Compliance & AML · United Arab Emirates
Every filing tracked, nothing allowed to lapse
goAML registration and annual renewal, UBO updates inside the fifteen-day window, ESR assessment, licence renewals and the AML policy pack a regulator will actually accept.
- goAML registration and annual renewal
- AML policy, risk assessment and KYC procedures
- UBO register maintained — an out-of-date one is a penalty
- ESR notification and reporting assessed
- Licence renewal and compliance calendar managed
Speak to a specialist
Free 30-minute consultation. Written proposal within one business day.
The problem
These penalties start at AED 50,000
The UAE's anti-money-laundering framework places direct obligations on Designated Non-Financial Businesses and Professions — a category that captures accountants, auditors, lawyers, company service providers, real estate brokers and dealers in precious metals and stones. Registration on the goAML platform is mandatory, requires annual renewal, and carries penalties starting at AED 50,000 for failure.
Ultimate Beneficial Ownership filings run in parallel. Changes to ownership must be reported within fifteen days, and non-disclosure or false information attracts penalties from AED 50,000. Economic Substance obligations, licence renewals, Emiratisation checkpoints in June and December, and free zone financial statement filing deadlines each carry their own dates and their own consequences. None of it is intellectually demanding. All of it is easy to miss when nobody owns the calendar.
Penalty exposure: goAML non-registration from AED 50,000 · UBO non-disclosure or false information from AED 50,000 · free zone late financial statement filing AED 5,000–50,000 with possible service suspension · Emiratisation shortfall around AED 96,000 per unfilled position per year.
Scope
What is included
AML & goAML
- DNFBP status assessment
- goAML registration and annual renewal
- AML/CFT policy and procedures manual
- Business risk assessment document
- KYC and customer due diligence procedures
- Compliance officer appointment support and staff training
Corporate compliance
- UBO register preparation and updates within 15 days
- Economic Substance notification and reporting assessment
- Trade licence renewal management
- Free zone financial statement filing deadlines tracked
- Emiratisation quota monitoring for June and December checkpoints
- A single compliance calendar covering every obligation
How it works
Four steps
Audit the obligations
We establish exactly which regimes apply to your licence, activity and structure — and which do not.
Register and document
goAML registration completed, policies drafted to your actual business, UBO register built.
File
Every return, notification and renewal submitted on its own deadline.
Monitor
One calendar, reviewed monthly, with advance warning before anything falls due.
Pricing
What it costs
Published, fixed, and quoted in writing before we start. All fees exclude 5% UAE VAT.
| Service | Basis | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| goAML registration & AML policy pack | One-off | from AED 3,500 |
| UBO or ESR filing, standalone | Per filing | from AED 1,500 |
| Annual compliance calendar management | Annual | from AED 4,000 |
| Included in Growth package and above | Monthly | from AED 2,000/month |
Questions
Company Compliance & AML — frequently asked
Am I a DNFBP?
You are if your business is one of the designated categories: auditors and accountants, lawyers and notaries, company and trust service providers, real estate brokers and agents, or dealers in precious metals and stones. Company formation agents and corporate service providers are captured. If your activity sits close to the line, tell us the wording on your trade licence and we will give you a straight answer.
What is goAML and when must I register?
goAML is the UAE Financial Intelligence Unit's reporting platform. Registration is mandatory for DNFBPs, must be renewed annually, and is a precondition for filing suspicious transaction reports. Failure to register carries penalties starting at AED 50,000.
What is UBO and how often do I file?
The Ultimate Beneficial Owner register records the natural persons who ultimately own or control the company — generally at 25% ownership or through control by other means. It must be maintained and filed with your licensing authority, and any change reported within fifteen days. Penalties for non-disclosure or false information start at AED 50,000.
Does Economic Substance still apply to me?
ESR applies to entities carrying on specified relevant activities — distribution and service centres, headquarters, holding companies, intellectual property, shipping, banking, insurance, fund management and leasing among them. Many businesses file notifications they do not need to, and some skip reports they do. We assess it properly rather than filing defensively.
Do I need a compliance officer?
DNFBPs must appoint one, and the appointment has to be a real one — a named individual with the authority and the training to act. For smaller firms this is usually an existing senior employee. We support the appointment, write the role documentation and train the person into it.
Can you handle my trade licence renewal too?
Yes. Licence renewal sits on the same compliance calendar as everything else, and a lapsed licence blocks bank transactions, visa processing and filings across the board. We track the date and manage the renewal.
Next step
Thirty minutes, no obligation
Tell us where you are. We will tell you what is required, what it costs, and whether anything is already overdue — before you have paid us anything.
Prefer to see numbers first? Take the 3-minute assessment — package, indicative fee and your own filing deadlines, no contact details required.
Request a call back
A senior advisor, not a call centre.