Guides

UAE bookkeeping and tax, in plain English

The rules a UAE small business actually has to follow: VAT, corporate tax, e-invoicing and free zone status. Every rate, threshold and deadline is checked against Federal Tax Authority and Ministry of Finance sources, and each guide says when it was last reviewed.

VAT guide

How to file a VAT return in the UAE: the VAT 201, box by box

A plain-English guide to the UAE VAT return for small businesses: tax periods, the 28-day deadline, what goes in each box of the FTA VAT 201 form, common mistakes and penalties.

Updated 2026-09-08

VAT guide

When do you have to register for VAT in the UAE? The AED 375,000 threshold explained

The UAE mandatory VAT registration threshold is AED 375,000 and the voluntary threshold is AED 187,500. What counts toward it, the 30-day rule, and how to track it before it bites.

Updated 2026-09-08

Corporate tax guide

UAE corporate tax for small businesses: the 9% rate, the AED 375,000 band and Small Business Relief

What UAE corporate tax means for a small business in 2026: who registers, the 0% and 9% bands, Small Business Relief up to AED 3 million (now extended to 2029), filing nine months after year end, and the books you need.

Updated 2026-09-08

E-invoicing guide

UAE e-invoicing: the 2026 to 2027 timeline and what small businesses have to do

The UAE e-invoicing mandate explained: the Peppol-based five-corner model, Accredited Service Providers, the 1 January 2027 start for businesses over AED 50 million, the 1 July 2027 deadline for everyone else, and how to prepare.

Updated 2026-09-08

Free zone guide

Bookkeeping and tax for UAE free zone companies: what is actually different from mainland

Free zone companies in the UAE pay corporate tax and VAT like everyone else unless they meet specific conditions. This guide covers Qualifying Free Zone Person status, the 0% rate, the de minimis rule, designated zones for VAT, audit requirements and what your books need to show.

Updated 2026-09-08

How-to guide

How to connect Claude or ChatGPT to your books with Midnight Ledger

Step-by-step: add Midnight Ledger as an MCP connector in Claude or ChatGPT, sign in, pick your company, and ask about overdue invoices, VAT due or profit in plain English. What the assistant can and cannot do with your books.

Updated 2026-09-08

Comparisons

Midnight Ledger against the tools you already know

vs Zoho Books

Choose Midnight Ledger if you are a services or trading business that wants VAT, corporate tax and WPS payroll handled in one simple product, with AI reading your receipts, and you would rather not learn an accounting package.

vs QuickBooks Online

Choose Midnight Ledger if you want VAT, corporate tax and UAE payroll in one place, prefer AI to do the data entry, and want a tool that assumes you are a business owner rather than a bookkeeper.

vs Xero

Choose Midnight Ledger if you want the VAT 201, corporate tax estimate and WPS payroll produced natively, with AI receipts, priced in dirhams and free while your books are small.