Dubai Multi Commodities Centre
DMCC Company Setup, Accounting & Audit Services
DMCC is the UAE's largest free zone by number of registered companies, built around commodities trading — gold, diamonds, tea, and increasingly crypto and general trading — based in Jumeirah Lakes Towers.
Key facts
After setup, plan for corporate tax registration, monthly bookkeeping and the annual free zone audit, and check whether your income can qualify under the free zone corporate tax regime.
| Authority | Dubai Multi Commodities Centre Authority |
| Typical activity | Commodities trading, general trading, crypto, consultancy |
| Location | Jumeirah Lakes Towers (JLT), Dubai |
| Audit requirement | Required annually for licence renewal |
| Company size | Largest free zone in the UAE by company count |
| Liquidation timeline | Typically 6–8 weeks, including official gazette publication — one of the few zones still requiring it |
Accounting, audit & tax services in DMCC
DMCC's audit-for-renewal requirement means a lapsed or late audit can directly delay your licence renewal, not just sit as a compliance gap on paper.
Setting up and running a company in DMCC
DMCC (Dubai Multi Commodities Centre) licenses more companies than any other UAE free zone, from gold, diamond and tea traders to consultancies, tech start-ups and crypto businesses in the DMCC Crypto Centre. Setting up is quick; staying compliant is where most DMCC companies slip — usually on the annual audit that DMCC links to licence renewal, and on corporate tax positions taken for commodity trading income.
| Company setup | Name reservation, activity selection, shareholder documents and licence issue through the DMCC portal; flexi-desk or office lease in JLT |
| Bank account | UAE corporate account opening with a full KYC pack — business plan, contracts and source-of-funds evidence |
| Tax registration | Corporate tax registration on EmaraTax within the FTA deadline; VAT registration if taxable supplies exceed AED 375,000 |
| Monthly accounting | Bookkeeping on Xero, QuickBooks or Zoho with stock and trade-finance reconciliations for trading companies |
| Annual audit | Audited IFRS financial statements submitted to DMCC before licence renewal |
| Corporate tax return | Filed within 9 months of year-end, with a documented QFZP and qualifying-income analysis |
Corporate tax & VAT for DMCC companies
A DMCC company can pay 0% corporate tax on qualifying income only if it is a Qualifying Free Zone Person. For commodity traders, Ministerial Decision No. 229 of 2025 removed the old raw-form restriction: a commodity now qualifies when it is priced against a recognised exchange or price reporting agency, so traders need evidence of the benchmark used on each contract.
DMCC is not a VAT designated zone, so standard UAE VAT rules apply. Gold and diamond traders must also apply the domestic reverse charge on supplies between VAT-registered businesses, which is a frequent source of VAT return errors.
More services for DMCC companies
Related guides from our team
Practical explanations of the rules behind this service, written by our chartered accountants.
Questions about operating in DMCC
Is audit really required to renew a DMCC licence?+
Yes — DMCC requires audited financial statements as part of the annual licence renewal process for most company types.
Can a DMCC company trade physical commodities and hold crypto assets under one licence?+
Activity codes need to match what you actually do — combining unrelated activities under one licence can create both compliance and audit-scope complications worth resolving upfront.
How far in advance should DMCC audit prep start?+
Given the renewal linkage, starting well before your renewal date avoids audit findings becoming a licence-renewal bottleneck. For a small company with records in order, the audit itself can take only a few working days.
How much does it cost to set up a DMCC company?+
Licence and registration fees depend on the activity and office type; flexi-desk packages are the lowest-cost entry. We give a full breakdown of DMCC fees and first-year compliance costs before you commit.
Do DMCC companies pay corporate tax?+
They pay 0% on qualifying income if they meet every Qualifying Free Zone Person condition, and 9% on other taxable income above AED 375,000. Without an audit, the 0% rate is not available.
Can a DMCC company trade with mainland UAE customers?+
It can, but income from mainland customers is generally non-qualifying for corporate tax and may require the right activity or a distributor arrangement.
Who can liquidate a DMCC company?+
DMCC requires an approved liquidator. See our DMCC company liquidation service for the process and timeline.
We work directly with businesses across DMCC and 10+ other UAE free zones.
Operating in DMCC and need accounting or audit support?
Tell us your licence type and current filing status — we'll confirm exactly what DMCC requires and quote a fixed fee within 24 hours.