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Company liquidation in Dubai is priced at AED 5,000 to AED 15,550 in the published offers of 2 setup agencies, checked . The lower end is a free zone guide figure. The upper end is a package that also covers audit, tax deregistration, visa and licence cancellation.
Source: DubaiAccountingFirms.com price check of published agency pages, checked .
The usual steps
Order and documents change by authority. The core steps are these.
- Board or shareholder resolution to close the company.
- Clear debts, staff dues, visas and bank obligations.
- Final accounts and, where the authority asks for it, a final audit or liquidation report.
- Public notice period, where the authority requires one.
- Final tax returns and tax deregistration.
- Licence cancellation and closing the bank account.
Start the tax steps early. They cannot be completed until your filings are up to date.
Final audit
A final audit is an audit of the books up to the closing date. Authorities often ask for it so they can see that debts are settled before they cancel a licence. We could not verify one rule that applies to every zone and to the mainland, so ask your authority what it needs. If your zone uses approved auditors, see free zone approved auditors. For the general audit picture, read external audit in Dubai.
Final tax returns and deregistration
For corporate tax, a person with a Tax Registration Number must apply to deregister when the business ceases. Deregistration needs all tax and penalties paid and all returns filed, including the final return.
Source: Federal Tax Authority, corporate tax law (Article 52), checked .
For VAT, a final return is required for the last period when registration is cancelled. A registrant must apply to deregister within 20 business days of the event that triggers it. The Federal Tax Authority service page shows 30 business days for it to complete the application once it has the finished request.
Source: Federal Tax Authority, VAT Executive Regulation (Articles 14 and 64) and deregistration service page, checked .
Late corporate tax deregistration is penalised at AED 1,000, repeated monthly up to AED 10,000.
Source: Federal Tax Authority, Cabinet Decision No. 75 penalty table, checked .
Read VAT deregistration for that process and corporate tax return filing for the final return.
Timeline example: RAKEZ
RAKEZ shows a 45 day newspaper publication period and 5 working days of processing for its liquidation service. Other authorities differ, and the tax steps run alongside, not inside, that time.
Source: RAKEZ, liquidation service card, checked .
What drives the price
- Which authority and which company type.
- How many months of books are missing.
- Whether a final audit is required.
- Staff, visas and bank accounts to close.
- Outstanding tax returns.
Compare quotes on the same scope and ask what is left out.
Common delays
Most delays come from three places: unpaid tax filings, open visas and an unclosed bank account. Fix those first. A liquidator or agency can run the process, but it cannot cancel what is still owed. Ask each firm for a step list with the expected time for each step and the government fees shown separately.
Keep your records
Closing the company does not end the record duty. Corporate tax records are kept for 7 years after the end of the tax period. Agree where the books are stored and who holds them after the company is gone. See accounting services for the retention rules.
Who to ask
Start with your licensing authority: the free zone or the mainland economic department. Ask for its closing checklist. Then ask a firm to quote the whole job against that checklist, including the final accounts and the tax steps.
