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Can I object to a tax assessment in court?

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

TI AssistantClear answerTI Public

Yes, but only after you first ask the FTA to reconsider and then object to the Tax Disputes Resolution Committee; the court will only hear you if you have paid the full tax and at least half the penalties.

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The detail

Yes. Under Article 36(1) of Federal Decree-Law No. 28 of 2022, you may appeal the TDRC's decision to the Competent Court within 40 business days of notification, either where you object to the decision in whole or in part or where the Committee issued no decision. The court will dismiss the appeal unless you provide proof of full settlement of the tax and at least 50% of the administrative penalties (or an approved bank guarantee) — Article 36(2). This comes only after the earlier stages of reconsideration with the FTA, then objection to the TDRC.12

What the law says

  • Article 36(1) of Federal Decree-Law No. 28 of 2022 gives the Person the right to appeal the Committee's (TDRC) decision to the Competent Court within 40 business days of notification, in the cases of objecting to the decision in whole or in part or of non-issuance of a decision.1
  • Article 36(2) of that Decree-Law makes the appeal inadmissible unless the Person proves full settlement of the tax and of at least 50% of the Administrative Penalties determined by the Committee's decision or court ruling (or provides an approved bank guarantee).1
  • The GCC Common VAT and Excise Tax Agreements (Articles 74 and 24 respectively) leave the conditions of objection and appeal, including recourse to competent local courts, to each member state, which the UAE has done in Decree-Law No. 28 of 2022.34

What it depends on

  • You must first have requested reconsideration from the FTA and then lodged an objection with the TDRC before any court appeal is open — FTA guidance (Public Clarification) describes this sequence.2 Based on FTA guidance
  • The appeal must be filed within 40 business days from the date you were notified of the TDRC's decision.1
  • Before the court will hear the appeal, you must present proof of full payment of the tax assessed and at least 50% of the administrative penalties, or an approved bank guarantee for them.1
Sources (4) — read the official text
  1. 1Tax Procedures LawArticle 36Law
    Article 36 – Procedures of Appeal before Courts
    Read the article
    Article 36 – Procedures of Appeal before Courts 1. Without prejudice to the provisions of Article 34 and 37 of this Decree-Law, the Authority and the Person, as the case may be, may appeal the Committee’s decision before the Competent Court within (40) forty Business Days from the date the Authority or the Person, as the case may be, was notified of the Committee's decision, in any of the two following cases: a. Objecting to the Committee’s decision in whole or in part. b. Non-issuance of a decision by the Committee regarding an objection submitted to it in accordance with the provisions of this Decree-Law. 2. The Competent Court shall rule the appeal against the Authority as inadmissible in the following instances: a. Existence of a case of non-acceptance of an objection by the Committee, as mentioned in Clause 2 of Article 32 of this Decree-Law. b. If the Person does not present a proof of settlement of full Tax to the Authority. c. If the Person does not present a proof of settling at least (50%) fifty percent of the Administrative Penalties determined pursuant to the Committee's decision or the court's ruling, as the case may be, through cash settlement to the Authority or by providing an approved bank guarantee in favour of the Authority. 3. The Cabinet may, at a suggestion by the Minister, make amendments to the amount set forth in Paragraph (b) and the percentage set forth in Paragraph (c) of Clause 2 of this Article.
    Official PDF, p. 23Captured from the FTA website on 9 Sep 2026
  2. Read the article
    Mechanism and requirements for objection and :آلية ومتطلبات االعتراض والطعن من قبل دافعي الضرائب appeal by taxpayers: The tax procedures in the UAE include a تتضمن اإلجراءات الضريبية في الدولة آلية لالعتراض mechanism to challenge decisions issued by the على القرارات التي تصدرها الهيئة االتحادية للضرائب Federal Tax Authority (“FTA”). The decision dispute وتبدأ إجراءات النزاع على القرارات بطلب.)"("الهيئة process starts with an application for وفي حال كان الشخص ال يزال غير متفق مع1.إعادة النظر reconsideration.1 If a person still disagrees after فبإمكانه االعتراض،قرار الهيئة في شأن طلبه إلعادة النظر the FTA has issued its decision in respect of a ("اللجنة") ومن ثم2لدى لجنة فض المنازعات الضريبية request for reconsideration, the person may lodge 3.الطعن أمام المحكمة المختصة an objection with the Tax Disputes Resolution Committee2 (“TDRC”) and subsequently appealing before the competent court.3 The changes in the Tax Procedures Law encompass وتشمل التغييرات في قانون اإلجراءات الضريبية جانبين two major aspects of change in relation to the ،رئيسيين للتغييرات المتعلقة بإجراءات االعتراض والطعن :وهما procedures for objection and appeal, namely: • Extension of the timelines within which a تمديد األطر الزمنية التي يجوز فيها للشخص person may object or appeal against an FTA • االعتراض على قرار الهيئة أو الطعن عليه؛ decision; • Easement of requirements to pay Penalties, by وذلك من خالل إلغاء،تخفيف متطلبات سداد الغرامات • removal of the requirement to pay such متطلب سداد الغرامات قبل اللجوء إلى لجنة فض Penalties before access to TDRC and only والمطالبة بسداد جزئي فقط،المنازعات الضريبية requiring partial payment of Penalties before .للغرامات قبل اللجوء إلى المحاكم access to courts. Alternative mechanism for objection and appeal by آلية بديلة تتعلق باالعتراض والطعن من قبل الجهات 4الحكومية؛ Government entities 4 As an exception to the general rules for objections استثناءً من القواعد العامّ ة المتعلقة بتقديم االعتراضات and appeals to the TDRC and competent court, the والطعون لدى لجنة فض المنازعات الضريبية والمحكمة 2 / 11
    Official PDF, p. 2Captured from the FTA website on 9 Sep 2026
  3. Read the article
    Article 74 Objections and Appeals Each Member State shall determine the conditions and provisions for allowing objections to decisions of the Competent Tax Administration. This includes the right of recourse to the competent local courts in each Member State. Chapter Fifteen Closing Provisions
    Official PDF, p. 25Captured from the FTA website on 9 Sep 2026
  4. Article (24)
    Read the article
    Article (24) Objections and Appeals Each Member State shall determine the conditions and rules for objecting to the concerned Tax Administration’s decisions, including the right of recourse to the competent local courts in each Member State. Chapter 9 Closing Provisions
    Official PDF, p. 10Captured from the FTA website on 9 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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