How do I check a Cyprus accountant is qualified?

Ask for their ICPAC practising certificate and, for company audits, confirmation that they're a licensed auditor. Many also hold ACCA or ICAEW qualifications.

How much do accountants cost in Cyprus?

For a small company, typically €2,500–€5,000 a year for bookkeeping, audit or review and VAT. Personal returns are quoted individually and cost much less.

Can my UK accountant file my Cyprus tax return?

Usually not well. Cyprus returns are filed through the Tax For All portal and need local knowledge of GeSY, SDC and non-dom rules. Keep your UK accountant for UK filings and have the two talk to each other.

Are there English-speaking accountants in Paphos?

Yes. Many Paphos and Limassol firms work in English and serve British clients. Our company accounting service introduces you to one.

What's the difference between an accountant and a tax adviser?

An accountant keeps your books and files returns. A tax adviser plans structures and timing. For a move from the UK, you usually want both. See our tax advisory introductions.

Do the Big Four accountancy firms operate in Cyprus?

Yes. PwC, Deloitte, EY and KPMG all have Cyprus offices, alongside networks such as Grant Thornton, RSM and Crowe. For personal returns or a small company, a smaller ICPAC-registered firm in Paphos or Limassol is usually better value.

Can I use a UK-qualified accountant who lives in Cyprus?

Yes, many Cyprus accountants hold ICAEW or ACCA qualifications. For Cyprus work they should also hold an ICPAC practising certificate, and only a licensed auditor can sign a Cyprus company's audit report.

When should I hire a Cyprus accountant?

Before you arrive or before the company trades. Your first-year decisions — the non-dom claim, the 60-day rule evidence, VAT registration and payroll — are much easier to set up correctly than to fix later.

Experts

Cyprus Accountants for UK Expats and Founders: What They Do and How to Choose One

If you're Cyprus tax resident or run a Cyprus company, you need a local accountant: every company needs audited or reviewed accounts, and from the 2026 tax year most residents aged 25 to 70 must file a tax return. The right one also understands your UK side.

Vetted, licensed partners
Free introduction
Referral fees disclosed

Request an introduction

Free. I reply personally within one working day.

The short version

You need a Cyprus accountant if you run a Cyprus company (every company needs audited or reviewed accounts) or have more than a simple salary.

From the 2026 tax year, most Cyprus tax residents aged 25 to 70 must file a return, whatever their income.

Check the ICPAC practising certificate, and for company audits, that the firm is a licensed auditor.

Small company fees: bookkeeping €80–€150 a month, audit or review €1,000–€2,000 a year, VAT returns €100–€200 each.

Pick one who understands the UK side: split years, P85, UK dividends and the UK–Cyprus treaty.

What Cyprus accountants do for UK movers

A Cyprus accountant keeps you compliant year after year. A tax adviser plans your move; the accountant files the returns that follow. Many firms do both, but they're different skills.

For you personally:

Registering you with the Tax Department (Tax For All portal) and filing your personal tax return.
Claiming your non-dom status and the 60-day rule, with the supporting forms.
Working out GeSY contributions on pensions, rent, dividends and interest, and relief under the UK–Cyprus treaty for UK-source income.

People working at shared tables in a bright co-working space in Paphos — Shared desks in a restored stone building in old town Paphos

For your Cyprus company:

Bookkeeping to IFRS, VAT returns and VIES statements, payroll and Social Insurance.
Co-ordinating the audit (or review for small companies) with a licensed auditor.
Provisional tax, the corporate tax return (TD4) and the annual return (HE32) to the Registrar.

Accountant, auditor or tax adviser: who does what

Many Cyprus firms offer all three, but they are different roles and you should know which you're paying for.

Question	Accountant	Auditor	UK–Cyprus tax adviser
Main job	Books, VAT, payroll, tax returns	Independent check of the company's accounts	Structure, timing and planning before and after the move
Licence to check	ICPAC practising certificate	Licensed auditor (ICPAC)	Professional body membership, e.g. ICPAC, CIOT, ICAEW
When you need them	Every year, from the first month	Every year, after the year end	Before you move, and at big decisions (exit, dividends, return)
Can it be the same firm?	Yes	Often, with the audit done by a separate team to keep it independent	Yes, if they cover the UK side too

Auditors must stay independent of the accounts they check. Small-company clients often use one firm for both, with separate teams; ask how the firm handles it.

When you need a Cyprus accountant

You need one if you:

Run a Cyprus company. Every company needs audited or reviewed accounts, so you need an accountant and a licensed auditor from the first year.
Are Cyprus tax resident with more than a simple salary — UK pensions, rent, dividends, investment income or self-employment.
Are aged 25 to 70 and Cyprus tax resident. From the 2026 tax year, Cyprus tax residents in that age range must register and file a return regardless of income (businessincyprus.gov.cy).
Are VAT registered. Returns are quarterly, due by the 10th of the second month after the quarter.
Still have UK income or a UK company. Your Cyprus accountant needs to work with your UK accountant so income isn't taxed twice.

Banana plantations at Kissonerga near Paphos with the sea beyond — Kissonerga's banana groves run almost to the sea

A simple employee with one Cyprus salary may manage with the employer's payroll and the online return. Almost everyone else benefits from an accountant.

This guide is part of our directory of vetted Cyprus experts. If you're forming a company, a formation specialist sets it up and the accountant keeps it compliant; for planning, see UK–Cyprus tax advisers. New to the terms? Start with non-dom status.

How to vet a Cyprus accountant

Tick these before you sign an engagement letter.

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1 Qualifications and licences

ICPAC practising certificateThe Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Cyprus regulates the profession. Ask for the certificate or check their membership.
Licensed auditor for company auditsOnly a licensed auditor can sign your company's audit report.
Recognised qualificationACCA, ICAEW or equivalent — many Cyprus accountants trained in the UK.

2 Fit for a UK client

Understands the UK sideSplit-year treatment, P85, UK dividends, the UK–Cyprus treaty.
Has UK clients nowAsk how many, and what they typically do for them.
Works with your UK accountantAgree who files what, and when.

3 Service and pricing

Fixed, itemised annual feeBookkeeping, VAT, payroll, audit, tax return and secretary shown separately.
Compliance calendar in writingThey should chase you, not the other way round.
Named contact who answers in English

Typical accountant fees in Cyprus (2026)

Ranges quoted by Cyprus accounting and corporate service firms. Your quote depends on transaction volume and complexity.

Service	Typical fee
Company bookkeeping	€80–€150 a month
Audit or review (small company)	€1,000–€2,000 a year
VAT return	€100–€200 per quarter
Payroll	€20–€50 per employee per month
Nominee or professional director (if used)	€2,000–€3,000 a year
Personal tax return and non-dom paperwork	Quoted individually

Fees are set by each firm. Our introduction is free; partners pay us a referral fee that isn't added to your bill.

Watch out

Accounting isn't the same as tax planning

Your accountant files what happened. Decisions like when to leave the UK, whether to keep your UK company, or how to take profits need a UK–Cyprus tax adviser — ideally before you move. Some firms do both; make sure you know which you're paying for.

Accountants on our panel

Vetted, ICPAC-registered Cyprus accountants who work with UK expats and UK-owned companies.

Licensed and regulated

Registered with the right Cyprus body — Bar Association, ICPAC, CySEC or the Estate Agents Council.

Fluent with UK clients

They know HMRC, UK pensions and how British clients expect to be kept in the loop.

Vetted in person

I’ve worked with them or checked their work with people I trust. No paid listings.

Fees disclosed

If a partner pays a referral fee, I tell you before the introduction.

Partner profiles are shared privately, matched to your situation.

Request an introduction

Get introduced to a vetted Cyprus accountant

Tell us whether you need personal tax, company accounts or both. We'll introduce you to a suitable accountant within one working day.

ICPAC-registered, used to UK clients
Fixed, itemised annual quote
Free introduction, no obligation

Founder-led. Replies within one working day.

Frequently asked questions

If you run a Cyprus company, yes — every company needs audited or reviewed accounts. If you're Cyprus tax resident with UK pensions, rent, dividends or self-employment, an accountant is strongly advisable, and from the 2026 tax year most residents aged 25 to 70 must file a return.

Free introduction

Get introduced to a Cyprus accountant who knows the UK side

Personal tax, company accounts or both: tell us what you need and we'll introduce a vetted, ICPAC-registered accountant. You pay them directly; the introduction is free.

Find me an accountant Company accounting service

Sources checked for this page

1.businessincyprus.gov.cy — Registering for income tax and VATGovernment
2.PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries — Cyprus, tax administrationProfessional
3.PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries — Cyprus, other taxes (VAT, social insurance)Professional
4.Registrar of Companies — Forms & feesGovernment
5.ICPAC — Institute of Certified Public Accountants of CyprusGovernment

Written by

Jason

Founder, Paphos Advisor

British founder who moved his family from the UK to Paphos in 2025. I write down what I learned doing it properly — the tax, the residency and the living-here detail — and introduce people to the specialists I’d use myself.

How I research and fact-check

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Non-Dom Cyprus: How the 0% Dividend and Interest Regime Works in 2026

How Cyprus non-dom status works in 2026: who qualifies, the 0% SDC on dividends and interest, what it doesn't cover, the 17-year limit, the €250,000 extension and how to claim.

Cyprus Accountants for UK Expats and Founders: What They Do and How to Choose One

What Cyprus accountants do for UK movers

Accountant, auditor or tax adviser: who does what

When you need a Cyprus accountant

How to vet a Cyprus accountant

Typical accountant fees in Cyprus (2026)

Accountants on our panel

Get introduced to a vetted Cyprus accountant

Frequently asked questions

Do I need an accountant in Cyprus?

How do I check a Cyprus accountant is qualified?

How much do accountants cost in Cyprus?

Can my UK accountant file my Cyprus tax return?

Are there English-speaking accountants in Paphos?

What's the difference between an accountant and a tax adviser?

Do the Big Four accountancy firms operate in Cyprus?

Can I use a UK-qualified accountant who lives in Cyprus?

When should I hire a Cyprus accountant?

Sources checked for this page

Keep reading

What Cyprus accountants do for UK movers

Accountant, auditor or tax adviser: who does what

When you need a Cyprus accountant

How to vet a Cyprus accountant

Typical accountant fees in Cyprus (2026)

Accountants on our panel

Get introduced to a vetted Cyprus accountant

Frequently asked questions

Do I need an accountant in Cyprus?

How do I check a Cyprus accountant is qualified?

How much do accountants cost in Cyprus?

Can my UK accountant file my Cyprus tax return?

Are there English-speaking accountants in Paphos?

What's the difference between an accountant and a tax adviser?

Do the Big Four accountancy firms operate in Cyprus?

Can I use a UK-qualified accountant who lives in Cyprus?

When should I hire a Cyprus accountant?