FTA Intensifies Awareness Campaign For Corporate Tax Registration Before March 2025 Deadline

The Federal Tax Authority (FTA) is actively working to inform individuals about the necessity of registering for corporate tax. This registration must be completed by March 2025 to avoid penalties. The FTA has initiated an SMS campaign in partnership with e& and Du, the UAE's primary telecom providers, to spread this message.

According to the FTA, individuals conducting business in the UAE with annual revenue exceeding AED1 million are required to register for corporate tax. This applies whether they are sole proprietors or part of a joint venture. Registration should be completed by March 31st of the year following the year when revenue surpassed AED1 million.

Khalid Ali Al Bustani, Director-General of the FTA, stated, "The SMS campaign is part of a comprehensive plan that we started implementing several months ago - in collaboration with the departments of economic development and the relevant authorities across the country. These reminders serve to educate, encourage, and assist natural persons who are subject to corporate tax and have not yet registered to do so, within the legal period ending 31st March 2025. In doing so, taxpayers will avoid late registration-related administrative fines."

The FTA's awareness efforts include traditional media and social media platforms. The aim is to reach as many stakeholders as possible through their preferred communication channels. This initiative is part of a broader strategy involving government and private sector partners to enhance tax compliance.

The first taxable period for individuals engaged in business activities begins in 2024. For instance, if a person earns over AED1 million by July 31st, 2024, they must register for corporate tax by March 31st, 2025. Failure to register within this timeframe results in a AED10,000 fine.

EmaraTax provides digital services for VAT or Excise Tax registrants around the clock. Users can complete their corporate tax registration online and obtain a registration number through this platform.

Accessing Tax Resources

New users can create an account on EmaraTax by visiting https://eservices.tax.gov.ae/. After setting up their profile with an email and phone number, they can proceed with corporate tax registration.

The FTA also offers registration services at various Government Service Delivery Centres (Tas’heel Centres) across the UAE. These centres provide assistance for those needing help with their applications.

Additionally, taxpayers can find comprehensive resources on the FTA website. This includes access to Corporate Tax Law documents, executive decisions, guidelines, general clarifications, and other publications like the Guidance Manual on Registration of Natural Persons (CTGRNP1).

The FTA's ongoing efforts include sending over 405,000 awareness messages between January and March 2025. These messages were distributed via emails and SMS to registered individuals alongside press releases across UAE media outlets.

With inputs from WAM