All businesses in the UAE will need to record their financial transactions and ensure that their financial records are accurate and up to date. Businesses that do not think that they should be VAT registered should maintain their financial records in any event, in case to establish whether they should be registered. VAT-registered businesses generally: must charge VAT on taxable goods or services they supply; may reclaim any VAT they’ve paid on business-related goods or services; keep a range of business records which will allow the government to check that they have got things right.

If you’re a VAT-registered business you must report the amount of VAT you’ve charged and the amount of VAT you’ve paid to the government on a regular basis. It will be a formal submission and it is likely that the reporting will be made online.

If you’ve charged more VAT than you’ve paid, you have to pay the difference to the government. If you’ve paid more VAT than you’ve charged, you can reclaim the difference. Furthermore, a business may choose to register for VAT voluntarily if their supplies and imports are less than the mandatory registration threshold, but exceed the voluntary registration threshold. Similarly, a business may register voluntarily if its expenses exceed the voluntary registration threshold. This latter opportunity to register voluntarily is designed to enable start-up businesses with no turnover to register for VAT. The standard rate of the VAT is expected to be 5%. In addition, certain goods and services could be subject to VAT at a rate of 0%, and other goods and services could be exempted from the VAT.

VAT-Introduction

• Value Added Tax (VAT) is due to be implemented in the UAE in January 2018.
• VAT is an indirect tax, that applies to the supply of goods and services. VAT is levied at each stage in the supply chain and is collected by registered business on behalf of government.
• Businesses and individuals engaged in any business activity whose turnover exceeds the mandatory VAT registration threshold (AED 375,000) must register for VAT.
• Furthermore, a business may choose to register for VAT voluntarily if their supplies and imports are less than the mandatory registration threshold, but exceed the voluntary registration threshold of AED 187,500.
• Similarly, a business may register voluntarily if their expenses exceed the voluntary registration threshold. This latter opportunity to register voluntarily is designed to enable start-up businesses with no turnover to register for VAT.
• The standard rate of VAT is expected to be 5%. In addition, certain goods and services could be subject to VAT at a rate of 0%, and other goods and services could be exempted from VAT.

VAT Related Responsibilities of Businesses

• All businesses in the UAE will need to record their financial transactions and ensure that their financial records are accurate and up to date. Businesses that do not think that they should be VAT registered should maintain their financial records in any event, in case to establish whether they should be registered.
• VAT-registered businesses generally:

1. must charge VAT on taxable goods or services they supply;
2. may reclaim any VAT they’ve paid on business-related goods or services;
3. keep a range of business records which will allow the government to check that they have got things right

• If you’re a VAT-registered business you must report the amount of VAT you’ve charged and the amount of VAT you’ve paid to the government on a regular basis. It will be a formal submission and it is likely that the reporting will be made online.
• If you’ve charged more VAT than you’ve paid, you have to pay the difference to the government. If you’ve paid more VAT than you’ve charged, you can reclaim the difference.