Filing your VAT 201, without the panic.

Box-by-box guide to filing a UAE VAT return. What goes where, common mistakes, and how to avoid them.

Form VAT 201 — the 14 boxes

Boxes 1–8 cover outputs (sales). Boxes 9–10 cover inputs (purchases). Boxes 11–14 are calculation and adjustments. Box 14 is the net VAT due or refundable.

Box-by-box walkthrough

Box 1 (standard 5% sales), Box 3 (reverse charge on imports), Box 4 (zero-rated exports), Box 5 (exempt), Box 9 (input VAT).

Common mistakes

Forgetting reverse charge on imported services, mis-classifying exempt vs zero-rated, missing the input VAT block for exempt supplies, late-filed amendments.

Penalties

AED 1,000 first late filing, AED 2,000 subsequent. 2% immediate + 4% after 7 days + 1% daily on late payment, up to 300% of tax due.