Last updated: 11 October 2026 · Rates checked against: PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries — UAE, taxes on personal income
Reviewed by Zia Shahid, Buzdy Banking Editor · Our methodology
In this guide
People moving to the UAE ask this constantly, usually because they have just come from somewhere that taxes savings. The answer is short.
There is no personal income tax in the UAE.
Interest on your savings or deposit account is not taxed, and there is nothing to file for it.
PwC: "There is currently no personal income tax in the United Arab Emirates." This applies to nationals and residents alike.
What about the 9% corporate tax?
The UAE introduced a corporate tax that applies to business activity above a turnover threshold. It is not an income tax on individuals, and personal investment income is explicitly excluded from the turnover used to test that threshold.
In other words, holding a savings account does not bring you inside the corporate tax net.
The part people miss: your home country may still tax it
The UAE not taxing your interest does not settle the question for everyone. If you remain tax resident somewhere else — or your home country taxes its citizens on worldwide income — that country's rules still apply to interest earned in the UAE.
This is the usual position for expatriates, and it is the one worth taking advice on, because the UAE side genuinely has nothing to answer.
There is no return to file for it
With no personal income tax there is no personal income tax return, and no reporting requirement for a savings balance or the interest it earns.
Frequently asked questions
Is there any withholding on interest in the UAE?
There is no personal income tax, and interest for individuals is not taxed.
Does this apply to expatriates as well as nationals?
The absence of personal income tax applies to residents generally, not only to nationals.
Does the 9% corporate tax touch my savings?
Personal investment income is excluded from the turnover threshold used for the corporate tax test.
Will my home country tax it?
Possibly. That depends entirely on where you are tax resident and on that country's rules. Take advice there, not here.
Sources
This is information, not tax advice. The figures above were checked against the source named at the top of this page on 11 October 2026. Tax rules change, usually with each annual budget. For a decision about your own money, speak to a qualified tax adviser in your country.
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