E-invoicing is becoming mandatory in the UAE.
Are you ready?
Every business that invoices other businesses or government entities — including non-VAT-registered businesses and licensed freelancers — must switch. Qayyid answers precisely, with official sources: are you in scope, what are your deadlines, and what should you do now?
Does it apply to me? Free check →Small-business deadline
2027-07-01
and your ASP must be appointed by 2027-03-31
Non-compliance penalty
AED 5,000/month
for not appointing an accredited provider — plus per-invoice fines (Cabinet Decision No. 106 of 2025 (8 Dec 2025))
No free government portal
An ASP is mandatory
41 pre-approved providers — and you're entitled to 100 free transactions/year at any of them
Common misinformation — corrected
"I'm not VAT-registered, so this doesn't apply to me"
Wrong. VAT registration status does NOT matter: businesses below the VAT threshold and non-VAT-registered businesses are in scope if they issue B2B or B2G invoices.
"The mandate started in July 2026"
Not quite. July 2026 opened the pilot and voluntary adoption only. Large businesses go live 2027-01-01; everyone else 2027-07-01.
"I only sell to consumers — am I in scope?"
Business-to-consumer transactions are excluded for now; the Minister is explicitly empowered to expand scope to B2C later (MD 244/2025).