WhatsApp quoteIn practice, getting Excise Tax Registration right at the start avoids penalties that are easy to trigger and tedious to appeal. GoldenKey handles Excise Tax Registration for the companies we form and for businesses that come to us later, so the process is routine for our tax team. GoldenKey has licensed restaurant or café businesses for customers in Excise Tax Registration and knows which sub-activities to list so you are not asked to amend the licence later. For most clients, external approvals for restaurant & café are: municipality food control, civil defence and, for alcohol, the relevant licensing authority.
Why Excise Tax Registration
GoldenKey prepares the EmaraTax application for Excise Tax Registration, uploads the papers and follows up with the FTA until the certificate is released. Crucially, excise rates are 100% on tobacco and energy drinks and 50% on carbonated and sweetened drinks. Put simply, excise Tax Registration is a sensible home for restaurant & café because operating a dine-in restaurant, café, cloud kitchen or food truck is a well-understood activity there and the approvals are routine.
How Excise Tax Registration works with GoldenKey
Step 1Assessment
For most clients, we confirm whether Excise Tax Registration is mandatory, voluntary or not yet required for your turnover and activity, and fix the right timing.
Step 2EmaraTax setup
GoldenKey opens or accesses your EmaraTax account and links the licence, signatory and bank details needed for Excise Tax Registration. Nothing is submitted for excise tax registration for a restaurant or café until you have reviewed and approved it.
Step 3Application
We complete the Excise Tax Registration file — turnover, activity and import details — and upload every supporting document.
Step 4Certificate and compliance calendar
Just as important, once the FTA approves, we diarise your return and payment deadlines so nothing is missed. Your portal shows the status of this step for excise tax registration for a restaurant or café in real time.
Documents required
Day to day, the document list for excise tax registration for a restaurant or café is short, and most clients already have everything on it.
- Memorandum of association showing shareholders
- Turnover evidence such as invoices, contracts or financial statements
- Trade licence and certificate of incorporation
- Passport and Emirates ID of the authorised signatory
- Bank account letter or IBAN certificate
- Customs code and import records where applicable
Pricing
From day one, the figures below for excise tax registration for a restaurant or café are updated by GoldenKey whenever the authority changes its fees, so the price you see is the current one. Use the table below to compare packages for excise tax registration for a restaurant or café; we will confirm the exact total for your case in a written quotation.
| GoldenKey service fee | AED 3,500 |
|---|
FTA excise registration for producers, importers or warehouse keepers of excisable goods
Request this servicePrices are indicative, in AED, exclusive of 5% VAT where applicable, and confirmed in writing before payment. Last updated 2026-10-06.
Why the UAE
Banking, logistics, telecoms and digital government services in the UAE are among the most advanced in the region, which keeps the running costs of excise tax registration for a restaurant or café predictable. Residence visas for owners and families come with the company, which makes excise tax registration for a restaurant or café a route to relocation as well as a business decision.
Why GoldenKey
After your Excise Tax Registration licence is granted, the same team handles renewals, visa additions, amendments and tax registrations, so you never have to explain your business twice. GoldenKey builds its own CRM and client portal, so you can see the status of your Excise Tax Registration application, download your supporting documents and pay invoices from your phone. Our quotations for excise tax registration for a restaurant or café list every government fee and our service fee on one page, in writing, ahead of payment anything.
From day one, start your Excise Tax Registration journey with a free consultation: share a few details about your business and we will map out the fastest route to your licence.
Frequently asked questions
How long does Excise Tax Registration take with the FTA?
The FTA as a rule responds within 20 business days, and simple applications are often approved faster. GoldenKey submits a complete file to avoid information requests.
Does Excise Tax Registration apply to a new company with no revenue yet?
Only if you intend to import, produce or stockpile excise goods; registration should be completed before the first transaction.
Can GoldenKey act as my tax agent?
It can. GoldenKey can prepare and submit filings on your behalf and handle FTA correspondence, so you have one point of contact for licence, visa and tax matters.
Is restaurant & café allowed in Excise Tax Registration?
Excise Tax Registration applies to a restaurant or café businesses on the same basis as any other UAE company: importers, producers and stockpilers of excise goods, and operators of excise warehouses.
Which licence type covers restaurant & café?
Restaurant & Café is classified as a commercial activity, and GoldenKey selects the exact activity code so your licence matches what you actually do.
