In short
Under Ministerial Decision 84 of 2025, taxable persons with revenue above AED 50 million in a tax period and every qualifying free zone person must prepare and keep audited financial statements for corporate tax, for tax periods starting on or after 1 January 2025. Tax groups prepare audited special purpose statements.
Corporate tax added a new reason to have accounts audited. Ministerial Decision 84 of 2025 sets out who must prepare and maintain audited financial statements for corporate tax purposes. It replaced Ministerial Decision 82 of 2023 for tax periods starting on or after 1 January 2025.
Who must have audited statements
| Taxable person | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Revenue above AED 50 million in the tax period (not a tax group) | Audited financial statements |
| Qualifying free zone person | Audited financial statements at any revenue level |
| Tax group | Audited special purpose financial statements in the form the FTA sets |
| Non-resident with a UAE permanent establishment or nexus | Revenue test applied to UAE attributable revenue only |
Tax periods that started before 1 January 2025 remain under Ministerial Decision 82 of 2023, which applied the same AED 50 million and qualifying free zone person tests.
Qualifying free zone persons
The 0% rate on qualifying income depends on several conditions, and audited statements are one of them. In ADGM, a small company may be exempt from audit under company law, but a qualifying free zone person still needs audited statements to keep the 0% rate.
How it fits with other audit rules
- Commercial Companies Law: every mainland LLC and joint stock company must have its accounts audited each year under Article 27, whatever its revenue.
- Free zones: most free zones have their own audit rules, usually linked to licence renewal.
- ICV and DMT classification: both rely on audited statements, so one well planned audit can serve tax, ICV and classification together.
Timing against the tax return
The corporate tax return and payment are due nine months after the tax period ends. Where an audit is required, the audited figures should be final before the return is prepared, so for a 31 December year end the audit should be signed well before 30 September.
Our audit team and corporate tax team work from the same file, so the audited accounts and the return agree.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need audited statements for corporate tax if my revenue is below AED 50 million?
Not under Ministerial Decision 84 of 2025, unless you are a qualifying free zone person. You may still need an audit under the Commercial Companies Law or your free zone’s rules.
Does a qualifying free zone person with low revenue need an audit?
Yes. The requirement applies to every qualifying free zone person, whatever its revenue.
Which decision applies to my 2024 tax period?
Tax periods that started before 1 January 2025 fall under Ministerial Decision 82 of 2023; later periods fall under Ministerial Decision 84 of 2025.
Sources: Ministerial Decision 84 of 2025, Ministerial Decision 82 of 2023, Federal Decree-Law 32 of 2021 (Article 27), ADGM Registration Authority guidance on qualifying free zone persons. Reviewed by the ZS tax and audit team, October 2026.
Need help with this? ZS is an FTA approved tax agency in Abu Dhabi. See our external audit service or book a free one hour consultation.
