The "what documents do I need?" question arises in two scenarios: switching from an existing accountant, or starting accounting fresh with a new company.
Every accounting period must start with correct opening balances. A new accountant cannot guess what those are — they must come from documented records. The more complete the handover, the faster and more accurately the new firm can begin. An incomplete handover means delays, estimations, and potentially incorrect financial statements and tax returns built on wrong foundations.
Request all of the following from your outgoing accountant before confirming the switch. Do not wait until you have already left — once access is revoked, obtaining these documents can take weeks.
The single most important document in any handover. Lists closing debit and credit balance of every account — becomes the new accountant's opening balance sheet. Without it, the incoming accountant is starting blind.
💡 If your existing accountant uses a proprietary system (not Zoho, QuickBooks, Xero), request the Trial Balance as a signed PDF. This is non-negotiable.If a cloud ERP is used (Zoho Books, QuickBooks Online, Xero), request admin access so the incoming accountant can review the full ledger history. If a proprietary system is used, request a full Excel/CSV export of all journals for the period.
Confirms total revenue, expenses, net profit, and the asset/liability/equity position at year end. Balance Sheet figures must tie exactly to the Trial Balance. Any discrepancy is a problem the incoming accountant needs to be aware of from day one.
For each bank account, confirms the closing book balance matches the bank statement at period end. If these are not available, it signals that balances in the books may not match reality.
Individual customer and supplier balances as at the closing date. Without these, the incoming accountant cannot reconcile who owes the company money and who the company still owes.
List of all fixed assets, their cost, accumulated depreciation, and net book value. Required to continue depreciation calculations correctly in the next period.
Username and password for the FTA's EmaraTax portal. The incoming accountant needs this to check CT registration status, review filed returns, identify FTA correspondence, and file future returns. This belongs to your company — not your accountant.
⚠️ If the outgoing accountant withholds EmaraTax credentials, contact the FTA directly with your trade license and Emirates ID to reset access.PDF copies of all filed CT returns and the underlying computation showing how taxable income was calculated — including any SBR, QFZP, or realisation basis elections made.
Confirms the company's TRN, registered tax period, and financial year. Needed to verify period elections at registration.
Signed and stamped audited financial statements and the auditor's report and management letter. Required where the free zone or FTA mandates audited accounts.
Confirm whether VAT and CT use the same EmaraTax login or different credentials. The incoming accountant needs access to both to view filing history and manage upcoming returns.
PDF exports of every filed VAT return and supporting schedules. Needed to verify input tax carried forward, pending refund claims, or any amended filings.
Confirms the VAT TRN, effective registration date, and return frequency (monthly or quarterly).
A listing or export of all sales and purchase invoices for the period — with dates, amounts, and VAT treatment. Allows the incoming accountant to verify revenue and expense figures without pulling every document individually.
PDF bank statements covering the entire period. Even with bank reconciliations provided, raw statements allow independent verification by the incoming firm.
Current entity documents. Required for FTA portal work, accounting system setup, and audit engagements. Ensure physical originals are returned if the outgoing accountant holds them.
Salary schedules, WPS records, GPSSA details, and employee contracts. Needed for continuity on leave accruals and end-of-service gratuity provisions.
The incoming accountant cannot establish opening balances. Financial statements for the new period will be unreliable. The CT return may carry forward incorrect figures. Reconstruction from raw bank statements alone takes significantly more time and cost.
The new accountant cannot view CT registration details, check for FTA correspondence or penalties, access VAT return history, or submit the next return. The business remains in limbo until access is resolved.
Input tax carried forward from prior periods cannot be verified. Any pending VAT refund claim cannot be progressed. Risk of filing the next return on incorrect cumulative figures, triggering FTA queries or penalties.
The incoming accountant cannot confirm whether closing book balances match the actual bank position. Hidden discrepancies only surface later — often during financial statement preparation or an FTA audit.
EmaraTax credentials are linked to your company's TRN. An accountant who set up the account on your behalf should have registered it under your entity details — not their own. The login belongs to you.
Contact the FTA via the EmaraTax helpline or walk-in service. With your trade license and Emirates ID, you can reset the password. An accountant cannot permanently block your access to your own FTA account.
Add the new accountant as an authorised user on EmaraTax. Remove the old firm's access after handover is confirmed complete. Never share credentials with multiple parties simultaneously.
An outgoing accountant may delay document release until their invoice is settled — commercially understandable. Settle the fee and request simultaneous document release with a written receipt. Your records cannot be withheld permanently.
Send this to your outgoing accountant to formally initiate the handover. One email, specific list — this prevents the back-and-forth that delays most switches.
Adapt company name and period details before sending
Dear [Accountant Name],
We have decided to transition our accounting and tax compliance to a new firm with effect from [date]. To ensure a clean and professional handover, please provide the following documents and access by [target date]:
Please confirm once all documents have been shared so we can arrange settlement of any outstanding invoices simultaneously with the handover completion.
Thank you for your cooperation.
When you switch to Fastlane, we send your outgoing accountant a single formal email listing exactly what we need. We follow up on your behalf to resolve any delays and confirm the handover is complete before we begin billable work. No guesswork, no gaps, no surprises mid-engagement.
This article is based on Fastlane's direct experience managing accounting handovers for UAE mainland and free zone companies. All handover engagements start with a formal document request to the outgoing firm before any billable work begins.
FTA-registered Tax Agent. Monthly accounting from AED 499/month. CT filing from AED 249. We manage the handover from your existing accountant.
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