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Quick answer
When you apply to deregister a dormant company for corporate tax, the FTA will often send the application back through EmaraTax asking you to confirm revenue or provide financials — even though there's no activity. The fix isn't financial statements: it's a signed declaration of no business activity (confirming nil revenue for the period). Sign and stamp it — the FTA can reject an unstamped declaration and delay approval — then respond on the existing application rather than resubmitting. The deregistration certificate typically follows in 1–2 months.
It catches a lot of owners off guard. You submit a corporate tax deregistration for a company that has never traded, expecting it to sail through — and instead EmaraTax comes back asking for financials, or to confirm the company's revenue. There's no activity and no accounts, so what are you supposed to send? The good news: the FTA isn't demanding a full audit. It wants a straight confirmation, and there's a standard way to give it.
Why it happens
The FTA is verifying, not rejecting
A request to confirm revenue during deregistration is a normal verification step, not a sign anything has gone wrong. Before the FTA removes a company from the corporate tax register, it wants to confirm the basis for the deregistration — in particular that the company genuinely had no taxable activity, or has ceased. For a company that traded, that's the financial statements. For a company that never traded, it's a confirmation that there was nothing to report.
The fix
A declaration of no business activity — not financial statements
If your company is dormant with no financials, you don't manufacture accounts. You respond with a declaration of no business activity: a short letter confirming the company carried on no business and had nil revenue for the relevant period up to its cessation date. That declaration is what satisfies the FTA's request — it answers the “confirm your revenue” question directly, in a form the FTA accepts for a dormant entity.
Get the dates right
The declaration has to state the correct period — through to your actual cessation date. A wrong or mismatched date is a common reason these get sent back a second time, so check it against the dates the FTA is working from before you sign.
Don't skip this
Sign and stamp it — even though the company is closed
Here's the step people push back on: "The company's closed — do I really need to stamp it?" Yes. Even for a closed company, the FTA can send an unstamped declaration back, and each round trip adds weeks to the approval. A signature plus the company stamp is a small effort that avoids a frustrating delay. If you still have the stamp, use it.
Respond, don't restart
Don't resubmit the whole application
When the FTA asks for more information, the application usually stays open in an “awaiting information” state — and EmaraTax may still show a submit option. Don't create a fresh deregistration submission. You respond to the existing application with the declaration; starting a new one can create duplicates and confusion. If you're unsure whether it's already submitted, check the status before clicking anything.
The timeline
How long until the certificate?
Once the declaration is submitted, expect the FTA to take roughly 1–2 months to review and issue the corporate tax deregistration certificate. It's worth setting that expectation early — it's a review queue, not an instant approval.
“Submitted” is not “deregistered”
Until the FTA actually issues the deregistration certificate, the company is not deregistered — the application is simply in progress. Keep the acknowledgement, don't assume the obligation has ended, and treat the company as still registered until the certificate is in hand.
If you did trade
A different problem if financials are expected
This declaration route is specifically for genuinely dormant companies. If your company did have activity and the FTA is rejecting the financial statements you submitted, that's a separate issue — usually a dates or format problem. We cover that in why the FTA rejects deregistration financial statements.
Corporate tax deregistration stuck in “awaiting information”?
We prepare the declaration of no business activity, get it signed and stamped correctly, and resubmit to the FTA on your existing application — so a dormant company closes out cleanly, with the certificate in hand.
Related reading
Why the FTA rejects your deregistration financial statements →Corporate tax consultants in Dubai, UAE →Related Fastlane services
FAQ
Why does the FTA ask for financials to deregister a dormant company?
It's a standard verification step. Before removing a company from the corporate tax register, the FTA confirms the basis for deregistration — in particular that the company had no taxable activity or has ceased. For a company that traded, that's financial statements; for a dormant company that never traded, a declaration confirming no business activity and nil revenue is what the FTA is really asking for.
What do I submit if my dormant company has no financials?
A declaration of no business activity — a short signed letter confirming the company carried on no business and had nil revenue for the relevant period up to its cessation date. You don't need to prepare financial statements for a genuinely dormant company; the declaration answers the FTA's request to confirm revenue in an accepted form.
Do I need to stamp the declaration if the company is already closed?
Yes. Even for a closed company, the FTA can reject or send back an unstamped declaration, and each round trip adds weeks to approval. A signature plus the company stamp is a small step that avoids a delay, so if you still have the stamp, use it before submitting.
How long does the FTA take to issue a corporate tax deregistration certificate?
Typically around one to two months after the declaration or supporting information is submitted. It's a review queue rather than an instant approval, so it's worth setting that expectation. The company is not deregistered until the FTA actually issues the certificate.
Should I resubmit the deregistration if EmaraTax still shows a submit option?
No. When the FTA requests more information, the application usually stays open in an 'awaiting information' status, and a submit option may still appear. You respond to the existing application with the requested declaration rather than creating a new deregistration submission, which can cause duplicates. Check the status before clicking anything.
Is my company deregistered as soon as I submit the application?
No. Submitting the deregistration — or responding to the FTA's request — does not deregister the company. It remains registered, with the application in progress, until the FTA reviews it and issues the deregistration certificate. Keep the acknowledgement and treat the company as still registered until the certificate is issued.
This article is general guidance on UAE corporate tax deregistration, current as of July 2026, and is not legal or tax advice. FTA procedures, EmaraTax steps and timelines may change. Confirm your specific position with a qualified tax adviser or the FTA before acting.