The e-invoicing timetable is now fixed, and it starts at formation.
The change
The Ministry of Finance has moved e-invoicing from consultation to a dated programme. Invoices will be issued and exchanged in a structured electronic format through an accredited service provider and reported to the Federal Tax Authority, on the international OpenPeppol standard rather than a UAE-specific one.
The pilot begins 1 July 2026 with a selected group of taxpayers. Businesses below the AED 50 million revenue threshold must have appointed an accredited service provider by 31 March 2027 and be operating the system from 1 July 2027.
What it means if you are entering
If you are incorporating now, you are choosing your accounting system inside this window. Ask whether it can issue in the mandated format and whether its provider intends to be accredited here. Most setup packages bundle whatever bookkeeping software the corporate services provider resells, and that decision is being made for you by default.
Getting it right costs nothing at formation. Getting it wrong means a migration in the same quarter as your first corporate tax filing.
- Ministry of Finance — eInvoicing programme
- Ministry of Finance — Ministerial decisions on scope and implementation timelines
Phasing dates and revenue thresholds are being announced in stages. Confirm the current position with the Ministry before relying on it.