What Federal Tax Authority does

The Federal Tax Authority (FTA) is the sole statutory body of the United Arab Emirates responsible for administering, collecting, and enforcing federal taxes — Value Added Tax (5%), Excise Tax on tobacco, sugary drinks, and energy drinks, and Corporate Tax (9% standard rate), effective since June 2023. Established by federal decree in 2016/2017 and headquartered in Dubai, the FTA serves all businesses operating in the UAE, government entities, UAE nationals claiming residential construction VAT refunds, and certified tax agents and intermediaries. The authority distributes collected revenues to federal and local governments and reported Dh46 billion in tax revenues in 2025, growing 15% year-on-year and reaching 143% of projected targets.

The FTA operates the EmaraTax digital platform — an SAP-powered system providing 24/7 access to tax registration, filing, payments, refunds, and compliance for VAT, Excise, and Corporate Tax. Core services include VAT Registration, Corporate Tax Registration/Deregistration, Tax Group Registration, Tax Records Amendment, Excise Goods Registration, and various refund services. The platform integrates with UAE PASS for unified national digital identity, and FTA supplements digital delivery with Tas'heel service centers, registered tax agents, clearing companies, and SMS reminders (approximately 60 million sent). Sub-brands include the Maskan mobile app for UAE nationals' home VAT refunds, the Muwafaq Package for SMEs (73,213 enrolled), Raqeeb whistleblowing, and Labaih for senior citizens. The authority is rolling out a mandatory Electronic Invoicing System (EIS) in five-corner model format between July 2026 and October 2027.

FTA's revenue model is institutional rather than commercial: services are free for taxpayers, while the authority collects tax revenues, distributes them to federal and local governments, and imposes administrative penalties for non-compliance (with waiver programs to encourage voluntary compliance). The authority reported 96% satisfaction for the Muwafaq Package, achieved a 98% operational performance rating, conducted 176,000 market inspection visits in 2025 (up 89% YoY), and holds the highest seven-star CGInO certification plus three consecutive years of CIPS Corporate Ethical Procurement certification.

Name

Federal Tax Authority

Legal name

Federal Tax Authority

Website

https://tax.gov.ae

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

The Federal Tax Authority (FTA) is the UAE's sole federal tax administration body, collecting and enforcing VAT, Excise Tax, and Corporate Tax. It operates the SAP-powered EmaraTax digital platform serving 1.28 million+ registered entities, businesses, government entities, and UAE nationals across the UAE.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Government Tax Administration

NAICS

Public Finance Activities (921130), Executive, Legislative, and Other General Government Support (921)

SIC

Foreign Governments (8888)

akta.pro primary industry

Revenue Systems, E-Filing & Digital Tax Administration (BPAIADAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Excise, VAT/Sales Tax & Indirect Tax Administration (BPAIADAH), Tax Return Filing, Processing & Assessment (BPAIADAC), Government & Public Sector ACH (Tax, Benefits, Collections) (FSAMAGAH)

Keywords

• Federal tax administration
• Value added tax services
• Excise tax compliance
• Corporate tax registration
• Digital tax platform

Headquarters

HQ city

Dubai

HQ country

United Arab Emirates

HQ region

Middle East

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Tax Collection and Administration: FTA collects and administers federal taxes including VAT (5% standard rate), excise taxes on tobacco, sugary drinks, and energy drinks, and corporate tax (9% standard rate). The authority distributes collected revenues to federal and local governments.
2. Penalty and Fee Collection: FTA imposes administrative penalties for non-compliance including late registration, late filing, and failure to submit required documents, with penalty waiver programs to encourage voluntary compliance.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Federal Tax Authority administers and collects UAE federal taxes—Value Added Tax (5%), Excise Tax on tobacco, sugary drinks, and energy drinks, and Corporate Tax (9%)—through its unified EmaraTax digital platform. The platform provides 24/7 electronic services covering tax registration, filing, payment processing, refund claims, and compliance management for businesses, government entities, and individuals operating in the UAE.

Product overview

The Federal Tax Authority operates the EmaraTax digital platform as its core unified product, providing 24/7 access to all tax services including VAT Registration, Corporate Tax Registration/Deregistration, Tax Records Amendment, and Tax Group Registration. The platform supports multiple service channels including the main portal, mobile applications (Maskan app for UAE nationals), and e-Services. Additional products include the Muwafaq Package for SME compliance support, the Raqeeb whistleblowing system, Labaih initiative for seniors, and various refund services (VAT refunds for home builders, tourists, and foreign business visitors). The FTA also implements the national e-invoicing system (EIS) through accredited service providers, and offers excise tax services including goods registration with OCR-powered automation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• EmaraTax: Digital tax services platform for VAT, excise tax, and corporate tax compliance
• Muwafaq Package
• Maskan App
• Raqeeb

Products and services

• EmaraTax Digital Platform Unified digital platform providing 24/7 access to all federal tax services including registration, filing, refund claims, and compliance management for VAT, Excise Tax, and Corporate Tax. Used by UAE businesses, government entities, tax agents, and individuals.
• VAT Registration Service Free online service enabling UAE businesses to register for Value Added Tax, obtain a Tax Registration Number, and fulfil VAT obligations. Processing time approximately 20 business days.
• Corporate Tax Registration Service Service for UAE businesses to register for Corporate Tax, which came into effect in June 2023. Over 710,000 businesses had registered by February 2026.
• VAT Refund for UAE Nationals Building New Residences Service enabling UAE nationals to recover VAT paid on construction of new homes. Expanded in 2026 to include swimming pools, smart home systems, security systems, home gyms, and complete reconstruction projects. Approved refunds totalled Dhs94.44 million with AED 200 million in projected VAT savings.
• Excise Goods Registration Service Service for registering excise goods and products subject to excise tax (tobacco, sugary drinks, energy drinks). Uses OCR technology to automatically capture ingredient and nutritional details from documents.
• Muwafaq Package for SMEs SME support package providing privileges including dedicated relationship managers, discounted tax accounting software, tax agent discounts, priority service processing, and educational materials. Enrolled 73,213 registrants by year-end 2025 with a 96% satisfaction rate.
• Maskan Smart Application Mobile application for UAE nationals to claim VAT refunds on newly constructed homes, offering 100% paperless processing with UAE PASS authentication and automatic VAT calculation via QR code.
• Raqeeb Whistleblowing Programme

Quantifiable outcome

• Tax revenues reached 143% of projected targets in 2025
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Dubai ChamberscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 May 2026UAE Ministry of Finance partnered with FTA and Dubai Chambers to hold awareness sessions on national e-invoicing rollout, attracting over 500 private sector representatives.
• New Economy AcademycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 April 2026FTA signed cooperation agreement with New Economy Academy to launch the Emirati Tax Agent Programme, offering accredited diplomas in VAT and corporate tax to qualify UAE nationals as certified tax professionals. Part of 'Emirates: The Startup Capital of the World' campaign.
• ClearTaxcoreTechnology or Integration · 14 April 2026ClearTax approved as Accredited Service Provider under UAE Ministry of Finance and FTA e-invoicing framework. Company committed $50 million to UAE market with local enterprise sales, support team, and AWS-hosted infrastructure for data residency compliance.
• SAPcoreTechnology or Integration · 9 March 2026SAP-powered EmaraTax platform provides comprehensive digital tax services. FTA collaborates with SAP for digital transformation of tax administration services.
• Abu Dhabi CustomscoreTechnology or Integration · 14 October 2025FTA and Abu Dhabi Customs strengthened cooperation through electronic linking channels to enhance compliance with UAE tax legislation and facilitate trade operations in Abu Dhabi.

Scale indicators18 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Peers

• Australian Taxation Office (ATO):

Direct peers

• HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC): UK's national tax authority administering VAT, excise, and corporate taxes via Making Tax Digital. Directly comparable to FTA as a large digital tax administration agency serving an entire country's taxpayers.
• ZATCA (Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority): Saudi Arabia's federal tax authority administering VAT, excise, and corporate tax with mandatory e-invoicing (FATOORA). Closest geographic and functional peer to FTA, both leading GCC digital tax transformation.
• Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS): Singapore's tax administrator handling GST, corporate tax, and excise with strong digital services. Comparable to FTA as a high-performing, digitally mature single-country tax authority.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/uaetax
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@uaetax
• Facebookfacebook.com/Theuaetaxes
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/federal-tax-authority
• Instagraminstagram.com/uaetax

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Federal Tax Authority