Is your UAE business ready for FTA, WPS, and Corporate Tax?
The UAE has layered compliance requirements — VAT, Corporate Tax, WPS payroll, and RERA for real estate. One missed deadline attracts FTA penalties that can reach AED 50,000+.
Zoho handles all of it natively. Orpheus configures it for your business — correctly, the first time.
UAE Compliance Status
Current regulatory snapshot
FTA VAT
Quarterly returns mandatory
Corporate Tax 9%
Effective June 2023
WPS Payroll
10-day deadline per cycle
Non-compliance exposure
FTA penalties for late registration or filing
Every UAE compliance requirement — and how Zoho handles it
These aren't optional. The UAE has a penalty-backed compliance framework. Here's what applies to your business and the Zoho product that covers each area.
UAE VAT — 5%
All businesses with taxable turnover above AED 375,000 must register, issue FTA-compliant tax invoices, and file quarterly VAT returns.
- FTA-compliant tax invoices
- Quarterly VAT return filing
- Tax group registration
- Input tax credit tracking
- 5-year record retention
Corporate Tax 9%
Applies to businesses with taxable income above AED 375,000. Annual CT returns must be filed within 9 months of financial year-end.
- Deductible expense categorisation
- Transfer pricing documentation
- Audit-ready financial statements
- CT return within 9 months of FY
- Small Business Relief assessment
WPS Payroll
All private sector employees must be paid via electronic transfer within 10 days of salary period end. Non-compliance suspends your business licence.
- SIF file generation for MOHRE
- 10-day payment deadline
- UAE Labour Law gratuity
- Annual leave accruals
- Salary payment confirmation
Real Estate Compliance
Dubai real estate agencies must track RERA-registered agents, Ejari tenancy contracts, DLD transaction fees, and commission disclosures.
- RERA agent & commission records
- Ejari tenancy registration
- DLD transaction documentation
- Commission split tracking
- VAT on agency commissions
Progress Billing & Retention
UAE construction contracts require milestone-based billing, retention holdbacks (typically 5–10%), and subcontractor payment certification — each with VAT implications.
- Milestone-based progress invoicing
- Retention holdback tracking
- Subcontractor payment certs
- VAT on progress payments
- Budget variance reporting
AML & UBO Register
UAE businesses must maintain an Ultimate Beneficial Owner register, comply with Anti-Money Laundering reporting, and enforce cash transaction limits (AED 55,000 cap).
- UBO register — current & accessible
- AED 55,000 cash transaction limit
- Suspicious transaction reporting
- Customer due diligence records
- Trade licence & contract storage
Which Zoho app covers which compliance requirement
Each compliance area maps to a specific Zoho product. Orpheus implements them as one connected system — not a patchwork of standalone tools.
Zoho Books
Learn moreUAE VAT 5%
FTA-compliant invoices, return preparation, tax groups
Corporate Tax 9%
Expense categorisation, audit-ready financials, CT return
FTA Audit Trail
5-year record retention, transaction history, VAT ledger
Multi-currency
AED, USD, EUR — auto exchange rates with FTA reporting
Zoho People
Learn moreWPS Payroll
SIF file generation, payment within 10-day deadline
Gratuity Calculation
UAE Labour Law end-of-service gratuity, auto-computed
Annual Leave
UAE Labour Law leave accruals, encashment on exit
Employee Records
Visa tracking, Emirates ID, passport expiry alerts
Zoho CRM
Learn moreRERA Pipeline
Dubai real estate deal stages, RERA commission tracking
Agent Management
RERA-registered broker records, split commissions
Ejari Milestones
Tenancy contract stages, renewal tracking
VAT on Commissions
5% VAT applied to agency commissions, invoice-ready
Zoho Projects
Learn moreProgress Billing
Milestone-based invoicing for construction contracts
Retention Tracking
Retention holdback amounts per contract, release schedule
Subcontractor Payments
Payment certifications, work completion tracking
VAT on Billing
5% VAT on each progress invoice, linked to Zoho Books
Zoho Creator
Learn moreCustom Compliance Workflows
Industry-specific approvals, DLD registration tracking
Document Management
Trade licence, visa, and contract storage with expiry alerts
Approval Chains
Multi-level approvals for purchases exceeding AED thresholds
Audit Dashboards
Real-time compliance status dashboards for management
Can your business pass an FTA audit today?
Use this checklist to identify compliance gaps before FTA does. Every item marked unchecked is a potential penalty. Orpheus closes all of them as part of implementation.
VAT Readiness
- FTA VAT registration number visible on all tax invoices
- Invoice contains buyer TRN, line-item VAT amounts, and total
- VAT returns filed quarterly — within 28 days of period end
- Input tax credits claimed only on eligible business expenses
- All purchase invoices retained for minimum 5 years
- Tax group registration completed if multiple legal entities
Corporate Tax Readiness
- Financial year-end confirmed and CT filing deadline calculated
- Chart of accounts separates deductible and non-deductible expenses
- Related-party transactions documented (transfer pricing)
- Qualifying Free Zone status assessed and documented if applicable
- Small Business Relief eligibility checked (under AED 3M revenue)
- Audit-trail on all transactions maintained in accounting software
WPS Payroll Readiness
- All employees registered in MOHRE WPS system
- Payroll processed via UAE Central Bank-approved channel
- Salary Information File (SIF) generated before payment
- Payroll paid within 10 days of each salary period end
- Gratuity accruals calculated per UAE Labour Law formula
- Annual leave balances tracked and encashable on exit
Record Keeping & Audit
- Transaction records accessible for minimum 5 years (FTA requirement)
- Bank statements reconciled to accounting ledger monthly
- Intercompany transactions documented with supporting invoices
- Cash transactions above AED 55,000 not accepted (UAE AML law)
- Ultimate Beneficial Owner (UBO) register updated and current
- Trade licence, lease agreements, and key contracts stored securely
Not sure how many of these you're missing?
Book a free 30-minute compliance audit call. We'll review your current setup and tell you exactly where you stand.
UAE compliance — answered
Questions from UAE businesses about FTA, WPS, Corporate Tax, and how Zoho handles each requirement.
Yes. Zoho Books is fully FTA-compliant and supports UAE VAT 5% tax invoices with all mandatory FTA fields, tax group consolidation for related entities, VAT return preparation in FTA-compatible format, and 5-year audit trail record keeping. It has been used by thousands of UAE businesses since VAT was introduced in January 2018.
Stop worrying about the next FTA deadline.
Orpheus implements Zoho for UAE businesses with compliance built in from day one. VAT, Corporate Tax, WPS payroll — configured correctly, the first time.
Compliance-first configuration
Every Zoho setup we deliver is configured for UAE regulatory requirements from day one — not retrofitted later.
4-hour response SLA
Post-go-live compliance questions answered within 4 business hours. UAE support, Dubai time.
Free compliance audit call
30-minute call to assess your current setup against UAE FTA, WPS, and Corporate Tax requirements.
Zoho Authorized Partner · DED-registered in Dubai · 4-hour response SLA
Not just a Zoho reseller. A delivery partner.
Anyone can sell a Zoho licence. We configure it for your business, train your team, and support you for 3 months after go-live — all for a fixed price agreed upfront.
DED-registered Dubai business
We're not a remote agency. Our team is based in the UAE, available for on-site visits, and understands the local market.
Zoho Authorized Partner
Certified by Zoho directly — not a reseller. We have trained consultants, not just salespeople configuring from a demo script.
Hackathon 2025 winners
Our team won the Zoho Creator Hackathon 2025 — proof of developer depth, not just point-and-click configuration.
Fixed-price packages — no change orders
You know the cost upfront. We scope carefully and don't bill surprises. Every package includes training and go-live support.
3-month post-go-live AMC included
Most partners disappear after handover. We include 3 months of support, adjustments, and check-ins in every implementation.