Note: The UAE repealed the ESR regime for financial years starting on or after 1 January 2023. This tool is provided for historical late filings and amendments.
UAE · Economic Substance
UAE ESR filings, for historical periods.
Still have an Economic Substance notification or report outstanding, or one to amend, for a financial year that began before 2023? Novus turns your licensee, income and substance data into the ESR XML, with risk checks before it goes anywhere.
01How Novus helps
Historical ESR files, prepared properly.
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01 / Capability
Excel to XML
Licensee details, income and substance data go in as a spreadsheet; the schema mapping and XML are handled for you.
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02 / Capability
Nil returns
Licensees with no relevant income get a simplified nil-return XML, skipping the substance fields that don’t apply.
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03 / Capability
Risk checks
Records are checked before anything is generated, for example gross income above 500,000 with no employees is flagged as high risk.
02Scope
The nine relevant activities.
Licensees that carried on one of these activities, and earned income from it in a financial year within the regime, had a filing obligation.
- Banking
- Insurance
- Investment fund management
- Lease-finance
- Headquarters
- Shipping
- Holding company
- Intellectual property
- Distribution & service centre
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Something else? Ask our team
Does ESR still apply in the UAE?
Not for current periods. The UAE repealed the ESR regime for financial years starting on or after 1 January 2023. Obligations for earlier financial years, including late filings and amendments, are what this page covers.
Who had to file an Economic Substance report?
Any UAE onshore or free zone licensee that carried on a relevant activity and earned income from it during a financial period within the regime’s scope had to file an ESR notification and report.
What were the relevant activities?
Nine: banking, insurance, investment fund management, lease-finance, headquarters, shipping, holding company, intellectual property, and distribution and service centre business.
How are nil returns handled?
When a licensee had no relevant income for the period, Novus generates a simplified nil-return XML that skips the substance requirement fields.
How do I start a historical filing?
Contact our team with the financial years and licensees concerned. We’ll confirm what’s outstanding in your data and walk you through preparing the files.
An ESR period still open? Let’s close it.
Tell us which financial years and licensees are outstanding, and we’ll help you prepare the files.