Dubai Airport Free Zone · Dubai
Audit services for DAFZ companies, ready before your licence renewal.
DAFZ sits next to Dubai International Airport and suits businesses that move high-value, time-sensitive goods, along with multinationals that want an office close to the terminal. Quick Ashford audits DAFZ companies, files their corporate tax and VAT returns and keeps their books, for a fee agreed before we start.
- Emirate
- Dubai
- Established
- 1996
- Audited statements filed with the authority
- Every year
About DAFZ
What DAFZ is known for.
DAFZ sits next to Dubai International Airport and suits businesses that move high-value, time-sensitive goods, along with multinationals that want an office close to the terminal.
Typical DAFZ businesses
- Aviation and air freight
- Electronics and pharmaceuticals
- Luxury goods
- Regional offices
Audit requirements
Does a DAFZ company need an audit?
Four situations make audited financial statements necessary. Most companies meet at least one.
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Licence renewal
DAFZ requires its companies to appoint an auditor and submit audited financial statements to the authority each year.
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0% corporate tax
A Qualifying Free Zone Person must have audited financial statements, whatever its revenue. Without them the 0% rate is lost.
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Banks and investors
Banks ask for audited accounts for facilities, account reviews and large transfers. Buyers and investors ask for two or three years.
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Closing the company
Free zone authorities ask for a liquidator’s or auditor’s report and final accounts before they cancel a licence.
Authorities update their filing rules from time to time. We confirm the current requirement for your licence before we quote.
Approved auditors
DAFZ approved auditors: how it works.
DAFZ is regulated by the Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority, whose 2023 regulations require the Registrar to keep a list of approved auditors. DAFZ publishes its auditors list, and a company files its accounts and auditor’s report with the Registrar within 30 days of the audit.
Closing a company
How to liquidate a DAFZ company.
Closing a DAFZ company means settling its obligations, cancelling visas and permits, getting the authority’s clearances, cancelling the licence and deregistering the company with the Federal Tax Authority. We handle the liquidation from the shareholders’ resolution to the final tax deregistration.
- Shareholders’ resolution to dissolve the company and appoint a liquidator
- Notice to creditors, where the authority requires it
- Employee visas, establishment card and permits cancelled
- Lease, utilities and bank account closed, with clearance letters
- Liquidator’s report and final financial statements
- Licence cancelled and the company removed from the register
- VAT deregistration within 30 business days, and corporate tax deregistration within 3 months
What we do
Services for DAFZ companies.
One team for the audit, the tax filings and the books behind them.
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DAFZ audit report
Annual audit of your financial statements to International Standards on Auditing, in the format DAFZ and your bank expect.
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Corporate tax return
Registration, Qualifying Free Zone Person assessment, tax computation and the annual return.
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VAT registration and returns
Registration when you pass the threshold, quarterly returns, refunds and voluntary disclosures.
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Bookkeeping
Monthly books and IFRS financial statements, so the audit and tax return start from clean numbers.
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New company setup
Licence application, visas and bank account for a new DAFZ company or branch.
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Liquidation
Liquidator’s report, clearances, visa cancellation and tax deregistration when a DAFZ company closes.
How we work
From first call to signed report in four steps.
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Free consultation
A 20 minute call or WhatsApp chat about your company, your licence and what is due.
Day 1 -
Fixed-fee proposal
A written scope, timeline and price. No hourly billing and no surprises later.
Within 24 hours -
Fieldwork
Share records by secure upload. We test, reconcile and keep you posted on every open point.
Agreed timeline -
Signed report
Your signed audit report or filed return, delivered in the format your authority requires.
Before your deadline
DAFZ FAQ
Questions from DAFZ companies.
Have a question about your own company? An advisor replies the same working day.
Ask on WhatsApp
Do DAFZ companies need an audit?
DAFZ requires its companies to appoint an auditor and submit audited financial statements to the authority each year. Separately, every Qualifying Free Zone Person must have audited financial statements under the corporate tax rules, whatever its size.
Do DAFZ companies pay corporate tax?
Yes, they are within the UAE corporate tax regime and must register and file a return. A DAFZ company that meets the Qualifying Free Zone Person conditions pays 0% on qualifying income and 9% on other income.
How long does an audit of a DAFZ company take?
For most small and medium companies, one to three weeks once the accounting records are complete. If your licence renewal is close, tell us on the first call and we plan the work around it.
Can you keep the books and file tax returns for a DAFZ company too?
Yes. Many clients use us for monthly bookkeeping, VAT returns and the corporate tax return as well as the annual audit, so the numbers are consistent across all of them.
Can you help set up a new company in DAFZ?
Yes. We handle the application, licence, visas and bank account for new DAFZ companies, and then look after the accounting, tax and audit each year.
Who can audit a DAFZ company?
DAFZ is regulated by the Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority, whose 2023 regulations require the Registrar to keep a list of approved auditors. DAFZ publishes its auditors list, and a company files its accounts and auditor’s report with the Registrar within 30 days of the audit.
Services
The work behind a clean audit.
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ServiceAudit & assurance
Statutory, internal and free zone audits carried out to International Standards on Auditing, with a signed report your bank, free zone and the FTA will accept.
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ServiceCorporate tax & VAT
Registration, returns and advisory for UAE corporate tax, VAT and Pillar Two, so every filing reaches the Federal Tax Authority correct and on time.
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ServiceAccounting & bookkeeping
Monthly bookkeeping and IFRS financial statements kept audit-ready all year, so year end is a review and not a rescue.
Other free zones
We also work with companies in these zones.
- Dubai DMCC Dubai Multi Commodities Centre
- Dubai JAFZA Jebel Ali Free Zone
- Dubai DSO Dubai Silicon Oasis
- Dubai DWC Dubai World Central (Dubai South)
- Dubai IFZA International Free Zone Authority
- Dubai Meydan Meydan Free Zone
- Ras Al Khaimah RAKEZ Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone
- Ajman AFZ Ajman Free Zone
- Sharjah HFZA Hamriyah Free Zone Authority
- Sharjah SAIF Zone Sharjah Airport International Free Zone
- Sharjah SPC Sharjah Publishing City Free Zone
- Sharjah SHAMS Sharjah Media City
- Sharjah SRTIP Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park
- Sharjah USARTC U.S.A. Regional Trade Center Free Zone
Free consultation
Tell us when your DAFZ renewal is due. We will plan around it.
Send a few details and an advisor will call you back within one working day with next steps and a fixed quote. No obligation.
- Call+971 52 202 3984
- WhatsAppChat with an advisor
- Emailadvisor@ashfordmc.com
- OfficeAl Shafar Investment Building 121, Al Quoz Industrial Area 1, Dubai
- HoursSaturday to Thursday, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM