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Are government grants taxable under Corporate Tax?

Answered by TI from the Federal Tax Authority’s own law · 15 September 2026. Guidance, not tax advice: rely on the official text.

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It depends on how the grant is treated in your financial statements: if it is recognised as income under IFRS, it is taxable unless it counts as exempt income.

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The detail

Whether a government grant is taxable depends on its IFRS treatment. Taxable Income includes all accounting income recognised in financial statements prepared in accordance with IFRS, subject to any exemptions in the Corporate Tax Law; if the grant is recognised as income under IFRS, it is taxable even if it relates to events before the first Tax Period. This is the FTA's position in a Public Clarification (guidance, not legislation) citing Article 20(1) of the Corporate Tax Law.1

What the law says

  • Taxable Income includes all income recognised in financial statements prepared under IFRS, subject to exemptions in the Corporate Tax Law (FTA Public Clarification, citing Article 20(1) of the Corporate Tax Law) [4].1 Based on FTA guidance

What it depends on

  • If the grant is recognised as income under IFRS, it is taxable unless it qualifies as Exempt Income [4].1 Based on FTA guidance
  • The timing is set by IFRS: a grant relating to pre-commencement events is still taxable if recognised in the first Tax Period's financial statements [4].1 Based on FTA guidance

Check before you rely on it

  • Check how the grant is recognised in your financial statements under IFRS (as income now, deferred, or offset against an asset).
  • Confirm whether any exemption in the Corporate Tax Law applies to the grant.
Note: The underlying statute, Article 20(1) of the Corporate Tax Law, is not reproduced in the supplied extracts; the position rests on the FTA's Public Clarification of it.
Sources (1) — read the official text
  1. Read the article
    determined having regard to all relevant facts and circumstances. The presence of additional rights, benefits, obligations, restrictions, or other valuation factors may result in a different valuation and Corporate Tax outcome. Q Does Taxable Income include the reversal of a provision that was originally created before the first Tax Period? A Yes, Taxable Income includes all income recognised in financial statements prepared in accordance with IFRS75, subject to any exemptions in the Corporate Tax Law (i.e. if it is Exempt Income). If the reversal of a provision is recognised as income under IFRS, then it is Taxable Income even if the provision originally arose before the first Tax Period. Q Does Taxable Income include receipt of a compensation amount that relates to events prior to the first Tax Period but which was included in financial statements for the first Tax Period? A Yes, Taxable Income includes all income recognised in financial statements prepared in accordance with IFRS76. If the compensation is correctly recognised as income under IFRS, then it is Taxable Income, even if the events that gave rise to it occurred before the first Tax Period. Q Should a government grant be included in Taxable Income? A It depends on the treatment of the grant under IFRS. Taxable Income includes all accounting income recognised in financial statements prepared in accordance with IFRS77, subject to any exemptions in the Corporate Tax Law. Participation Exemption Q Can the Participation exemption 78 apply to dividends received from a Saudi company that is subject to Zakat at 2.5%? A Yes, on the basis that the corporate tax levied in KSA is applied on a similar basis to Corporate Tax in the UAE and is levied at the rate of 20%, the requirement79 for the Participation to be subject to Corporate Tax or a tax of a character similar to Corporate Tax at a rate of 9% or more is considered to be met for companies subject to Saudi Zakat. Q Can the Participation exemption80 apply to dividends received from a holding company taxed at less than 9% if the ultimate source of the income is a company taxed at 9% or more? A Yes. There are special rules that allow a foreign holding company taxed at less than 9% to be treated as a Participation as long as certain conditions are met. The holding company must have the principal objective and activity of holding shares or equitable interests that meet the conditions of the Participation exemption 81 and it must: a. Be directed and managed in the relevant other country or foreign territory. b. Comply with the requirement to submit any documents, records or information to the relevant authority under the laws and regulations applicable to the Participation in the relevant other country or foreign territory. 75 Article 20(1) of the Corporate Tax Law 76 Article 20(1) of the Corporate Tax Law 77 Article 20(1) of the Corporate Tax Law 78 Article 23 of the Corporate Tax Law 79 Article 23(2)(b) of the Corporate Tax Law 80 Article 23 of the Corporate Tax Law 81 Article 23(3) of the Corporate Tax Law 14
    Official PDF, p. 15Captured from the FTA website on 8 Sep 2026
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Written by AI from the FTA sources above and checked before display. Not tax advice or official FTA information - confirm with a tax adviser before you act. Full disclaimer

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