Compliance Audit Services in Dubai

UAE companies now operate under several overlapping compliance regimes: Corporate Tax, VAT, anti-money laundering rules, Ultimate Beneficial Owner registers, free zone licence conditions and, for some sectors, industry regulators. A compliance audit tells you where you stand against each of them before a regulator does.

Dawn Consultancy performs independent compliance audits that test your records, registers and procedures against the rules that apply to your business, and gives you a prioritised plan to close any gaps.

What a compliance audit covers

We tailor the scope to your business. A typical engagement tests one or more of the following areas:

Corporate Tax: registration, record-keeping, transfer pricing documentation, related-party disclosures and, for free zone companies, Qualifying Free Zone Person conditions
VAT: invoice compliance, input tax recovery, reverse-charge treatment, place of supply and reconciliation of returns to the ledger
Anti-money laundering: risk assessment, customer due diligence, goAML registration and reporting for designated non-financial businesses
Ultimate Beneficial Owner: accuracy and completeness of your UBO register and filings
Licence and corporate compliance: licence activities, shareholder and director records, share registers and statutory filings
Internal policies: whether your approval limits, procurement rules and segregation of duties work in practice

Why businesses commission compliance audits

To identify exposure to penalties before an FTA or regulatory review
To prepare for a voluntary disclosure where errors are found
Before an acquisition, investment or change of ownership
When entering a regulated activity or a new free zone
To give directors and shareholders independent assurance

Our approach

Scoping. We identify the regimes that apply to your activities and agree the areas to be tested.
Document review. We examine registrations, filings, registers, contracts and policies.
Transaction testing. We test samples of transactions against the relevant rules, for example VAT treatment or AML due diligence files.
Gap analysis. Each finding is rated by risk and potential penalty exposure.
Remediation plan. You receive clear, prioritised actions, and we can help implement them, including preparing voluntary disclosures where appropriate.

What you receive

A compliance audit report with findings rated high, medium and low
An estimate of penalty exposure for material findings
A remediation plan with owners and deadlines
A follow-up review to confirm that corrective actions are working

Why choose Dawn Consultancy

Tax, audit and AML specialists within one firm, so each regime is reviewed by people who work with it every day
Practical recommendations sized to your business, not generic checklists
Support beyond the report, including voluntary disclosures, registrations and policy drafting
Strict confidentiality over your findings

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a compliance audit and a statutory audit?

A statutory audit gives an opinion on whether your financial statements are fairly presented. A compliance audit tests whether you are meeting specific legal and regulatory requirements, such as VAT, Corporate Tax, AML or UBO rules. Many companies need both.

Is a compliance audit mandatory?

Generally no, although some regulated sectors require periodic independent reviews, for example of AML programmes. Most companies commission compliance audits to find and fix problems before a regulator does.

What happens if the audit finds errors in past tax returns?

We explain the options, which may include a voluntary disclosure to the Federal Tax Authority. Correcting errors voluntarily usually results in lower penalties than errors found during an FTA audit.

How long does a compliance audit take?

A focused review of one area, such as VAT, typically takes two to three weeks. A multi-area review depends on the size of the business and the number of regimes in scope.

Speak to our team

Tell us your business activity, jurisdiction and the areas you are concerned about, and we will propose a scope and fixed fee.

Call +971 55 441 1036, email info@dawnconsultancy.com or visit us at Office 1509, Citadel Tower, Business Bay. Contact us to arrange a consultation.

Compliance Audit Services in Dubai, UAE | Dawn Consultancy