VAT Services in UAE

Value Added Tax for UAE Businesses

The United Arab Emirates introduced a new form of indirect tax called Value Added Tax (VAT) in UAE on 1 January 2018 with a rate of 5 percent on goods & services. The VAT policy assumed by the GCC countries potentially widens the economic scope of the countries by integrating an additional source of revenue in the wake of the oil crisis. This new source of income will be utilised for high-quality public services by shifting to a more sustainable consumption system. It also aims to reduce the government’s dependence on oil and other hydrocarbons as a source of revenue. VAT consultancies in the UAE provide various VAT services across the Emirates easing the activities related to Value Added Tax registration, deregistration, accounting, return filing, advisory services, etc. The implementation of VAT in UAE has brought major changes in the taxation system of the Emirate. Getting proper VAT services in UAE helps businesses to avoid the risk of unnecessary tax payments and maintain accurate VAT records, tracking up-to-date information regarding VAT filing.

What is VAT?

Value Added Tax or VAT is a tax on the expenditure or use of goods and services imposed at each point of sale. The bearers of the cost will eventually be the end-consumer. Organisations are obliged to collect and account for the tax in aid of the government. VAT in UAE is applicable uniformly on tax-registered businesses running both on the UAE mainland and in the free zones.

A taxable supply refers to a delivery of goods or services made by a company in the UAE that may be taxed at a rate of either 5% or 0%.

Difference between Zero-rated & Exempted Tax supplies

Good and Services on which zero-rate (0%) tax rate is levied are Zero-Rated supplies. For zero-rated supplies, input tax can be recovered. Examples:

Exports of goods and services
First sales/rent of residential buildings
Certain educational services and related goods and services

Goods and Services on which VAT is not levied are Exempted supplies. Also, if all your supplies are in the category of exempted supplies, you are not required to register for VAT. And even you cannot claim for Input tax as well.

Financial Services like life insurance
Residential Buildings
Bare Land
Local Passenger Transport

Relevance of VAT Services

Now businesses must have a fresh look at their business model. Proper continuance of accounting records will be one of the initial requirements for any business to endure the new legislation. Appropriate recording of all the invoices, outflows, etc. will be fundamental so that VAT return filing can be made timely without any errors. Only hiring a reliable and experienced VAT consultant can help you ease your VAT processes effectively. To avail the best VAT services in UAE, you need to find a professional VAT consultant who can help you with proper accounting and Value Added Tax Services. At this juncture, outsourcing all accounting services will be the better option for the businesses that lack internal capabilities and sufficient resources to support VAT implementation. A competent VAT consultant improves your business performance, operational efficiency and VAT compliance.

How can VAT services help you grow your business in UAE?

VAT is not an additional burden or cost for the business. In general, every business act as a mediator for the Government. Only the effect is reflected in the cash flow. So, proper planning and effective management of tax collection and its execution will give added value and cash inflows to every business. VAT services help:

To prevent errors in filing tax return.
To claim the input tax paid as per the VAT law.
Provide guidelines to avoid fines and penalties.
Maintain the books of account for five years, as per law.
Conducts the tax audit to safeguard the company from material misstatement.
Get updated and trained regarding the latest changes in the VAT law and its impacts on accounting.
Provide guidelines for the preparation of invoices for sales.

Services Provided by VAT Consultants

VAT compliance issues and control
Minimising VAT liabilities
Identifying risk and proper solutions
Identifying prospective tax planning opportunities
VAT Filing and payment.
Data recording and organization
Accounting & Bookkeeping
Purveyor organization
Client organization

VAT Registration Process

VAT Registration is mandatory for those businesses, whose taxable supplies and imports exceed AED 375,000 per annum. Businesses can voluntarily register for VAT if their taxable supplies and imports exceed AED 187,500 per annum. Basically, a business can opt for any of the two types of UAE VAT Registration process:

1. Mandatory Registration

The threshold for mandatory registration of a business is AED 375,000. But this threshold is not applicable to foreign organisations.

2. Voluntary Registration

The threshold for voluntary registration of a company is AED 187,500.

How to Register for VAT?

Businesses can register for VAT in UAE through the e-Services portal on the FTA website.

VAT Accounting

Businesses are required to maintain proper records to file the VAT returns for your following transactions:

a) Local Sales falling under normal VAT procedure,

b) Taxable Export Sales (GCC Sales),

c) The VAT Exempted sales,

d) Local Purchases and Import Purchases.

d) Zero-rated Export Sales.

VAT Training

It is indispensable that organisations should try to understand the implications of the new taxes and make every endeavour to line up their business model to government reporting and compliance provisos. Businesses may need to make some changes to their mainstay operations, accounting and book-keeping, technology, and maybe even to their human resources to wholly abide by the UAE VAT legislation.

VAT Impact Study

VAT implementation in the UAE has brought some fundamental positive changes to the region that are discussed below.

Amplified lucidity and responsibility
Advanced universal competitiveness
Organisations with sophisticated ICT
Improved functioning competence
New resource of financial support for socio-economic programmes

What is VAT Return Filing?

All the VAT registered organisations or the ‘taxable persons must submit a ‘VAT return’ at the end of each tax period to the Federal Tax Authority (FTA). VAT return filing declares how much VAT is to be paid by the taxpayer or reimbursed by the tax authorities. A VAT return recapitulates the assessment of the supplies and purchases a taxable person has made during the tax period and shows the taxable person’s VAT liability.

What is VAT Liability & How is it Calculated?

VAT Liability is the distinction between the output tax payable (VAT charged on supplies of goods and services) for a specified tax period and the input tax (VAT incurred on purchases) recoverable for the same tax period.

VAT Liability is calculated taking into account the following factors:

The entire sales and purchases of your business in the germane return period
The amount of VAT you owe for sales
The amount of VAT you are able to claim for the purchases made

If the output tax exceeds the input tax amount, the difference must be paid to the FTA. If the input tax exceeds the output tax, the taxable person will have the excess input tax recovered. He will be at liberty to set this off against subsequent payment owing to the FTA.

How to File VAT Return in UAE?

Businesses have to file for tax returns electronically through the FTA portal ‘eservices.tax.gov.ae’ and fill in Form 201:

Particulars of the taxable person
The period of VAT return
VAT on expenses and all other inputs
VAT on sales and all other outputs
Net VAT due
Added Reporting Requirements
Statement and Certified Signatory

VAT Return Form 201

Form 201 is a statement that is required to be made by the taxpayer by the end of every tax period. It involves:

Particulars of the taxable person
The Period of VAT Return
VAT on Expense and All Other Inputs
VAT on Sales and All Other Outputs
Net VAT Due
Added Reporting Requirements
Statement and Certified Signatory

What are the Benefits of Filing VAT Return?

VAT compliance brings goodwill to the business.
Good business collaboration. In effect, many large companies are habitually indisposed to carry out business with non-VAT-registered companies.
The business picture gets highlighted once registered under VAT law.
VAT is easier to administer when compared to any other indirect tax.

When are Businesses Required to File VAT Return?

The standard tax period for VAT return is:

Quarterly for businesses with an annual turnover below AED150 million
Monthly for businesses with an annual turnover of AED150 million or more
The FTA may, at its discretion, allocate a different tax period for a certain type of business

VAT Assessment

The businesses are liable to charge the tax to the customers based on the output and input tax.

Output tax is the VAT collected on selling goods or providing services to the clients. Input tax is the VAT paid on purchasing raw materials for the goods or services.

Hence, the formula for VAT assessment is:

VAT = Output Tax – Input Tax

CDA VAT Services

Ignorance is bliss, but it is a blunder in the case of VAT. Businesses that fail to comply with the rules and regulations of VAT may have to face serious penalties that may harm the goodwill of the business as well as the reputation of the businessman in the market. Besides providing top-notch VAT services in UAE, CDA offers Tax Consultancy Services and Implementation and Tax Reclaim Services at a very reasonable charge. Having a huge number of clients, CDA is acclaimed as a leading platform that has been dealing with VAT services in UAE of start-ups and established businesses across the Emirates. CDA also provides Accounting & BookKeeping Services, Accounts Outsourcing Services, Internal Auditing Services, and a lot more other services related to the business in the UAE.

If you are looking for any services related to VAT in UAE, feel free to contact CDA; our vat consultants will be always there for your assistance to provide the best VAT services across the Emirates.

VAT in UAE