Al Arabiya Group keeps your UAE company fully compliant — handling Corporate Tax, AML, UBO and economic substance obligations from registration to filing. As enforcement tightens in 2026, we make sure your business avoids penalties, keeps its licence, and stays bank-ready. Focus on your growth; we’ll handle the regulators.
UAE authorities have shifted from periodic checks to active, year-round enforcement. Regulators, banks and free zone authorities now assess Corporate Tax, AML and UBO together as one connected framework; a weakness in one area triggers scrutiny across all of them.
Banks and regulators cross-check your UBO records, AML controls and Corporate Tax position as a connected framework. A discrepancy in one area can trigger enhanced reviews, document requests and broader scrutiny across your business.
Corporate Tax, AML and UBO requirements are now actively enforced across the UAE. Missed filings, inaccurate declarations or delayed submissions can result in penalties, regulatory action and increased attention from authorities.
Banks increasingly assess compliance before opening or maintaining accounts. Weak AML controls, outdated UBO records or unresolved tax obligations can delay onboarding, trigger reviews or affect your banking relationships.
Directors and shareholders are expected to oversee compliance obligations proactively. Authorities increasingly hold senior management responsible for failures, making documented procedures, accurate filings and ongoing monitoring essential.
We cover the full compliance picture Corporate Tax, AML, UBO and economic substance, so nothing falls through the cracks.
What we do: corporate tax registration, EmaraTax setup and filing, QFZP status assessment, transfer pricing documentation and return submission. Best for: all UAE companies — registration is mandatory regardless of profit level. Key fact: 0% on taxable income up to AED 375,000 and 9% above for mainland companies. Free zone entities can access 0% on qualifying income as a Qualifying Free Zone Person, but lose it if they fail the conditions. Returns are due within nine months of financial year-end.
What we do: substance assessment for QFZP status, documentation of core income-generating activities, adequate staff/assets/expenditure, and substance evidence ready for FTA review. Best for: free zone companies on the 0% rate and any entity claiming Qualifying Free Zone Person status. Why it matters: the standalone ESR filing was abolished for financial years ending after 31 December 2022 (Cabinet Decision 98 of 2024). Substance didn’t disappear — it’s now a condition of keeping your 0% corporate-tax rate. Fail it and all income is taxed at 9%.
What we do: AML policy drafting, goAML registration, CDD/KYC framework, risk assessment, sanctions screening, staff training and ongoing monitoring. Best for: DNFBPs — real estate, corporate service providers, accountants, legal advisors and precious-metals dealers — plus financial institutions. Why it matters: under the new Federal Decree-Law No. 10 of 2025, administrative fines reach up to AED 5,000,000 per violation, with goAML registration mandatory.
What we do: UBO identification, registry filing with the authority, declaration updates on ownership change, and AML/banking cross-checks. Best for: every UAE mainland, free zone and offshore company — UBO is mandatory for all except narrow exemptions (government-owned entities, financial-free-zone companies with separate rules). Why it matters: failure to register can draw AED 100,000, with further penalties for false information or failing to update the register within 15 business days of an ownership change.
Corporate Tax, AML, UBO and substance handled under one roof — no juggling multiple consultants or missing how one filing affects another.
We build a custom compliance calendar for your licence type and alert you before deadlines — instead of reacting after a penalty notice arrives.
Our clients stay penalty-free. We pre-vet every filing for accuracy before submission to the FTA, Ministry of Economy and relevant authorities.
We align your UBO, AML and corporate-tax records so your corporate banking stays open and KYC reviews pass without friction.
Mainland (DET), all major free zones (IFZA, DMCC, SPC, RAKEZ, SHAMS) and offshore (RAK ICC) — we know each authority's specific rules.
Every policy, declaration and report is prepared, organised and filed correctly — ready for authority review or audit at any time.
4 steps to a fully compliant, penalty-free business
We review your licence type, activities and structure to map every obligation that applies — Corporate Tax, AML, UBO and economic substance.
You get a tailored calendar of deadlines, filings and document requirements specific to your business and jurisdiction.
We draft all policies and documents, handle portal submissions, and manage all communication with the FTA, Ministry of Economy and authorities.
Continuous regulatory monitoring with proactive alerts whenever rules change or a deadline approaches — so you never miss a filing.
FAQ's
Every UAE company must register and file for Corporate Tax via EmaraTax, keep its UBO registry updated, and — if it’s a DNFBP or financial institution — maintain AML procedures and goAML registration. Free zone companies claiming the 0% rate must also demonstrate economic substance. Note: the standalone ESR filing was discontinued for financial years ending after 31 December 2022; substance is now assessed through Corporate Tax.
A late corporate-tax return carries an AED 10,000 penalty per return, plus 1% monthly interest on unpaid tax. Free zone companies that fail the substance or qualifying-income tests lose the 0% rate and are taxed at 9% on all income.
If you are a DNFBP — real estate broker, corporate service provider, accountant, legal advisor, precious-metals dealer — or a financial institution, AML compliance is mandatory. This includes goAML registration and documented CDD procedures. Under Federal Decree-Law No. 10 of 2025, fines reach up to AED 5,000,000 per violation.
UBO (Ultimate Beneficial Owner) registration declares the individual(s) who ultimately own or control your company — usually anyone holding 25% or more. It is mandatory for all UAE companies (with narrow exemptions) and must be updated within 15 business days of any ownership change.
Corporate tax returns are filed within nine months of your financial year-end. For a company with a year ending 31 December 2025, the deadline is 30 September 2026.
Yes to UBO — it applies to all free zone companies. For substance: standalone ESR filing no longer applies, but if your free zone company claims the 0% corporate-tax rate, you must demonstrate economic substance as a Qualifying Free Zone Person. We handle both.
Yes. We provide a complete compliance suite — Corporate Tax registration and filing via EmaraTax, AML and goAML, UBO registration and updates, and economic-substance documentation — for mainland, free zone and offshore companies across the UAE.
