Accounting & Bookkeeping in the UAE

Key points

the UAE is located in Dubai Silicon Oasis district, Dubai — adjacent to Meydan and Academic City, and the registrar's processing time for a standard file is around 5 business days. Popular activities in the UAE include trading, services, technology, consultancy and manufacturing, and most of them can be combined on a single licence. Unlike some zones, the UAE does not require a large paid-up capital to be blocked in a bank account before the licence is issued.

Step by step

1. 
   Step 1

   Consultation and activity selection

   In practice, we confirm that your activity is available in the UAE, choose the licence type and agree the visa package and office option that match your plan. We keep a written record of this step so your file for starting an accounting firm in the UAE is audit-ready.

2. 
   Step 2

   Name reservation and initial approval

   As we tell every client, your trade name is reserved with the the UAE authority and initial approval is obtained; this stage rarely takes more than two working days.

3. 
   Step 3

   Document submission and payment

   Put simply, with the forms and memorandum signed, GoldenKey lodges the attested supporting documents and settles the licence fee with the authority on your behalf. Your portal shows the status of this step for starting an accounting firm in the UAE in real time.

4. 
   Step 4

   Licence issued and next steps

   the UAE issues the licence, incorporation certificate and lease; from there we open the establishment card, process visas and arrange your bank introduction.

Documents required

Just as important, the document list for starting an accounting firm in the UAE is short, and most clients already have everything on it.

• A no-objection certificate from your employer if you hold a UAE employment visa
• A clear passport copy for each shareholder and manager, valid for at least six months
• A passport-size photograph on a white background
• Accounting qualification
• Proof of address such as a utility bill or bank statement, requested by some zones
• The UAE entry stamp or visa page if you are already in the country

Pricing

On the ground, the figures below for starting an accounting firm in the UAE are updated by GoldenKey whenever the issuing authority changes its fees, so the price you see is the current one. All prices for starting an accounting firm in the UAE are indicative, shown in AED and confirmed in writing before you pay.

Pricing available on request — message us for a written quotation.

Where to license accounting & bookkeeping

Demand for bookkeeping has surged since corporate tax began in 2023. Auditing is a separately regulated activity requiring Ministry of Economy registration, but bookkeeping and tax agent services are accessible to qualified accountants.

IFZA Free ZoneDubai's fastest-growing free zone — multi-activity licence…Meydan Free ZoneDubai's entrepreneurial free zone at the iconic Meydan rac…RAKEZRAK's all-in-one economic zone — business, industrial and …Dubai mainlandThe UAE's commercial capital — trade anywhere in the UAE w…

Examples of this activity

• Bookkeeping
• VAT filing
• Corporate tax services
• Payroll outsourcing

Accounting & Bookkeeping guides by nationality

IndianPakistaniBritishRussianChineseNigerianSaudiEgyptianKenyanGermanSingaporeanOmaniFrenchItalianSpanishPortugueseDutchBelgianSwissAustrianSwedishNorwegianDanishFinnishIcelandicIrishPolishCzechSlovakHungarianRomanianBulgarianGreekCroatianSerbianSlovenianUkrainianEstonianLatvianLithuanianAmericanCanadianAustralianNew ZealanderJapaneseSouth KoreanTurkishMalaysianIndonesianThaiVietnameseFilipinoBangladeshiSouth AfricanEmiratiQatari

Why the UAE

In practice, residence visas for owners and families come with the company, which makes starting an accounting firm in the UAE a route to relocation as well as a business decision. In practice, english is the working language of business, contracts are routinely drafted in English, and government portals are bilingual, which simplifies starting an accounting firm in the UAE for international business owners.

Why GoldenKey

GoldenKey is based in Ajman Free Zone and has helped founders from more than 60 countries with starting an accounting firm in the UAE, so the paperwork, approvals and timing hold no surprises for us. Most of our the UAE clients come to us through referrals from other business owners, and for that reason we take pride in keeping every promise we put in writing. Our quotations for starting an accounting firm in the UAE list every government fee and our service fee on one page, in writing, before you pay anything.

Frequently asked questions