goAML Registration UAE: Key Facts at a Glance
| What is goAML? | The UAE FIU’s official reporting platform, built by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), for suspicious transaction and activity reporting |
| Who must register | All Financial Institutions, DNFBPs and VASPs in the UAE |
| goAML registration cost | AED 0: registration is completely free; there is no government fee |
| Process | Stage 1: SACM registration → Stage 2: goAML portal registration |
| Legal basis | Federal Decree-Law No. 10 of 2025 and Cabinet Resolution No. 134 of 2025 (suspicious reporting through the FIU’s electronic system); MOET AML/CFT guidance requiring DNFBPs to hold active goAML registration |
| Penalty for non-registration | Administrative fines under Cabinet Resolution No. 71 of 2024 (schedule range AED 50,000 – AED 1,000,000; doubled for repeat violations) |
| goAML login URL | https://services.uaefiu.gov.ae/goaml/ |
| Helpdesk | +971 2 6915599 | goaml@uaefiu.gov.ae |
What is goAML in the UAE?
goAML is a software application developed by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and operated in the Emirates by the UAE Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU). It is the single electronic channel through which regulated businesses report transactions and activities suspected of involving money laundering (ML), terrorism financing (TF) or proliferation financing (PF). The FIU uses the platform to receive, analyse and disseminate reports, support investigations, and coordinate with supervisory authorities and international counterparts in line with FATF standards.
Whether your business is licensed in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah or any other emirate, mainland or commercial free zone, goAML is the same federal system. There is no separate “goAML Dubai” portal; every reporting entity uses the FIU portal at services.uaefiu.gov.ae.
Is goAML Registration Mandatory? The Legal Basis
Yes. goAML registration is a compliance obligation, not an optional step. Federal Decree-Law No. 10 of 2025 (the UAE’s current AML/CFT/CPF law, which repealed Federal Decree-Law No. 20 of 2018) and its executive regulations in Cabinet Resolution No. 134 of 2025 require regulated entities to report suspicious transactions and activities to the FIU through its designated electronic system. That system is goAML. The Ministry of Economy & Tourism’s AML/CFT guidance goes further for the DNFBPs it supervises: they must register on goAML and maintain the registration in active status. Without an active goAML account, a business cannot file a single STR or SAR, which inspectors treat as an internal-controls failure, since the firm cannot discharge its statutory reporting duty at all.
Who Should Register with the goAML System in UAE?
Three categories of regulated entities must complete anti-money laundering registration on goAML:
1. Financial Institutions (FIs): banks, exchange houses, insurance companies, finance companies and other licensed financial businesses.
2. Designated Non-Financial Businesses and Professions (DNFBPs) as defined in Article 3 of Cabinet Resolution No. 134 of 2025:
- Real estate agents and brokers
- Dealers in precious metals and precious stones
- Independent accountants and auditors
- Lawyers, notaries and independent legal professionals
- Trust and corporate service providers (TCSPs)
3. Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs): crypto exchanges, custodians and other virtual-asset businesses.
Which Supervisory Authority Approves Your goAML Registration?
Selecting the wrong supervisory body is one of the top causes of rejection, because the authority you choose is the one that reviews and finalises your application. Use this finder before you submit:
| Your UAE licence or activity | Likely supervisory route |
|---|---|
| Mainland or commercial-free-zone DNFBP (real estate, precious metals, accountants/auditors, TCSPs) | Ministry of Economy & Tourism (MOET) |
| Lawyers, notaries and legal professionals | Ministry of Justice (MOJ) |
| Banks, exchange houses, insurers, finance companies | Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) |
| DIFC-regulated firms | Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) |
| ADGM-regulated firms | Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) |
| Dubai virtual-asset businesses | VARA, depending on licence |
| Capital-market firms | Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA) |
| Commercial gaming activities | General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA) |
MOET’s current registration guide confirms it supervises DNFBP trade licences issued by all mainland registrar authorities and commercial free zones; the financial free zones (DIFC under DFSA, ADGM under FSRA) are expressly excluded from MOET supervision.
Documents Required for goAML Registration in UAE
| Document | Detail that prevents rejection |
|---|---|
| Trade / commercial licence | Must be valid; the licence number goes in the “ID Number/Reg. No.” field, exactly as printed |
| Authorisation letter | On company letterhead and/or with company stamp, appointing the Compliance Officer / MLRO |
| Compliance Officer ID | Emirates ID and/or passport copy, name matching the ID exactly |
| Authenticator application | A compatible authenticator app (commonly Google Authenticator) on a mobile with a UAE-registered number (entered in 009715XXXXXXXX format) |
Additional documents may be required by your supervisory authority: for example, the residence visa copy, CBUAE approval letters for its regulated entities, or DFSA/FSRA appointment evidence. Check your regulator’s checklist before merging the file.
Critical detail: the SACM portal accepts one attachment only. All documents must be scanned and merged into a single PDF not exceeding 5MB. Separately uploaded or oversized files are one of the most common causes of rejection. Before submitting, also ensure your IT team whitelists no-reply.sacm@uaefiu.gov.ae and no-reply.goaml@uaefiu.gov.ae, or your OTP and approval emails may land in quarantine.
How Much Does goAML Registration Cost?
goAML registration is free. The UAE FIU charges no fee for SACM pre-registration, goAML portal registration, or ongoing use of the system, for DNFBPs, FIs and VASPs alike. Any provider quoting a “government fee” for goAML registration is mislabelling its own service charge. The only legitimate cost is professional assistance if you choose to have a compliance firm prepare the documents, manage the two-stage submission and handle any rejection remediation.
One distinction most guides miss: goAML registration is free, but goAML registration is not the same as AML compliance. Registration only gives you the reporting channel. Your business is still separately required to appoint an MLRO, run a business risk assessment, adopt AML/CFT policies, perform customer due diligence, screen against sanctions lists and actually file reports when suspicion arises. Inspectors fine registered-but-dormant entities just as readily as unregistered ones.
UAE goAML Registration Types
The portal offers three registration types: Reporting Entity, Stakeholder (law enforcement and competent authorities) and Supervisory Body (regulators). Every FI, DNFBP and VASP must select Reporting Entity: selecting “Stakeholder” by mistake is a leading cause of rejection.
How to Register on the goAML Portal in UAE: Step-by-Step
Stage 1: SACM Registration (Pre-Registration)
SACM (Services Access Control Manager) is the FIU’s security gateway that issues your credentials.
- Open the SACM registration form at https://services.uaefiu.gov.ae/sacm/registration.php.
- Complete the entity section: Registration Type = Reporting Entity; entity name exactly as per trade licence; the correct supervisory body (MOET for most DNFBPs); trade licence number under ID Number/Reg. No.
- Complete the user section: Compliance Officer / MLRO name as per passport, nationality, ID type and number, email, and a UAE mobile number in 009715XXXXXXXX format.
- Upload the single merged PDF (max 5MB), tick the goAML Terms and Conditions box, and submit. The system generates a reference number.
- Verify your email via the link sent by SACM; the request does not reach your regulator until you do.
- Await supervisory approval. On approval you receive an email OTP (valid 24 hours only) and a mobile OTP. Open https://services.uaefiu.gov.ae/sacm/getkey.php, enter both OTPs, and click Get Secret Key.
- Set up the authenticator application: install a compatible authenticator app (commonly Google Authenticator), create an account named “goAML Portal” and enter the Secret Key. The app now generates the rotating 6-digit code required at every goAML login. You also receive your username in the format UMOECXXXXXX (for MOET-supervised entities).
Stage 2: Entity Registration on the goAML Portal
- Log in at https://services.uaefiu.gov.ae/goaml/ using the SACM username and the Google Authenticator 6-digit code as the password.
- Click “Register a New Organization” and select Reporting Entity.
- Fill the entity details: organisation type ending with your regulator’s abbreviation, name, incorporation number, business activity, group email, phone and address (free zone entities must state the free zone name).
- Register the admin person (the MLRO/Compliance Officer): create a unique username and password, and enter the Emirates ID number in both the Emirates ID and ID Number fields.
- Upload the same merged PDF, enter the captcha, and click Preview and Submit. A reference in the format REP00000000000 is issued.
- Approval and Org ID: your supervisory authority reviews the request. On approval, the FIU emails confirmation with your unique Organisation ID (Org ID): your permanent goAML identity. If rejected, correct the stated reason and resubmit; MOET-regulated entities can clarify requirements via aml@moet.gov.ae before resubmitting.
Understanding Your Five goAML Registration References
goAML registration generates a chain of numbers and credentials, and confusing them is the most common support query. Here is what each one does:
| Reference | What it means |
|---|---|
| SACM reference number | Tracks your Stage 1 access request with the FIU and your regulator |
| SACM username (UMOECXXXXXX) | Your first-level login ID, used with the authenticator code |
| Secret Key | One-time key that links the authenticator application to your account |
| REP reference (REP00000000000) | Tracks your Stage 2 entity registration request |
| Organisation ID (Org ID) | Your company’s permanent goAML identity: your proof of registration and the ID new users need |
| User credentials | The username and password you created in Stage 2, used at the second login level |
goAML Login UAE: Accessing the Portal After Registration
goAML login is two-level. At https://services.uaefiu.gov.ae/goaml/, the first pop-up takes your SACM username (UMOECXXXXXX) with the current Google Authenticator code as the password; the second level takes the username and password you created during Stage 2. Forgot your portal password? Use the Forgot Password button; a reset link goes to your registered email. Forgot the SACM username itself? Email goaml@uaefiu.gov.ae with your organisation name, Org ID, registered name and email, Emirates ID and passport number, date of birth and nationality.
What Reports Are Filed Through goAML?
| Report | When it is filed |
|---|---|
| STR / SAR | Suspicion of ML/TF/PF in a transaction or activity; no minimum value threshold |
| REAR | Real estate deals involving AED 55,000+ in cash or any virtual-asset settlement |
| DPMSR | Precious metals/stones cash transactions of AED 55,000 or more |
| CNMR / PNMR | Confirmed or partial name matches against UAE and UN sanctions lists |
| HRC / HRCA | Transactions or activities connected to high-risk countries |
| FFR, AIF, AIFT, RFI, RFIT | Funds freezes and FIU requests for additional information |
Penalty for Failure to Register on goAML
Non-registration is an administrative violation fined under the schedule to Cabinet Resolution No. 71 of 2024, the unified penalty regime for MOET- and MOJ-supervised entities. The schedule lists 41 violation categories with fines from AED 50,000 to AED 1,000,000, and the Ministry may double the fine for repeat violations. In July 2026, MOET announced fines totalling AED 22.6 million against 29 DNFBP companies: enforcement is active, not theoretical.
It is important to keep the offences distinct, because they are penalised separately: failure to register on goAML, failure to file a suspicious report once suspicion arises, Targeted Financial Sanctions failures (such as not freezing funds on a sanctions match), and failure to maintain other AML controls (policies, CDD, risk assessment) each carry their own fine band. On top of the schedule, Federal Decree-Law No. 10 of 2025 empowers supervisory authorities to issue warnings, impose fines of up to AED 5,000,000 per violation, restrict the business, remove senior management, or suspend and revoke the trade licence. In practice, UAE banks also increasingly freeze or decline accounts of DNFBPs that cannot evidence goAML registration, often a faster commercial consequence than the fine itself.
Do not confuse goAML with EOCN. Registration on the Executive Office for Control & Non-Proliferation (EOCN) sanctions notification system is a separate obligation with its own penalty regime.
Do I Get a UAE FIU goAML Registration Certificate?
No, there is no formal goAML certificate. On approval of your FIU goAML registration, the UAE FIU sends a confirmation email containing your unique Organisation ID (Org ID), and that email plus your active Org ID is your proof of registration. If a bank, regulator or counterparty asks for evidence of goAML registration, provide the FIU approval email and your Org ID, or log in to the portal and show your active organisation profile under My goAML.
goAML Registration Deadline in UAE
For entities existing in early 2021, the Ministry of Economy’s deadline was 31 March 2021, extended to 30 April 2021. That deadline passing does not close the door: unregistered businesses can, and should, still register, and doing so voluntarily before an inspection is always better than after a Letter of Concern. A newly licensed entity in a regulated category should complete goAML registration as part of establishing its AML reporting arrangements, before it is ever required to submit a report.
Top 5 Reasons goAML Registrations Get Rejected
| Error | The fix |
|---|---|
| Wrong registration type (Stakeholder) | Always select Reporting Entity |
| Wrong supervisory body | Match the authority to your licence (MOET vs DFSA vs FSRA vs CBUAE) |
| Documents uploaded separately | Merge everything into one PDF under 5MB |
| Wrong number in ID Number/Reg. No. | Enter the trade licence number exactly as printed |
| Expired 24-hour OTP | Complete the Secret Key step the same day; if expired, email goaml@uaefiu.gov.ae for a resend |
Managing Your goAML Account: Users, MLRO Changes and Deregistration
Adding users: additional staff register as a “Person” on the portal using your Org ID; the MLRO approves them under Admin → User Request Management and assigns roles under User-Role Management.
Changing the MLRO: MOET’s current guide for its supervised DNFBPs sets a four-stage route: (1) obtain MOET AML Department approval for the replacement, (2) submit the SACM request for the incoming MLRO, (3) add the proposed MLRO through the goAML portal using the existing Org ID, and (4) update the organisation’s contact-person details. Entities under other regulators should follow their own supervisor’s procedure, which may differ. Organisation details generally (name, address, activities, contacts) are updated via My goAML → My Org Details and require supervisory approval.
goAML deregistration: when a licence is cancelled, email aml@economy.ae (cc goaml@uaefiu.gov.ae) with your goAML registration number, entity name, individual name, supervisory body and licence cancellation date, attaching the cancelled trade licence and clearance certificate.
How Athos Auditors Helps with goAML Registration and AML Compliance
Athos Auditors LLC, a DMCC, DAFZA and RAKEZ approved audit firm and EAI International member office in Dubai, handles goAML registration end-to-end for DNFBPs, FIs and VASPs: supervisory-body mapping, authorisation letter drafting, single-PDF document preparation, SACM and goAML portal submission, rejection remediation, and MLRO onboarding. Beyond registration, our AML compliance services for DNFBPs cover business risk assessments, AML/CFT policies, goAML reporting support (STR, SAR, REAR, DPMSR) and MOET inspection readiness, with tax-side compliance handled by our sister firm Credora Consultancy LLC, an FTA-registered tax agency. Call +971 4 572 9701 for a same-day goAML registration assessment.
goAML Registration UAE: Frequently Asked Questions
Is goAML registration mandatory in the UAE?
Yes. Federal Decree-Law No. 10 of 2025 and Cabinet Resolution No. 134 of 2025 require suspicious reports to be submitted through the FIU’s electronic reporting system, and MOET guidance specifically instructs its supervised DNFBPs to register on goAML and keep the registration active. No AML report can be filed without it.
How much does goAML registration cost?
Nothing: goAML registration is free of charge. There is no government fee for SACM registration, portal registration or reporting.
What is the penalty for not registering on goAML?
Administrative fines under the Cabinet Resolution No. 71 of 2024 schedule, which ranges from AED 50,000 to AED 1,000,000 and can be doubled for repeat violations, plus possible licence-level sanctions and fines up to AED 5 million under Federal Decree-Law No. 10 of 2025.
What is SACM registration?
SACM (Services Access Control Manager) is the FIU security gateway and mandatory first stage of goAML registration. It verifies your entity and Compliance Officer and issues the username and Secret Key for Google Authenticator.
How long does goAML registration take?
The official guides set no fixed processing period. Approval time depends on your supervisory authority, the accuracy of the application, and whether further information is requested. Document errors are the main cause of longer timelines.
Do I get a goAML registration certificate?
No goAML certificate is issued. On approval of your FIU goAML registration, the FIU sends a confirmation email with your unique Organisation ID (Org ID), which is your proof of registration.
Which supervisory authority approves my registration?
It depends on your licence: MOET for mainland and commercial free zone DNFBPs, CBUAE for banks and insurers, DFSA for DIFC, FSRA for ADGM, VARA or SCA for virtual-asset businesses, and the Ministry of Justice for certain legal professionals.
What is the goAML contact number?
The goAML helpdesk is +971 2 6915599, with email support at goaml@uaefiu.gov.ae (portal issues) and contact@uaefiu.gov.ae (general FIU queries). MOET-regulated entities can also write to aml@moet.gov.ae.
I did not receive the OTP email. What do I do?
Check spam and confirm no-reply.sacm@uaefiu.gov.ae is whitelisted. The OTP expires in 24 hours; email goaml@uaefiu.gov.ae from the registered email to request a resend.
Can I still register after the 30 April 2021 deadline?
Yes, the portal remains open and late registration is accepted. Registering voluntarily before an inspection substantially reduces enforcement risk compared with being caught unregistered.
How do I change the MLRO in goAML?
For MOET-supervised DNFBPs: obtain MOET AML Department approval, submit the SACM request for the new MLRO, add them via the goAML portal with the existing Org ID, then update the contact-person details. Other regulators may have different procedures.
Is goAML the same as EOCN registration?
No. goAML handles suspicious-activity reporting to the FIU; EOCN is the separate sanctions notification system, with its own registration requirement and its own penalty regime.
Sources: UAE Financial Intelligence Unit (uaefiu.gov.ae): goAML Registration Guide and Pre-Registration Guide; Ministry of Economy & Tourism (moet.gov.ae): goAML System Registration Guide (Dec 2025 version) and Guide to Changing the Registered MLRO in goAML; Federal Decree-Law No. 10 of 2025; Cabinet Resolution No. 134 of 2025; Cabinet Resolution No. 71 of 2024 (uaelegislation.gov.ae). Last reviewed: 14 July 2026 by Chirag Gupta, Partner, Athos Auditors LLC.
