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When must I apply for VAT deregistration?

Answered by TI from the Federal Tax Authority’s own law · 25 September 2026. Guidance, not tax advice: rely on the official text.

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You must apply within 20 business days of stopping taxable supplies, or of your taxable supplies falling below AED 187,500 in the preceding 2 months. Do it through the FTA online portal.

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The detail

Under Article 14(1) of the Executive Regulation, a Registrant must apply for deregistration within 20 business days of any of the triggering events in Article 19 of the Decree-Law occurring - namely ceasing to make taxable supplies, or falling below the Voluntary Registration Threshold. The FTA will only approve the application once it confirms the relevant conditions (no expected taxable supplies in the next 12 months, or supplies/expenses below the Voluntary Threshold and not expected to exceed it in the next 30 days) are met, and all outstanding tax and penalties are settled and returns filed.1

What the law says

  • A Registrant must apply for Tax deregistration within 20 business days of ceasing to make taxable supplies or of taxable supplies falling below the Voluntary Registration Threshold (AED 187,500).21
  • The Authority will only accept the application once satisfied the Registrant has stopped making taxable supplies (with none expected in the next 12 months) or that supplies/expenses over the past 12 months are below the Voluntary Registration Threshold and are not expected to exceed it in the next 30 days.1
  • Guidance confirms the same 20 business day notification window, counted from the end of the month in which the triggering event occurs.3 Based on FTA guidance

What it depends on

  • The Registrant must pay all tax and penalties due and file the final tax return before deregistration is completed.1
  • If registered voluntarily, deregistration is not possible until 12 months have elapsed since the registration date, per FTA guidance.3 Based on FTA guidance

Check before you rely on it

  • Check the date your taxable supplies stopped or dropped below AED 187,500 to count the 20 business days
  • Confirm all VAT returns and payments are up to date before applying
  • Check whether you registered voluntarily and if the 12-month lock-in period has passed
Sources (3) — read the official text
  1. 1VAT Executive RegulationArticle 14Executive Regulation
    Article 14 – Tax Deregistration
    Read the article
    Article 14 – Tax Deregistration 9 1. The Registrant must apply to the Authority for Tax deregistration in the cases mentioned in the Decree-Law, within 20 (twenty) Business Days of the occurrence of any of them. 2. The Authority shall accept the Registrant’s application for Tax deregistration where the following two conditions are met: a. The Registrant stops making supplies referred to in Article 19 of the Decree-Law and does not expect to make any such supplies over the next 12-month period; b. The value of supplies referred to in Article 19 of the Decree-Law made, or Taxable Expenses incurred, by the Registrant over the previous 12 (twelve) months is less than the Voluntary Registration Threshold, and the Authority is satisfied that his supplies, according to the provisions of the Decree-Law, or Taxable Expenses, expected over the next 30 (thirty) days, are not expected to exceed the Voluntary Registration Threshold. 3. If the Tax deregistration application is approved, the Authority shall deregister the Registrant with effect from the last day of the Tax Period during which the Registrant has met the conditions for deregistration or from such other date as may be determined by the Authority. 4. Where the Authority is satisfied that the conditions in Clause 2 of this Article are met, and the Registrant has not applied for Tax deregistration or has submitted a request but has not completed its procedures, the Authority shall deregister the Registrant with effect from the date on which the Authority became satisfied that the conditions have been met or from any other date determined by the Authority. 5. Where a Registrant applies for Tax deregistration due his Taxable Supplies falling below the Mandatory Registration Threshold, the Authority shall, after approving the application, deregister him with effect from: a. the date requested by the Registrant in the application, b. the date on which the application is submitted if the Registrant did not indicate the preferred Tax deregistration date, or c. any other date specified by the Authority. 6. Where the Authority has deregistered a Registrant for Tax, it shall notify him, within 10 (ten) Business Days of the decision to deregister, of the effective date of the deregistration. 9 Article amended as per Cabinet Decision No. 100 of 2024. Cabinet Decision No. 52 of 2017 and its amendments – Unofficial translation 12 7. Where a Registrant applies for Tax deregistration, he shall pay all Tax and Administrative Penalties due and file the final Tax Return as due under the DecreeLaw and the Tax Procedures Law. 8. Any Goods and Services forming part of the assets of Business carried on by a Registrant shall be deemed to be supplied by him at a time immediately before his Tax deregistration, and any Tax due thereon shall be included in the final tax return, unless the Business is carried on by the Legal Representative pursuant to the provisions of the Tax Procedures Law. 9. The Tax deregistration shall not absolve a Person from having to comply with the provisions of the Decree-Law and this Decision, including filing another Tax Registration application when the Tax Registration requirements are met. Article 14 (bis) - Tax Deregistration to Protect the Integrity of the Tax System 10 1. The Authority may issue a decision to deregister a Person for Tax if the Authority determines that maintaining such Tax Registration may prejudice the integrity of the Tax system, provided that any of the following conditions is met: a. the Registrant no longer meets the Tax Registration requirements according to the provisions of the Decree-Law, b. the Registrant has not submitted an application for Tax deregistration to the Authority as specified under Clause 1 of Article 21 of the Decree-Law, or the Registrant has initiated a Tax deregistration application with the Authority but has not completed such application, c. any other conditions specified by the Authority. 2. The Authority shall verify that the Person is not eligible for Tax Registration before deregistering him. 3. Tax deregistration initiated by the Authority shall not absolve a Person from having to comply with the provisions of the Decree-Law and this Decision, including filing another Tax Registration application when the Tax Registration requirements are met. 10 Article added as per Cabinet Decision No. 100 of 2024. Cabinet Decision No. 52 of 2017 and its amendments – Unofficial translation 13
    Official PDF, pp. 12–13Captured from the FTA website on 9 Sep 2026
  2. Read the article
    Article 54 Deregistration 1. A Taxable Person who is registered for Tax purposes must apply for deregistration in any of the following cases: a) cessation of carrying on of the Economic Activity; b) cessation of making Taxable Supplies; c) if the value of the Taxable Person’s supplies falls below the Voluntary Registration Threshold pursuant to the provisions of Article (51) of this Agreement. 2. The Taxable Person may apply for deregistration if the total annual revenue of its business falls below the Mandatory Registration Threshold but exceeds the Voluntary Registration Threshold. 3. For the purposes of applying items (b) and (c) of the first paragraph and the second paragraph of this Article, each Member State may determine a minimum period to keep the Taxable Person registered for Tax purposes as a condition of deregistration. Page 18 of 26 26 من18 صفحة 4. Each Member State may determine the conditions and provisions necessary to reject an application for the deregistration of a Taxable Person or to deregister him in cases other than those provided for in the first and second paragraphs of this Article. 5. The Tax Authority shall notify the Taxable Person of his deregistration and the effective date of the same. Part Two Tax Invoice
    Official PDF, pp. 18–19Captured from the FTA website on 9 Sep 2026
  3. Read the article
    they were members. That means that even when a business has left a tax group, they remain liable for VAT and penalties for the period of membership. 4.6. How to register for VAT The VAT registration form and tax group registration form are available via the online portal on the FTA website. This can be completed by the taxable person or their appointed tax agent. 4.7. Failure to notify of the requirement to register If a taxable person fails to notify the FTA of a requirement to register for VAT within the specified timeframe, the FTA may register the person from the date they were required to be registered. The taxable person will remain liable for any VAT due to be accounted for on taxable supplies made since the effective date of the registration, and will be subject to applicable penalties. 4.8. Deregistration A taxable person must notify the FTA of the requirement to deregister within 20 business days from the end of the month in which any of the following occurs:   the taxable person ceases making taxable supplies; or the value of the taxable person’s taxable supplies in the preceding 2 calendar months is less than the Voluntary Registration Threshold. The FTA will deregister the taxable person if they are satisfied that:   the taxable person no longer makes taxable supplies and does not intend to make any taxable supplies in the next 12 months; or the value of the taxable person’s taxable supplies or taxable expenses over the previous 12 month period is less than the Voluntary Registration Threshold and the taxable person does not anticipate making taxable supplies or incur taxable expenses in excess of the Voluntary Registration Threshold in the next 30 days. The taxable person will be deregistered with effect from the last day of the tax period during which they met the conditions for deregistration, or from any other date as may be determined by the FTA. In order to be deregistered the person must be up to date with their tax returns and associated payments. Where a taxable person is not required to deregister, the person may apply for a voluntary deregistration if the total value of their taxable supplies in the previous 12 months was less than the Mandatory Registration Threshold. However, if the person has voluntarily registered for VAT, voluntary deregistration will not be possible until 12 months have elapsed since the date of registration. Requests for deregistration should be made via the online portal available on the FTA website. 16 VAT Guide | Taxable Person | VATG001
    Official PDF, p. 17Captured 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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