No, you don’t need a translation for VAT Registration in Dubai if your documents are in English or Arabic. This is because the EmaraTax, the Federal Tax Authority’s registration portal, runs in both English and Arabic. Most applicants can complete the entire VAT registration process without needing to translate a single document.
You will need legal translation for foreign-issued corporate documents that are not in English or Arabic. This applies when they are used for VAT registration, an FTA audit, or a tax dispute.
EmaraTax asks for certain fields in both English and Arabic, especially for the legal entity and the authorised signatory’s name. In these cases, the EmaraTax authorities require the name to be entered accurately. Entering a quick, informal transliteration rather than the exact Arabic spelling used on their official documents can lead to inconsistencies. If the name on the form does not match the trade licence or Emirates ID precisely, it can trigger a query or delay approval. To avoid these errors, copy the Arabic spelling exactly as it appears on the trade licence, MOA, or Emirates ID. Do not transliterate freely from English, and do not rely on a generic translation of the business name.
Once VAT-registered, you must keep accounting records, invoices, and tax-related documents for a minimum of five years. The FTA can request Arabic translations of these records at any point, most commonly during an audit. Failing to provide Arabic records when the FTA asks carries a specific administrative penalty. Under Cabinet Decision No. 129 of 2025, effective from 14 April 2026, this penalty was reduced from AED 20,000 to AED 5,000.
If a matter moves beyond routine FTA correspondence into a formal dispute or reconsideration request, you often need to submit Arabic documents. At all stages, you should ensure that an MOJ-licensed translator does the translation and that you follow all requirements.
Legal translation costs for VAT-related documents range from AED 50 to AED 100 per page type. As a rough guide, a standard MOA typically costs less than a lengthy set of financial statements charged per page.
Board resolutions and powers of attorney are usually priced as short, fixed-fee documents given their length. Financial statements and turnover records are priced per page, since these documents can run from a handful of pages to well over a hundred.
Turnaround for standard certified translation is typically 1–3 working days. Most translation companies offer urgent turnaround options for businesses working against the 30-day mandatory registration deadline.
Most VAT registrations in Dubai need no translation at all. The exception is foreign-issued corporate documents, and getting those wrong can cost you the 30-day deadline. If you have foreign documents to register, upload them to order an MOJ-licensed legal translation, delivered digitally with express options for tight FTA deadlines. Request a free quote.
Fast, certified legal translations for visas, court documents, contracts, and more.
Find out when certified or legal translation is required for VAT registration in Dubai, which business documents may need translation, and how to avoid delays with the FTA application process.
Legal translation in the UAE must be done by an MOJ-licensed translator. Learn what it is, when you need it, and how to avoid rejection by UAE authorities.
If a document is not already in Arabic and it’s going to the DLD, RERA, or the Rental Disputes Centre (RDC), it needs a legal translation.
