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FAQs

What if I am not VAT registered?

This catches more people than any other detail in the scheme. Participation is based on a Tax Identification Number rather than VAT registration, which means businesses that have never dealt with the Federal Tax Authority can still be in scope.

Mandatory, in phasesB2B and B2G in scopeB2C excluded for nowASP required
Get a free readiness check → WhatsApp an advisor
Feb 2026
Guidelines V1.0 published
Jul 2026
Voluntary pilot opened
2027
Mandatory in two waves
Oct 2027
Government entities live
What matters

Four things worth getting right

Four things worth understanding properly before you spend money on anything.

1The mandate is not limited to VAT-registered businesses

It applies broadly to businesses conducting transactions in the UAE regardless of VAT registration status, subject to the exclusions.

2A TIN is not the same as VAT registration

You may need a Tax Identification Number without ever becoming liable to file VAT returns.

3This is a larger change for you

Businesses with no existing tax registration and no tax discipline have more groundwork than a VAT-registered company does.

4Sort registration before software

Getting your TIN position right is the first step. Buying tools before that is the wrong order.

Practical steps

What to do this month

If you only act on one section of this page, make it this one.

GoldenKey e-Invoice · in development

We are building our own e-invoicing app — and the ERP and CRM around it

GoldenKey works with Zaini Developers, our in-house technology team, who already build ERP, CRM, POS, HR and accounting systems for UAE businesses. We are putting that same engine behind e-invoicing: software that produces structured, PINT AE-shaped invoices out of your normal day-to-day billing and hands them to the Accredited Service Provider you appoint. Tell us what your business actually invoices and we build your configuration around it.

Multi-currencyInvoice in AED, USD, EUR or GBP with the AED equivalent recorded where it is required.
Approval workflowDraft, review, approve, issue — with a named person against every step.
Archive & retrievalInvoices stored in a searchable archive you can hand to an auditor without digging through email.
Audit trailWho created it, who changed it, who issued it and when — recorded automatically.
Numbering that holds upSequential, gap-free numbering per series, per branch and per financial year.
Branch & multi-companyRun several licences or branches from one login with separate numbering and reporting.
Roles & permissionsAccounts, sales and management each see only what they should.
CRM built inLeads, quotations, follow-ups and the invoice that eventually comes out of them, in one thread.
Accounting sideChart of accounts, double-entry ledger, receivables ageing and payment allocation.
Join the early-access list → See the full software page

GoldenKey is a business setup and compliance consultancy. We are not a Ministry of Finance Accredited Service Provider, and we do not claim to be one. Our software is built to work alongside the ASP you appoint. Scope, timelines and pricing are agreed in writing before any work starts.

Questions we get asked

Frequently asked

Short, practical answers. If yours is not here, ask us directly — we answer even if you never become a client.

Do I need to do e-invoicing if I am not VAT registered?

Very possibly. The scheme applies regardless of VAT registration status, and participation runs on a Tax Identification Number.

Does this mean I have to register for VAT?

Not necessarily. What may be required is a Tax Identification Number, which is a different registration.

Where do I start?

With confirming your TIN position. This is exactly what the free readiness check is for.

Keep reading

Related guides

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A note on this pageA note on how to read this: it is general information, not tax or legal advice, and your own circumstances may change the answer. The Ministry of Finance and the Federal Tax Authority publish the authoritative guidance and it continues to develop. If anything here matters to a decision you are making, have it confirmed — we will do that in writing for free. Indicative prices are confirmed in writing before any work starts.
Talk to a human

Get ahead of your deadline while it is still quiet

Implementation capacity gets scarce before every deadline. Starting now costs less and gets better attention.

  • A named advisor, not a call centre queue
  • We work with your existing accountant if you have one
  • Arabic and English documentation
  • No obligation — plenty of people call us just to check a date
+971 55 671 5001 info@goldenkeybcs.com

Free e-invoicing readiness check

No cost, no obligation. We tell you which phase you fall into and what you actually need.

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