Cyprus vs United Arab Emirates
Corporate Tax Comparison
Time of Update: Cyprus: 4/05/2026 / United Arab Emirates: 4/01/2026
Compare Cyprus and United Arab Emirates corporate tax rates, filing due dates, withholding tax, VAT, capital gains tax, and effective tax metrics for cross-border company planning.
Cyprus vs United Arab Emirates Corporate Tax Comparison
Basic Corporate Tax Comparison
Corporate Income Tax (CIT)
Cyprus
United Arab Emirates
General CIT Rate:
12.5
General CIT Rate:
The standard corporate income tax rate in the UAE is set at 9% on taxable income above AED 375,000.
The corporate income tax rate is set at 0% for taxable income not exceeding 375,000 UAE dirham (AED) or qualifying income of a Qualifying Free Zone Person (QFZP).*
The corporate income tax rate is set at 0% for taxable income not exceeding 375,000 UAE dirham (AED) or qualifying income of a Qualifying Free Zone Person (QFZP).*
CIT Return Due Date:
Tax due on March 31 of the second year after the calendar year.
CIT Return Due Date:
According to the UAE CT law, all taxable persons must submit the company tax return within nine months after the end of the relevant tax period.
CIT Payment Due Date:
The relevant tax is due on August 1 of the year following the calendar year.
CIT Payment Due Date:
According to the UAE CT law, all taxable persons must pay corporate tax within nine months after the end of the relevant tax period.
CIT Estimated Payment Due Date:
Payment in installments of equal amounts on July 31 and December 31 of the relevant tax/calendar year.
CIT Estimated Payment Due Date:
According to the UAE CT law, there is no need to estimate/prepay taxes.
Withholding Tax (WHT)
Cyprus
United Arab Emirates
Resident Withholding Tax (Dividend/Interest/Royalty):
0/17/0
Resident Withholding Tax (Dividend/Interest/Royalty):
0%
None-Resident Withholding Tax (Dividend/Interest/Royalty):
0/0/10
None-Resident Withholding Tax (Dividend/Interest/Royalty):
0%
Value-Added Tax (VAT)
Capital Gain Tax (CGT)
Cyprus
United Arab Emirates
General Capital Gain Tax Rate:
20
General Capital Gain Tax Rate:
Individuals: Generally, there is no personal capital gains tax, as the UAE does not levy personal income tax.
Companies: Capital gains are generally treated under corporate tax rules and typically fall within the scope of corporate tax, unless special rules such as the participation exemption or QFZP (Qualifying Free Zone Person) apply.
Companies: Capital gains are generally treated under corporate tax rules and typically fall within the scope of corporate tax, unless special rules such as the participation exemption or QFZP (Qualifying Free Zone Person) apply.
Effective Tax Rate (ETR)
Cyprus
United Arab Emirates
Composite Effective Average Tax Rate:
11.4%
Composite Effective Average Tax Rate:
Composite Effective Marginal Tax Rate:
5.92%
Composite Effective Marginal Tax Rate:
