Business compliance support services in Dubai & across the UAE.
UBO reporting, AML/CFT compliance, and historical ESR risk review — the regulatory filings that keep a UAE entity in good standing beyond tax, handled before they become deadlines you're chasing.
- UBO (Ultimate Beneficial Owner) reporting
- AML/CFT compliance & registration
- Historical ESR compliance review
- Regulatory filing calendar management
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Compliance beyond tax comes from company law and anti-money laundering rules, not just the FTA.
Two obligations catch most businesses off guard: keeping the UBO register genuinely current, and understanding exactly what happened to Economic Substance Regulations after 2024.
UBO isn't a one-time filing — it's a register you're responsible for keeping accurate.
UAE companies must identify the individuals who ultimately own or control the business, typically those holding 25% or more ownership or voting rights, and file this with the relevant registrar. What surprises most owners is that the register has to be updated every time ownership or control changes — a missed update is treated the same as never filing at all.
We track ownership changes as part of the same monthly cycle as bookkeeping, so the register never quietly falls out of date.
ESR filing ended in 2024 — but historical exposure and substance rules didn't disappear.
Cabinet Decision No. 98 of 2024 cancelled the standalone ESR Notification and Report requirement for financial years ending after 31 December 2022. That doesn't mean the topic is closed: the FTA retains authority to review outstanding compliance from FY2019–2022, and substance-related concepts now live inside Corporate Tax Law for Qualifying Free Zone Persons instead.
We review historical exposure and confirm current substance positioning under corporate tax, rather than filing a notification that's no longer required.
Every compliance obligation beyond tax, in one place.
UBO, AML/CFT and historical ESR exposure — tracked together instead of falling through separate gaps.
UBO Register Setup & Filing
Ultimate Beneficial Owner identification and initial filing with the relevant registrar.
UBO Register Maintenance
Updates filed whenever ownership or control of the business changes.
AML/CFT Registration
goAML platform registration for businesses classified as DNFBPs.
AML Policy & KYC Documentation
Customer due diligence procedures and policy documentation put in place.
Historical ESR Review
Exposure from FY2019–2022 assessed, and current substance position confirmed.
Regulatory Filing Calendar
All compliance deadlines tracked on one calendar, alongside tax and bookkeeping.
Some businesses carry these obligations by default — others by activity.
DNFBPs
Real estate agents, precious metals dealers, and corporate service providers.
Free Zone & Mainland Companies
UBO obligations apply broadly, regardless of licence type.
Complex Ownership Structures
Multiple shareholders or layered holding structures needing careful UBO mapping.
Companies With 2019–2022 Exposure
Businesses that conducted a Relevant Activity during the active ESR filing years.
From compliance review to an ongoing filing calendar.
Compliance position review
We assess UBO status, AML classification, and any historical ESR exposure.
UBO register setup
Beneficial owners identified and filed with the relevant registrar.
AML/CFT registration
goAML registration and KYC documentation completed, where applicable.
Ongoing monitoring
Register updates and filings tracked on your regular compliance calendar.
Common questions about UBO, AML and ESR in the UAE.
The ones we hear most before an engagement starts. Don't see yours here?
Ask us directly →What is UBO reporting and who needs it?
Ultimate Beneficial Owner (UBO) regulations require UAE companies to identify the individuals who ultimately own or control the company, typically those holding 25% or more ownership or voting rights, and to file this information with the relevant registrar. It applies broadly across mainland and free zone companies, with limited exemptions.
Is Economic Substance Regulations (ESR) filing still required in the UAE?
No, not as a standalone filing. Cabinet Decision No. 98 of 2024 cancelled the ESR Notification and Report requirements for financial years ending after 31 December 2022. However, businesses with unresolved compliance from financial years 2019 to 2022 remain subject to review by the Federal Tax Authority, and substance-related concepts now continue under UAE Corporate Tax Law for Qualifying Free Zone Persons.
What is AML/CFT compliance and which businesses need to register?
Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) obligations apply to Designated Non-Financial Businesses and Professions (DNFBPs), including real estate agents and brokers, dealers in precious metals and stones, and corporate service providers, who must register on the goAML platform and maintain customer due diligence and know-your-customer procedures.
Does the UBO register need to be updated regularly?
Yes. The UBO register must be kept current whenever ownership or control of the company changes — it is not a one-time filing completed only at incorporation.
What happens if a company has outstanding ESR compliance from 2019 to 2022?
The Federal Tax Authority retains the authority to review those historical years and impose penalties for non-compliance, even though the standalone ESR filing requirement has since been cancelled for later financial years.
Can compliance support be combined with other services like bookkeeping or corporate tax?
Yes. Most businesses combine UBO, AML and compliance filings with their existing bookkeeping and tax engagement, so everything runs on a single calendar rather than being tracked separately.
Ready to close the compliance gaps?
Book a free consultation — we'll review your UBO, AML and historical compliance position. No obligation.
Book a Free Consultation