time seat | A group that reports in the firm's own system |
Process
How the work is sequenced
Each stage has its own dependencies and we report progress against them, not against one overall date.
- 01
Records review
Current bookkeeping, or lack of it, assessed against your obligations.
- 02
System setup
Chart of accounts and processing workflow agreed and built.
- 03
Ongoing processing
Transactions recorded and reconciled on a set cycle.
- 04
Reporting
Management accounts produced and reviewed with you.
How it works
Bookkeeping, VAT and corporate-tax filings and year-end accounts run under one Velarozone engagement: you contract with us, we scope and coordinate the work, and the accounting is carried out within that engagement, itemised in your plan.
Statutory audit is the exception. An audit opinion is signed by the auditor that performed it, so where your entity requires audited financial statements a Ministry of Economy registered auditor signs under an audit engagement letter. We prepare the records the audit needs and coordinate with the auditor.
Guides
Read before the first return
Since this was written
The two obligations changing the bookkeeping year
E-invoicing and the audit rule both landed after this page was written, and both have dates rather than opinions attached.
The UAE E-Invoicing Date That Matters Is October, Not January
Which of the two published dates is the one that constrains you.
How to Choose an E-Invoicing Accredited Service Provider
What accreditation does and does not tell you about fit.
Who Must File Audited Financial Statements Under Ministerial Decision 84
Whether your books have to end in an audit at all.
Common questions
Straight answers
- Do all UAE companies need an audit?
- No. Audit requirements depend on the free zone, licence type, and in some cases company size. We confirm your specific requirement rather than assume it.
- How long must accounting records be kept in the UAE?
- There is a minimum retention period under the record-keeping rules that apply to your entity. We confirm the current figure — [APPROVED RETENTION PERIOD] — against the applicable authority rather than quote a fixed number here.
- Can bad bookkeeping affect my bank account?
- It can. Banks periodically review corporate accounts and may ask for management accounts or financial statements. Gaps or inconsistencies can slow that review down.
- Is bookkeeping the same as corporate tax filing?
- No. Bookkeeping produces the records that a corporate tax return is calculated from. Weak books make an accurate, defensible filing harder to produce.
- Do you perform the statutory audit yourselves?
- No. Audit is carried out by a licensed audit firm. We prepare your records so that audit process runs smoothly and coordinate with your chosen auditor.
- Can the audit be included in the Velarozone engagement?
- No, and that is deliberate. An audit opinion is signed by the auditor that performed it and cannot be delivered under another firm's name, so where your entity needs audited financial statements we refer you to a Ministry of Economy registered auditor that engages with you directly. The bookkeeping and filings stay within our engagement; the audit is the auditor's.
Get your books in order before tax and banking deadlines
Tell us about your entity, activity, and current record-keeping. We reply with what your obligations actually are and what needs fixing first.
Free assessment — current figures are confirmed within your adviser-reviewed route comparison. Your details are not shared with third parties.
Know your route before you file.
Tell us how you intend to operate and we will identify the questions, structure paths and preparation steps an adviser should assess. It is a planning tool, not legal, tax, immigration or banking advice.
Sources
- Federal Tax Authority — corporate tax record-keeping
- Federal Tax Authority — VAT legislation and guides
- UAE Government portal — accounting and bookkeeping obligations
Legal notes and scope
Velarozone provides setup and operational-readiness coordination. This page is general information, not legal, tax, immigration, or banking advice.
This page is general information about UAE business setup, not legal, tax, immigration, or banking advice. Rules, fees, permitted activities, and bank policies can change. Final eligibility depends on your facts and the applicable rules at the time of application.
UAE corporate tax, VAT, and free-zone treatment depend on your specific facts. Home-country obligations may also apply. We coordinate with your tax adviser and do not provide a tax opinion.