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People searching for chartered accountants in Dubai usually want a qualified, trustworthy firm. The trouble is that the title is used in different ways, and we do not state a single legal meaning for it here. Titles vary between firms and between the countries where people trained. So when you hire, check two things that can be checked: the firm's licence and, for an audit, the auditor register.
Firm entries for this page are still being gathered. Until they appear, here is how to judge a firm that uses the title.
Why the title is not enough
A title says something about a person. It does not say what the firm is licensed to do, who will sign your audit or whether your free zone will accept that signer. Two firms with the same words on their website can hold different licences and offer different work.
So treat the title as a claim to verify. Ask the person which body awarded the qualification, ask for proof and contact that body. Then run the checks below, which do not depend on the title.
The two checks that matter
- The trade licence. Bookkeeping, tax advice and audit can sit under different licensed activities, so read the activity line and match it to what you are buying.
- The auditor register, if you need an audit. A search extract of the Commercial Companies Law says an LLC auditor must be on the Ministry of Economy register, which also lists local firms and branches of foreign firms. A person can hold a chartered title and still not appear there. Ask for the signer's name and look it up; if the entry is missing, ask why before you pay. Source: UAE Legislation portal and Ministry of Economy (search extracts), checked . The full audit picture is on audit services.
Different jobs, same title
| Job | What to ask |
|---|---|
| Bookkeeping | Who prepares it, who reviews it and which software. |
| Tax filing | Who files, under whose authority and who answers FTA queries. |
| Audit | Who signs, whether that person is on the register and whether your zone accepts them. |
| Advisory | The scope, the named person and how time is billed. |
For the wider market, see accounting firms in Dubai. For audit firms in particular, see audit firms in Dubai.
Your free zone may decide for you
A well-qualified person who your zone does not accept cannot sign your report for that zone. Zones differ on this, so look at free zone approved auditors before you appoint anyone.
Questions to put to the person you meet
Ask who will do the monthly work, and whether it is the person you are meeting or a junior. Ask how many companies like yours they handle. Ask what happens when they are on leave. Ask who reviews the work before it reaches you. These answers tell you more about service than a title does. Also ask for the name of the person who answers the phone when a deadline is close, and whether that is the same person who knows your file.
Fees
A title does not set the price. The scope does, so put the same written scope to each person. Three providers publish bookkeeping at AED 400 to AED 1,500 a month (source: provider price pages, checked ), and audit has no reliable public range. Detail is on accounting costs.
Red flags
- The qualification is claimed but the awarding body is not named.
- The firm will not show its trade licence.
- The signer is unnamed or not on the register.
- The title is the main selling point and the scope is vague.
Use the quote form below and ask each firm the same questions about licence, signer and scope.
