Catch-up bookkeeping · UAE
Catch up years of bookkeeping before UAE Corporate Tax
If your UAE books are behind, rebuild them from your bank statements and old ledger exports, review every drafted entry, confirm each month's closing bank balance, then give the clean records to your accountant or tax agent for the Corporate Tax return. ZeroFin's historical import, on the Growth plan and up, drafts balanced entries from PDF, Excel or CSV files into a staging area you review before anything posts to your books.
Last checked · Zerofin LLC
Why do UAE businesses need up-to-date books for Corporate Tax?
Because the Corporate Tax return, the Small Business Relief election and any FTA audit all depend on records you can show. UAE Corporate Tax is 0% on taxable income up to AED 375,000 and 9% above it, and the return is due within nine months of the end of each tax period.
| Rule | What it says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Corporate Tax rate | 0% up to AED 375,000 of taxable income; 9% above | u.ae |
| Return deadline | Within 9 months of the end of the tax period | Corporate Tax Law, Article 53 |
| Record keeping | Keep records for 7 years after the end of the tax period they relate to | Corporate Tax Law, Article 56 |
| Penalty for not keeping records | AED 10,000, or AED 20,000 for a repeat within 24 months | Cabinet Decision 75 of 2023 |
| Arabic translation on request | AED 5,000 if you can't provide it when the FTA asks | Cabinet Decision 75 of 2023 |
| Small Business Relief | Available for revenue of AED 3 million or less, for tax periods ending on or before 31 December 2029 | Ministerial Decision 131 of 2026 |
Small Business Relief still needs books
The FTA says businesses claiming the relief must still register, file a simplified return within nine months and keep records showing revenue stayed at or under AED 3 million in that period and every earlier one. The relief now runs to periods ending 31 December 2029 (Ministerial Decision 131 of 2026), although the FTA's small business tax bulletin still shows the old date of 31 December 2026.
What should I gather before I start?
Collect for every year you need to rebuild
- Bank statements for every account, every month (PDF, or Excel/CSV exports from online banking)
- Statements for company credit cards and payment wallets
- Exports from any earlier accounting software or spreadsheets
- Sales invoices you issued and supplier bills you received
- Payroll records, such as salary transfer files
- Loan, investor and shareholder agreements, and capital injections
- Invoices for equipment and other fixed assets
- VAT returns already filed, if you are VAT-registered
- Your last approved accounts or opening balances
- Your trade licence and financial year-end
How does ZeroFin rebuild past years?
- 1
Set up your organization
Choose the UAE and AED. Set your financial year-end (ZeroFin supports December or June today) and enter your opening balances.
- 2
Upload your files
Import bank statements or ledger exports as PDF, Excel (.xlsx) or CSV, up to 25 MB per file. Save older .xls files as .xlsx first.
- 3
Let the AI draft the entries
ZeroFin reads each file and drafts balanced double-entry journal entries into a staging area. Nothing posts yet.
- 4
Review and approve
Go through the drafts, fix accounts and descriptions, add VAT where it applies, and approve. Approved entries post to your ledger.
- 5
Check each month's closing bank balance
Compare your ledger's bank balance at each month-end with the bank statement. ZeroFin does not do this check for you yet, so it is your control.
- 6
Run reports and hand them over
Produce the profit and loss, balance sheet, cash flow statement and trial balance for each year, and give them to your accountant or tax agent.
The closing-balance check matters
If the ledger's bank balance at month-end doesn't match the statement, something is missing or duplicated. Find it before you move on to the next month. A rebuilt year that doesn't tie to the bank is not ready for a tax return.
Which accounting basis should my books use?
It depends on your revenue, and your accountant should confirm it. Under the Corporate Tax rules, businesses with revenue up to AED 3 million may prepare financial statements on a cash basis, and those up to AED 50 million may use IFRS for SMEs. Others use full IFRS.
Audited financial statements are required for Corporate Tax if your revenue is above AED 50 million and for every Qualifying Free Zone Person, whatever its size. Your free zone or company rules may require an audit as well. If you need an audit, your rebuilt books are the starting point for the auditor, not a substitute.
Who prepares and files the return?
You do, usually through your accountant or a tax agent registered with the Federal Tax Authority. ZeroFin does not prepare or file Corporate Tax or VAT returns. What it gives your adviser is a clean, reviewed ledger and standard reports, which usually means fewer questions and less clean-up on their side.
What does catch-up in ZeroFin cost?
Historical import is on Growth ($25 a month, about AED 92) and Scale ($50, about AED 184). Growth includes 3 users and 1,000 AI transactions a month. Billing is in US dollars. The free first month is on Lite, which does not include historical import, so move to Growth when you are ready to import.
After the catch-up, you can keep the books current with ZeroFin Mr. Accountant and ask ZeroFin Mr. CFO about cash, burn and your VAT balance. For a general guide to the process, read how to clean up messy books, and for the Corporate Tax checklist, prepare your books for UAE Corporate Tax.
What ZeroFin does not do in the UAE and Saudi Arabia
- It does not check imported entries against your bank's closing balances. You do that step.
- It does not prepare or file Corporate Tax or VAT returns, and it is not a tax agent.
- It does not produce audited financial statements.
- It supports a December or June financial year-end only.
- It is not on the FTA's software register and has no Arabic interface. See everything that works today.
Frequently asked questions
How do I catch up on years of missed bookkeeping in the UAE?
Gather bank statements and old records for each year, rebuild the entries, check each month's closing bank balance and give the reports to your accountant or tax agent. ZeroFin's historical import drafts the entries for you to review.
Can I rebuild my books from old bank statements?
Yes. On Growth and above, upload bank statements as PDF, Excel (.xlsx) or CSV, up to 25 MB per file. ZeroFin drafts balanced entries for you to review before they post.
How long must I keep records for UAE Corporate Tax?
Seven years after the end of the tax period they relate to (Corporate Tax Law, Article 56).
Do I still need books if I claim Small Business Relief?
Yes. You must register, file a simplified return within nine months and keep records proving your revenue was AED 3 million or less.
Does ZeroFin file my Corporate Tax return?
No. ZeroFin prepares the books and reports; your accountant or a registered tax agent files the return.
Sources
- u.ae: UAE Corporate Tax rates
- Federal Decree-Law 47 of 2022 on Corporate Tax, consolidated (Articles 53 and 56)
- Ministerial Decision 131 of 2026 extending Small Business Relief to 31 December 2029
- Federal Tax Authority, 3 August 2026: Small Business Relief claimants must still file
- Federal Tax Authority: Corporate Tax bulletin for small businesses (still shows the 2026 end date)
- Ministerial Decision 114 of 2023 on accounting standards (cash basis and IFRS for SMEs)
- Ministerial Decision 84 of 2025 on audited financial statements
- Cabinet Decision 75 of 2023 on Corporate Tax penalties
- Federal Tax Authority: registered tax agents
Rebuild your past years in ZeroFin
Historical import is on the Growth plan and up. Prices are in US dollars, billed monthly or yearly.