By Dennis Quintenz, Founder of EmiraBooks · Quincom Ecommerce - FZCO
Financial year and tax periods in the UAE
Your financial year drives the Corporate Tax period. VAT periods follow your FTA stagger (often monthly or quarterly). Close books on both clocks. EmiraBooks helps you close operational months; EmaraTax holds the legal filings.
Steps
- Record the financial year end chosen at incorporation or with the FTA.
- Diary Corporate Tax return due: within nine months after that year end.
- Map VAT periods from your registration certificate.
- Close each VAT period with invoices and bank matches before the 28th deadline pattern.
- Run a year-end pack for the CT return.
Two calendars, one set of books
| Calendar | Driver | Typical action |
|---|---|---|
| VAT period | FTA stagger | VAT201 by due date |
| Financial year | CT period | CT return within 9 months |
| Bank week | Cash control | Wio/ENBD match |
| Invoice sequence | Audit trail | No gaps, credit notes when needed |
Deadlines hub
Use /uae-tax-deadlines for a public overview and /guides/corporate-tax-return-uae for the CT filing steps.
Sources
Last checked: 2026-10-11
FAQ
- Can I change financial year?
- Sometimes with FTA process. Not a casual toggle. Ask your advisor.
- VAT monthly forever?
- Your certificate sets the stagger. It can differ by registrant.
- Does EmiraBooks set my year end?
- You configure periods; legal year end is an FTA/entity fact.
- Tax advice?
- No.
Related: Corporate Tax return in the UAE: step by step · VAT201 step by step for UAE founders · Record keeping for UAE founders · FTA penalties for VAT and Corporate Tax · All guides · Tax tools
Not tax advice. Confirm figures and deadlines on tax.gov.ae and mof.gov.ae, or with your advisor.
Not tax advice. Check figures and deadlines yourself or with your advisor. Facts on this page last checked: 2026-10-11.