| Service | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Bookkeeping, small company, per monthDepends on transactions per month and the state of the records. | AED 500–2,000 |
| VAT registrationThrough the FTA portal. Faster when the books are ready. | AED 500–1,500 |
| Quarterly VAT returnLate filing carries fixed penalties (see tax.gov.ae). | AED 300–1,000 |
| Corporate Tax registrationRequired even for companies expecting to pay nothing. | AED 500–1,500 |
| Corporate Tax returnDue within nine months of year end. | AED 1,500–5,000 |
| Annual financial statementsUnaudited statements prepared from the ledger. | AED 2,000–6,000 |
| Audit, small companyRequired by some free zones. The auditor must be licensed. | AED 3,000–10,000 |
| Payroll and WPS processing, per monthSmall team. Price rises per employee. | AED 300–1,000 |
Indicative market ranges in AED, excluding 5% VAT unless stated. Not government tariffs and not quotes: always ask for a written quote.
What moves the price
- Transaction volume. Bookkeeping is priced on how many entries and bank lines the accountant handles each month.
- State of the records. A year of unsorted receipts is priced as catch-up work.
- Foreign currency and multiple banks. Each extra account and currency adds reconciliation time.
- Tax-agent sign-off. Work signed by an FTA-registered tax agent costs more than data entry.
- Software. Cloud tools such as Zoho Books or Xero cost AED 50 to 250 a month and cut bookkeeping time.
How to read these prices
These are indicative ranges compiled by the Moathaq editorial team from published rate cards, public tariffs and typical market prices. They are not government tariffs and they are not quotes. Last reviewed: October 2026. Your quote will differ, so always ask for a written quote before work starts.
These are fees charged by accounting firms and tax agents to small UAE companies, not tax amounts. Corporate Tax is 9 percent on taxable income above AED 375,000, and VAT is 5 percent. The fees here are what you pay someone to keep the books and file correctly. They are typical Dubai prices; in the other emirates they are often similar or somewhat lower, while the tax rules themselves are federal and the same in every emirate.
Our guide to Corporate Tax and VAT registration for new companies lists the thresholds and deadlines behind the line items.
How to get a fair quote
Ask what the monthly fee covers and what is billed on top: extra transactions, catch-up work and FTA correspondence. Ask who the registered tax agent is, and whether that person signs your returns.
A fixed monthly fee is easier to budget than hourly billing. Our guide to choosing an accountant lists ten questions to ask before signing.
Red flags
Be careful too with a firm that holds your records during a fee dispute. Your ledger and filed returns are yours.
Frequently asked questions
How much does bookkeeping cost for a small UAE company?
Typically AED 500 to 2,000 a month in 2026, depending on the number of transactions and bank accounts.
What is the penalty for late VAT registration?
A fixed penalty set by the Federal Tax Authority; the amounts were revised in April 2026, so check tax.gov.ae. Register within 30 days of crossing AED 375,000 in taxable supplies.
