Log in
Home / Audit / Dubai free zones / Dubai South
Dubai South companies have their accounts audited every year and need the audited statements to renew their licence. Each rule below links to Dubai South's own documents.
The zone · Who it suits · Start a company · Regulations · Audit · Corporate tax · Audit enquiry
The zone
Dubai South was set up as a free zone in 2006 under the name Dubai World Central, and renamed in 2015. It covers 145 square kilometres (Free Zone Rules 2025, Rule 2.1).
Dubai Aviation City Corporation licenses and regulates the free zone, under Dubai Law No. 10 of 2015. Dubai World Central Corporation develops and manages it.
It sits around Al Maktoum International Airport. Its zones include the Logistics District with the EZDubai e-commerce zone, the Mohamed Bin Rashid Aerospace Hub and a Business Park.
Source: Dubai South Free Zone Rules 2025; Law No. 10 of 2015; Dubai South, FAQs
Who it suits
Source: Dubai South, FAQs; Law No. 10 of 2015
Start a company
Company services, from incorporation and registration to licensing and visas, run through the Dubai South Customer Portal.
We help with the choice of jurisdiction and licence, holding structures and bank account onboarding. Tell us what the company will do and we will come back to you.
Thank you, it has reached the team.
Audit
| Who | The directors of every company have its accounts prepared under IFRS and audited each financial year by an auditor registered and licensed in the UAE (Companies Regulations 2025, Regulations 68.1 and 68.2). A branch submits its parent's consolidated audited accounts at least once every 12 months (Regulation 22.1). |
|---|---|
| Deadline | The shareholders approve the accounts within three months of the year end (Regulation 68.3). The audited statements for the last financial year are needed to renew the licence (Free Zone Rules 2025, Rule 10.2(b)), and renewal falls within the 90 days before the licence expires (Rule 10.1). |
| How to file | Through the Dubai South Customer Portal, which handles company services. The rules do not name a separate filing service. |
| Exemption | The 2025 Companies Regulations give no small or dormant company exemption. |
| If you do not file | AED 15,000 for failing to file audited financial statements, and AED 5,000 for failing to appoint auditors (Violations Code 2025, items 21 and 20). |
| Auditor | Any auditor registered and licensed in the UAE (Regulation 68.1). A list of approved auditors applies only to confirming the value of non-cash consideration for shares (Regulation 33.2). |
Source: Dubai South Companies Regulations 2025; Dubai South Free Zone Rules 2025; Dubai South Violations Code 2025
Checked against the sources on 12 November 2026.
Corporate tax
A free zone company pays corporate tax at 0% on its qualifying income if it is a Qualifying Free Zone Person, and at 9% on its other taxable income (Corporate Tax Law, Article 3(2)). To qualify, it must keep adequate substance in the UAE, earn qualifying income, not elect to be taxed at the standard rates, and comply with the transfer pricing rules (Article 18(1)).
It must also keep its non-qualifying revenue within the de minimis limits and prepare audited financial statements (Ministerial Decision 229 of 2025, Article 5(1)). A company that fails any condition loses the 0% status for that tax period and the next four (Article 5(2)).
For tax periods starting on or after 1 January 2025, the audit applies to every Qualifying Free Zone Person, whatever its revenue (Ministerial Decision 84 of 2025, Article 2(1)(b)). More in our UAE corporate tax guide.
Source: Corporate Tax Law; Ministerial Decision 229 of 2025; Ministerial Decision 84 of 2025
Dubai Aviation City is on the UAE list of Designated Zones (Cabinet Decision 59 of 2017). For tax periods starting on or after 1 January 2026, a Qualifying Free Zone Person that distributes goods or materials in or from a Designated Zone must also obtain an agreed-upon procedures report from its independent external auditor (FTA Decision 6 of 2026, Article 2).
Audit enquiry
Our audits are signed by Ministry of Economy registered auditors, registry entry LC4682-01.
Send the company name and its financial year end. We will reply with what the audit needs.
Thank you, it has reached the team.
Other Dubai free zones: DMCC · DIFC · JAFZA · IFZA · Dubai Silicon Oasis · Dubai Airport Freezone · Meydan Free Zone · DWTC Free Zone · Dubai Healthcare City · DDA zones · All Dubai free zones
Newsletter
Latest in UAE business, tax and technology, once a month.
Thank you, you are on the list.
Office 1316, Aspin Commercial Tower
Sheikh Zayed Road, P.O. Box 10415, Dubai
Open in Google Maps →