📖 In This Guide
What Is an Accounting & Audit Bundle?
An accounting and audit bundle is a single engagement that covers two things most Dubai free zone companies need at the same time: backlog accounting (preparing IFRS financial statements from your records) and a statutory audit (the approved auditor report your free zone requires for license renewal).
Most free zone companies reach out to an accounting firm only when their license renewal deadline is approaching — and at that point, they need both services done urgently. The bundle means one firm handles everything from raw documents to final audited financials, eliminating the delays and handoffs that come from using two separate providers.
Why they go together: The audit cannot start until IFRS financial statements exist — the auditor tests and validates the accounting. If backlog accounting is done by Firm A and audit by Firm B, Firm B has to spend time understanding Firm A's work before they can begin. With Fastlane's bundle, the same team prepares the accounts and conducts the audit — faster, cheaper, and with fewer errors.
Who Needs This Bundle?
The accounting and audit bundle is designed for three types of Dubai free zone companies:
- Companies with unmaintained books — businesses that have been operating for 6–24 months without regular bookkeeping, now facing a license renewal audit requirement
- Companies switching accountants — where previous accounting records exist but need to be reviewed, corrected, or brought to IFRS standard before audit
- New companies completing their first financial year — startups completing year one who need both their first set of IFRS financial statements and their first free zone audit done together
License renewal risk: Most UAE free zones require submission of audited financial statements before they will renew your trade license. Missing the audit deadline can result in license suspension, late fees, and in some cases cancellation of your establishment card and visa. If your renewal is coming up and your books are not ready, the bundle is the fastest path to compliance.
What's Included in Each Service
- Full-year bookkeeping from raw documents
- Bank reconciliation for all accounts
- IFRS Profit & Loss Statement
- IFRS Balance Sheet
- IFRS Cash Flow Statement
- Notes to the financial statements
- Accounts prepared on Zoho / QBO / Xero
- Trial balance signed off before audit
- Audit planning and risk assessment
- Verification of transactions and balances
- Bank confirmation procedures
- Management representation letter
- Independent auditor's report (signed)
- Audit report in free zone required format
- Physical stamp and signature for submission
- Follow-up on any free zone queries
Bundle Pricing
Fastlane's accounting and audit bundle starts at AED 3,000 — the most cost-effective way to get both services done in Dubai. Final pricing depends on the volume of transactions and the specific free zone's audit requirements:
| Service | Starting Price | What Determines Final Price |
|---|---|---|
| Backlog Accounting | AED 1,500 | Number of transactions, number of years, state of existing records |
| Free Zone Audit Report | AED 1,500 | Free zone, volume of transactions, complexity of financials |
| Bundle Total BEST VALUE | AED 3,000 | Combines both — single engagement, no duplication of effort |
Bundle vs Separate Providers — Cost Comparison
| Approach | Typical Cost | Turnaround | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Separate accounting firm + separate auditor | AED 4,500–7,000+ | 3–6 weeks | Handoff delays, inconsistencies between sets of accounts |
| Fastlane Bundle RECOMMENDED | From AED 3,000 | 7–14 days | One team, no handoffs, audit-ready from day one |
Why bundles cost less: When the same firm prepares the accounts and conducts the audit, there is no duplication of document collection, no re-familiarisation by a second firm, and no back-and-forth between providers. The efficiency saving is passed on in the bundle price.
Free Zones Covered
Fastlane is an approved auditor or accepted audit provider for all major Dubai and UAE free zones. Click your free zone for specific audit requirements and pricing:
How the Bundle Process Works
Once you confirm the engagement, Fastlane runs a streamlined 5-step process from document collection to final audited report:
Fastlane sends a tailored document checklist — bank statements, invoices, trade license — after a quick 10-minute WhatsApp call to scope the engagement. Bundle price confirmed upfront.
All transactions recorded in cloud accounting software, bank accounts reconciled, IFRS P&L, Balance Sheet, and Cash Flow prepared. Trial balance shared with you for review and sign-off before audit begins.
The audit team reviews the financial statements, performs bank confirmation procedures, checks material transactions, and prepares the management representation letter for your signature.
Draft audited financial statements shared with you for final review. Any queries or adjustments resolved before the final report is signed.
Stamped, signed audited financial statements delivered in the format accepted by your free zone. Hard copies and digital PDF provided. Fastlane supports any free zone queries post-submission.
Total turnaround: 7–14 working days from receipt of all documents. Rush turnarounds (3–5 days) are available for urgent license renewals — WhatsApp to discuss urgency →
Documents Required
To start the accounting and audit bundle, you'll need to provide the following. Fastlane sends a personalised checklist after the initial call:
- Bank statements for the full financial year (all business accounts)
- All sales invoices issued during the year
- All supplier/expense invoices and receipts
- Trade license copy (current and previous year if applicable)
- Emirates ID and passport copy of company director(s)
- Any existing accounting data (QuickBooks, Xero, Zoho, Excel, or any format)
- Lease agreement (for balance sheet fixed assets / prepayments)
- Loan or financing agreements (if any)
- Petty cash records (if applicable)
No accounting records at all? That's fine — most bundle clients come to Fastlane with bank statements and a folder of invoices only. The accounting team reconstructs the full set of IFRS financial statements from scratch. This is what backlog accounting is for. Learn more about our accounting service →
Why Bundle Instead of Using Separate Providers?
| Factor | Separate Providers | Fastlane Bundle |
|---|---|---|
| Documents submitted once | ✗ — twice (once to accountant, once to auditor) | ✓ Once to Fastlane |
| Handoff time between accountant and auditor | ✗ — 1–2 weeks typical | ✓ Zero — same team |
| Consistency of accounting standards | ✗ — auditor may query accountant's work | ✓ Audit-ready from day one |
| Single point of contact | ✗ — two firms, two relationships | ✓ One WhatsApp, one team |
| Total cost | ✗ — AED 4,500–7,000+ | ✓ From AED 3,000 |
| Total turnaround | ✗ — 3–6 weeks typical | ✓ 7–14 working days |
| Free zone query support post-submission | ✗ — depends on both firms | ✓ Fastlane handles all queries |
Frequently Asked Questions
Fastlane's accounting and audit bundle starts at AED 3,000 total — AED 1,500 for backlog accounting and AED 1,500 for the free zone approved auditor report. Final pricing depends on the volume of transactions, the number of financial years to be covered, and your specific free zone's requirements. WhatsApp Fastlane for a fixed quote within one working day.
Yes — in most UAE free zones, the same firm can both prepare financial statements and conduct the statutory audit. This is the standard arrangement for small and medium-sized free zone companies, and it is more efficient and cost-effective than using two separate firms. Fastlane is both a Ministry of Economy registered auditor and FTA-registered tax agent, covering both services within the same engagement.
Backlog accounting means preparing your company's financial statements for a past period — typically 6–24 months — where books were not maintained on a regular basis. The accountant reconstructs the full record from your bank statements, sales invoices, and expense receipts, producing IFRS-compliant financial statements that are then used as the basis for the audit. Fastlane's backlog accounting starts from AED 1,500 for one financial year. Learn more →
The typical turnaround from receipt of all documents to a signed, stamped audited financial statements is 7–14 working days. Accounting preparation takes 3–5 days; audit fieldwork and report takes 4–7 days. Rush turnarounds of 3–5 days total are available for urgent license renewal deadlines.
Yes — this is actually the most common scenario. Fastlane's backlog accounting team reconstructs financial statements from bank statements and invoices alone. You do not need to have maintained any accounting records. As long as you have your bank statements and a folder of invoices for the year, Fastlane can prepare audit-ready IFRS financial statements and proceed directly to the audit. WhatsApp us to discuss →
Reviewed by Fastlane Accounting & Audit Team
This guide reflects UAE free zone audit requirements and accounting standards as at March 2026. Pricing and turnaround times are indicative and confirmed at engagement. All audit reports are issued by a licensed UAE auditor.