Your First Corporate Tax Return: A Checklist

By Shihabudeen Pattasseri, FTA-Registered Tax Agent (TAAN 20056925) · Updated 2026-11-03

Your first Corporate Tax return is the one that sets the pattern. Getting it right — and on time — avoids penalties and makes every future return easier. Here is a practical checklist to work through.

Before the period ends

• Confirm you are registered and have your Corporate Tax registration number
• Check your financial year and the resulting filing deadline
• Review eligibility for Small Business Relief or free zone status
• Make sure your bookkeeping is up to date and reconciled

Preparing the return

• Finalise IFRS financial statements for the period
• Adjust accounting profit for tax: entertainment (50%), interest limitation, non-deductibles
• Apply exempt income and any reliefs
• Review related party and connected person transactions for transfer pricing
• Prepare supporting workings for every adjustment

Filing and paying

• File the return on EmaraTax within nine months of year end
• Pay any tax due by the same deadline
• Keep the return, workings and records for at least seven years

After filing

Diarise next year's deadline, and keep records current through the year rather than rebuilding them at filing time. If anything was uncertain this year, resolve it now so next year is cleaner.

Frequently asked questions

When is my first Corporate Tax return due?

Within nine months of the end of your first tax period. For a 31 December 2025 year end, that is 30 September 2026.

What adjustments do I make to accounting profit?

Common ones include limiting entertainment to 50%, applying the interest cap, adding back non-deductibles, and removing exempt income.

Do I need financial statements to file?

Yes. The return is based on financial statements for the period, prepared under IFRS.

← All insights