Audit fees in Dubai: what an annual audit costs by company size
By the Decent Accounting tax team · Updated · 6 min read
Across the Dubai market, an external audit for a small or free zone company typically costs AED 5,000 to 15,000 a year. Companies with AED 2 to 10 million in revenue usually pay AED 10,000 to 25,000, and mid-size companies AED 25,000 to 50,000. The final fee depends on how clean your books are, how complex the business is and how quickly you need the report. Our own audit report fee is set by annual turnover and starts from AED 2,000 a year (excl. VAT).
Key points
- Market audit fees range from about AED 5,000 to AED 50,000 a year for SMEs (excl. VAT).
- The state of your books is the biggest cost factor you control.
- Qualifying Free Zone Persons and businesses with revenue above AED 50 million need audited statements for corporate tax.
- Many free zones require audited accounts for licence renewal.
- The audit opinion must be signed by an independent registered auditor. We prepare your audit report with an approved audit firm, from AED 2,000 a year for turnover up to AED 3 million.
Typical audit fees in Dubai
These ranges come from prices published by Dubai firms, reviewed in October 2026. They exclude 5% VAT. The bands overlap because company size is only one factor.
| Company profile | Typical annual audit fee (AED, excl. VAT) |
|---|---|
| Small company or free zone licence renewal audit | 5,000 to 15,000 |
| Revenue of AED 2 to 10 million | 10,000 to 25,000 |
| Mid-size company | 25,000 to 50,000 |
| Larger companies and groups | Quoted case by case, usually above these ranges |
Separately, the cost of getting your books audit-ready can be larger than the audit fee itself if records are behind. That work is bookkeeping, not audit, and it is worth budgeting for.
Who needs an audit in the UAE
| Situation | Is an audit required? |
|---|---|
| Qualifying Free Zone Person (QFZP) | Yes, for corporate tax |
| Taxable person with revenue above AED 50 million | Yes, for corporate tax |
| Free zone company renewing its licence | Often. Many free zones, including DMCC and JAFZA, require audited accounts. Check your own free zone's current rule |
| Mainland LLC | UAE company law generally requires companies to appoint an auditor. Banks, investors and tenders often ask for audited accounts too |
| Business claiming Small Business Relief | Not for corporate tax purposes, but other rules above may still apply |
What drives the audit fee
State of your books
Auditors price for the time they expect to spend. Unreconciled bank accounts, missing invoices and unexplained balances mean more testing and more queries. Books that are reconciled every month and closed properly at year end are the cheapest to audit.
Revenue and transaction volume
More revenue usually means more transactions, customers and suppliers to test. That is why fee bands follow revenue.
Stock
If you hold inventory, the auditor may need to attend or review your year-end stock count and test how stock is valued. This adds time.
Related parties and group structures
Loans to shareholders, sales to sister companies and consolidated accounts all need extra work and disclosures.
First-year audits
A first audit, or a change of auditor, means checking opening balances. Expect the first year to cost more than later years.
Complex revenue or contracts
Long-term projects, subscriptions, real estate and multi-element contracts need more judgement under IFRS and more testing.
Deadline pressure
An audit needed in two weeks for a licence renewal or bank deadline costs more than one planned months ahead.
Free zone renewal audits
Free zone companies often meet audits for the first time at licence renewal. A few points to plan for:
- Each free zone sets its own rules, including which auditors it accepts. Some only accept reports from auditors on their approved list.
- The audited accounts must cover the right financial year and use the company name exactly as registered.
- Leave enough time. Start several weeks before your renewal date, longer if your books need catching up.
- QFZP status depends on audited statements. If you rely on 0% corporate tax on qualifying income, the audit is a tax requirement too, not just a licence one. See our free zone corporate tax page.
Our free zone audit report service covers preparing the accounts and audit file, and your audit report with an approved audit firm, for renewal.
How to compare audit quotes
Two audit quotes for the same company can differ a lot. Before you compare prices, check that they cover the same thing:
- Is the auditor accepted by your free zone or the body asking for the report?
- What is included? Some quotes cover only the audit opinion. Others include help with year-end adjustments or the notes to the financial statements.
- How many hours of queries are included, and what happens if your books need more work than expected?
- Is stock count attendance included if you hold inventory?
- What is the timetable? Ask when fieldwork starts and when you will receive the signed report.
- Is VAT shown separately? Most quotes exclude 5% VAT.
A low quote that assumes perfect books can grow quickly once the auditor finds gaps. A realistic quote based on the actual state of your records is easier to budget for.
How to prepare for your audit
The more of this list is ready on day one, the lower the fee and the shorter the audit.
- Close your books for the year. All sales, purchases and expenses recorded.
- Reconcile every bank account, and get year-end bank statements and confirmation letters.
- List who owes you and who you owe at year end, with ageing.
- Update your fixed asset register with additions, disposals and depreciation.
- Count your stock at year end and keep the count sheets.
- Gather legal documents: trade licence, Memorandum and Articles of Association, share certificates, and any changes during the year.
- Collect key contracts: leases, loan agreements, major customer and supplier contracts.
- Calculate employee provisions, including end-of-service gratuity.
- Reconcile VAT returns to your ledger and have your corporate tax registration details ready.
- List related parties and all transactions with them.
- Prepare a trial balance and draft financial statements under IFRS.
Where we fit in
We don't sign audit opinions ourselves. The opinion has to come from an independent auditor approved by the Ministry of Economy and, for free zone companies, by your free zone. We prepare your audit report with an approved audit firm, and our fee covers the audit report. What we do:
- Bring your bookkeeping up to date and reconcile every account.
- Prepare year-end adjustments and draft financial statements.
- Put together the audit file the auditor will ask for.
- Answer auditor queries and work with the approved audit firm until your audit report is signed.
Our audit report fee is set by your annual turnover. Prices are per year, excluding 5% VAT.
| Annual turnover | Our audit report fee (AED a year, excl. VAT) |
|---|---|
| Up to AED 3 million | 2,000 |
| AED 3 to 5 million | 3,000 |
| AED 5 to 10 million | 3,500 |
| AED 10 to 20 million | 4,500 |
| AED 20 to 30 million | 5,000 |
| AED 30 to 40 million | 5,500 |
| AED 40 to 50 million | 6,000 |
| Over AED 50 million | Custom quote |
If your books need catching up before the audit, that work is quoted after a short review.
Reconciled books and a complete file cut the auditor's time and the number of back-and-forth queries, which is where most of the fee goes. See our audit report service, and our accounting service in Dubai for year-round books that are ready for audit.
Estimate your costs
Our audit report fee follows the turnover bands above, so you can plan it in advance. To see what bookkeeping, year-end accounts and your audit report would cost together, get an instant estimate. For licence renewals, start with our free zone audit service.
Frequently asked questions
Can my accountant also audit my accounts?
No. The auditor must be independent of whoever keeps your books and prepares your financial statements. Your accountant prepares the accounts, and a separate registered auditor examines them and signs the opinion.
How long does an audit take?
For a small company with reconciled books and a complete document pack, fieldwork can often be finished within a few weeks of the auditor receiving everything. Missing records and late answers to queries are the usual causes of delay.
Do I need an audit if I claim Small Business Relief?
Small Business Relief does not require audited accounts. You may still need an audit for other reasons, such as your free zone's licence renewal rules, your bank or your shareholders.
Do I need audited financial statements for corporate tax?
Corporate tax requires audited financial statements from Qualifying Free Zone Persons and from taxable persons with revenue above AED 50 million. Other businesses can file using unaudited statements, unless another rule requires an audit.
This guide is general information, not tax advice for your specific situation. Rules change; check the Federal Tax Authority website or ask us before acting.