By conducting a VAT audit, the government will verify that whether the business is following all the VAT laws and implementing VAT as per the regulation of FTA. Through the VAT audit in UAE, FTA will check the VAT returns and VAT refunds submitted by the taxpayer. The purpose of the VAT audit is to make sure that the business is collecting and submitting the VAT to the FTA within the assigned time frame.
VAT audit will include reviewing and accessing all the financial records of the company along with the bank statements. FTA will ask for the documents in hard copy and soft copy. FTA will check the sales and purchase invoices and review the books of accounts along with the VAT returns submitted to FTA.
Businesses who are subject to VAT audit must cooperate and facilitate FTA auditors in every possible way. A taxpayer or the legal representatives of the taxpayer must provide complete assistance to the tax auditor to conduct the audit in a smooth way. If your business receives a notification of VAT audit, you should prepare the following:
- Office is accessible.
- Original documents.
- Tax invoices.
- Financial records such as books of accounts.
- The staff of Accounts department and VAT agents.
- If the audit is conducted outside the business office then the presence of the relevant person from the business is mandatory at the time of the VAT audit.
If FTA finds out a non-compliance in the tax operations or discovers any violation of the FTA law then heavy VAT fines and penalties will be imposed on a business. The severity of violation or non-compliance might lead to the cancellation of the trade licenses or closing of a company.
