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It's the most common — and most risky — habit in UAE tax compliance: a business hands its accountant the EmaraTax email and password, then forwards every login OTP over WhatsApp so the accountant can get in. It works, but it's a security problem waiting to happen. Shared passwords get reused, OTPs get intercepted, and you lose any record of who did what.
You don't need to do any of it. EmaraTax is built for delegation — you can grant your service provider access under their own login, with the rights you choose, and remove it whenever you like. Your password and OTPs never leave your hands.
Why this matters
The problem with sharing your login
- OTPs are dangerous to forward — and some EmaraTax/e-CTS codes actually authorise changes to your registered email or phone, not just a login
- No audit trail — everything appears under your single account, so you can't see who acted
- Hard to revoke — to cut off access you'd have to change your password and reset everything
- Account takeover risk — anyone with your password and an OTP controls your tax profile
Delegated access fixes all four. Your accountant logs in as themselves, you keep full control, and access ends with a click — no password change required.
Method 1 · Portal User
Add your accountant as an authorised user
This grants your service provider access to your tax account under their own EmaraTax credentials. Here's the process:
- Log in to EmaraTax Sign in to the portal with your own credentials — you stay in control throughout.
- Open User Authorization Select User Authorization from the left-hand tile.
- Select the client / taxable person Choose the entity you want to grant access to.
- Click Add User Start the delegation.
- Choose user type: Portal User Select Portal User for a standard authorised user.
- Search by email / user UID Enter the email address or user UID your accountant gives you, then click Search.
- Set write access & add Grant the access level needed (e.g. write access to prepare and submit returns) and add the user.
Once added, let your accountant know so they can log in under their own account and proceed — no password, no OTP shared.
Give the right access level
You control whether the user gets read-only or write access. For someone preparing and submitting your returns, write access is needed — but it's still their login, scoped to your entity, and removable any time.
Method 2 · Tax Agent
Or link them as a registered Tax Agent
The process is almost identical, with one change at the user-type step. If your provider is an FTA-registered Tax Agent, you can link them in that capacity instead:
- Follow the same path User Authorization → select the client → Add User.
- Choose user type: Tax Agent Instead of Portal User, select Tax Agent.
- Search and link the agent Enter the agent's details / number, search, and confirm the linkage.
A Tax Agent linkage formally records that a licensed agent is authorised to act for you before the FTA — the strongest, most accountable form of delegation, with a clear professional record attached to every action.
| Portal User | Tax Agent | |
|---|---|---|
| Who it's for | Any authorised user (e.g. your bookkeeper or accountant) | An FTA-registered Tax Agent / agency |
| Logs in as | Their own EmaraTax account | Their own Tax Agent account |
| Formal FTA standing | Authorised user | Registered agent acting on your behalf |
| You can revoke | Any time | Any time |
✅ Either way, you stay in control
You never share your password. No OTP forwarding. Every action is tied to the user or agent who performed it. And you can remove access from the same User Authorization screen whenever the engagement ends.
If anyone asks you to share your EmaraTax password or forward an OTP "just to check something," that's the moment to send them this instead.
0
Passwords shared
0
OTPs forwarded
2
Ways: Portal User or Tax Agent
1 click
To revoke access
Add Fastlane the safe way and we'll handle the rest
Grant us Portal User or Tax Agent access in EmaraTax, and we'll prepare and file your VAT and Corporate Tax returns — without ever needing your password or OTP.
The services we'll file for you
Annual
Corporate Tax Filing
We prepare and submit your Corporate Tax return under delegated EmaraTax access — no credentials shared.
Learn more →
Quarterly
VAT Filing
Accurate, on-time VAT returns filed as your authorised user or Tax Agent.
Learn more →
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to share my EmaraTax password with my accountant?
No. Use User Authorization in EmaraTax to add them as a Portal User or link them as a Tax Agent. They access your account under their own login, with the rights you choose — your password and OTPs stay private.
How do I add a user in EmaraTax?
Log in, click User Authorization on the left, select the client, click Add User, choose user type "Portal User," search by the user's email or UID, set the access level (e.g. write), and add them.
What's the difference between adding a Portal User and a Tax Agent?
The steps are the same except the user type. A Portal User is any authorised user under their own login; a Tax Agent is an FTA-registered agent formally authorised to act for you before the Authority — the most accountable option.
Can I remove access later?
Yes. You can revoke a user or agent at any time from the same User Authorization screen — no password change needed.
Why shouldn't I just forward the OTP?
OTPs can authorise more than a login — some confirm changes to your registered email or mobile number. Forwarding them risks your account, and leaves no audit trail. Delegated access avoids all of that.
Is delegated access secure?
Yes — it's the FTA's intended method. Each authorised user or agent acts under their own credentials, every action is attributable, and you retain full control and the ability to revoke.
This article is for general information only and does not constitute tax or security advice. EmaraTax screens and steps may change; follow the current on-screen prompts. For help setting up access or filing, contact Fastlane Consultancy.