Planning a new company
Compare the activities, customers, facilities and full running cost of relevant authorities before paying for a licence.
Explore company formation ↗Setup · Accounting · Audit · Tax
UAE Free Zone Company Services
The licence is the start of the business, not the end of its obligations.
SAIF Chartered Accountants helps free-zone companies plan formation, maintain reliable accounts, prepare for audit and address UAE VAT and Corporate tax. The right scope starts with the authority on your licence, the activities you actually perform and the records needed to support them.
Find your starting point
What stage is your free-zone company at?
Formation, daily reporting and year-end compliance are related, but they call for different work. Start with the decision facing your business now.
Already trading
Keep the licensed entity’s books, tax registrations, invoices and management information aligned with its real operations.
Explore accounting support ↗Approaching year-end
Confirm the audit, financial-statement, Corporate tax and renewal work required for the actual authority and period.
Explore free-zone audits ↗Connected, clearly scoped
Support from incorporation to annual reporting
SAIF can bring the finance and tax questions into one plan while defining the separate deliverables, professional responsibilities and authority steps in each engagement.
Formation and licence planning
Compare suitable jurisdictions and legal forms, clarify licensed activities and coordinate agreed application and document steps.
Business setup ↗Bookkeeping and financial statements
Establish the chart of accounts, invoice and bank controls, monthly reconciliations and year-end reporting for the free-zone entity.
Accounting services ↗Annual audit and reporting
Check the authority’s reporting and auditor-appointment process, then plan the audit file, statements and submission timetable.
Free-zone auditors ↗Corporate tax and QFZP
Review the taxable person, income streams, qualifying activities, substance, audited accounts and documentation before relying on free-zone tax treatment.
QFZP assessment ↗VAT for free-zone transactions
Assess supplies and imports by transaction. A free-zone location does not make all sales VAT-free; the designated-zone rules have a narrower purpose.
Free-zone VAT guidance ↗Related-party and systems support
Connect intercompany agreements, transfer-pricing evidence and accounting software to the figures used in returns and financial statements.
Transfer pricing ↗A frequent assumption to test
A free-zone licence does not settle the tax answer.
Corporate tax treatment depends on the taxable person, activities, income, substance and applicable Qualifying Free Zone Person conditions. VAT is assessed separately for the actual supplies and imports. Related-party pricing and audited financial statements may also need attention.
That is why we review the commercial model and evidence before treating a licence description as a tax conclusion. If the business has already started trading, begin with its contracts, invoices, accounts and tax registrations.
Authority-specific guidance
Which free zone issued your licence?
Requirements and auditor-appointment routes are not identical across the UAE. Use the authority guide as a starting point, then confirm the current position for your entity and period.
Common questions
Free-zone company services: FAQs
Start with the legal entity and the work it actually does. A general statement about “free zones” rarely answers a company-specific accounting or tax question.
Ask SAIF about your company →What services does a UAE free-zone company usually need after incorporation?
The work depends on the authority, activity and entity. It commonly includes bookkeeping, financial statements, a Corporate tax assessment and return, VAT registration or returns where applicable, licence renewal and any required audit. Agree responsibilities and deadlines for the specific company.
Is a free-zone company automatically exempt from UAE Corporate tax?
No. Free-zone companies are within the Corporate tax framework. A Qualifying Free Zone Person may benefit from a 0% rate on qualifying income only if the relevant conditions are met. The licence address alone does not establish the result.
Does every free-zone company need an annual audit?
Do not assume one rule for every authority. Check the company regulations, licence and entity type, any current renewal instructions, the Corporate tax audited-statement rules and the requirements of banks or investors. Auditor appointment conditions also differ.
Does VAT apply to a UAE free-zone business?
Potentially, yes. VAT treatment depends on the supplies, goods or services, location, customer and supporting evidence. A free zone and a VAT Designated Zone are not interchangeable labels; review the actual transactions and registration thresholds.
Can a free-zone company trade with mainland customers?
The answer depends on its licensed activities, the way goods or services are supplied and any mainland licensing or customs requirements. Review the proposed trading model before promising customers a route the licence does not support.
What should I send SAIF for a free-zone services proposal?
Share the legal entity name, issuing authority, licence and activity, ownership structure, latest accounts, expected transactions and the immediate question or deadline. For a new company, describe your customers, staff, premises and intended trading model instead.
A useful first conversation
Tell us your authority, activity and next deadline.
We will identify the formation, accounting, audit or tax work that needs attention and agree a practical scope.
