A statutory annual audit is the year-end opinion a free-zone authority, a mainland desk or a bank still asks for. Since 2024 we have planned these files from Office 512 against the licence you actually hold — not a generic UAE checklist.
What the opinion covers
We audit financial statements prepared under IFRS as used in the UAE. Materiality, related parties, bank confirmations and — where stock matters — count attendance sit in the plan before fieldwork starts. The management letter names the issues. Boilerplate findings that could apply to any company in Deira do not leave this office.
What we need from you
A complete trial balance, bank letters, the trade licence, prior-year statements if they exist, and a named person who can answer queries in the same week. First-year audits take longer. We put the timetable in the engagement letter once we have seen the file.
Questions we are asked
How long does a statutory audit take?
A straightforward trading company with a complete file typically sits in a four-to-six-week window. Groups and inventory-heavy businesses take longer.
Do free-zone companies need this every year?
Most operating licences still require audited statements at renewal. Send the last renewal notice and we will tell you what that zone asked for.
Can you audit books you also keep?
Not as a casual dual role. Independence is discussed in the letter. If this office prepared the statements, we will not simply stamp them.