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VAT

The AED 375,000 mandatory and AED 187,500 voluntary thresholds explained, with how to calculate them correctly.

5 min read

Printed tax invoices, a calculator and a tablet showing a growth chart

VAT registration in the UAE depends on the value of your taxable supplies and imports. Getting the timing wrong can lead to late registration penalties, so it pays to monitor your turnover closely.

Mandatory registration: AED 375,000

You must register if the value of your taxable supplies and imports exceeded AED 375,000 over the previous 12 months, or if you expect it to exceed that amount in the next 30 days.

Voluntary registration: AED 187,500

You may register voluntarily if your taxable supplies, imports or taxable expenses exceed AED 187,500. Voluntary registration can help new businesses recover input VAT on setup costs.

What counts towards the threshold?

  • Standard-rated (5%) and zero-rated supplies
  • Imports of goods and services subject to VAT
  • Not exempt supplies, such as certain residential property and some financial services

Use our free VAT calculator

Our VAT calculator helps you add or remove 5% VAT from any amount in seconds. For a registration review, speak to our team.

Ready for books you can rely on?

Book a free 30-minute consultation. We’ll review your current setup and show you exactly what we’d do.