Corporate Tax Record Keeping Requirements

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

Corporate Tax is calculated from your financial records, and the FTA can ask to see them. Keeping the right records for the right length of time is both a legal requirement and your best protection in a review.

What you must keep

• Financial statements and the accounting records behind them
• Invoices, contracts and supporting documents for income and expenses
• Records supporting any reliefs or exemptions claimed
• Transfer pricing documentation where required
• Records supporting free zone qualifying income, if applicable

How long to keep records

Records and supporting documents must generally be kept for at least seven years after the end of the tax period for Corporate Tax. Real estate records are kept longer. The safest approach is a consistent retention policy across VAT and Corporate Tax.

Why it matters

A deduction, relief or qualifying-income claim the FTA cannot verify is one it can disallow. Good records turn a reasonable position into a defensible one, and make any audit faster and less stressful.

Practical tips

• Keep digital copies organised by period
• Reconcile the accounts monthly so the trail is complete
• Store transfer pricing and relief evidence with the return it supports

Frequently asked questions

How long must Corporate Tax records be kept?

Generally at least seven years after the end of the relevant tax period, and longer for real estate records.

What records does the FTA expect?

Financial statements, the underlying accounting records, invoices and contracts, and evidence supporting any reliefs or exemptions claimed.

Can records be kept digitally?

Yes, provided they are complete, legible and can be produced to the FTA on request.

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