Companies in the United Arab Emirates with annual revenue of at least AED 50 million have until Friday, Oct. 30, to choose an accredited e-invoicing provider, the first deadline in a phased tax digitization rollout.
Ministerial Decision No. 66 of 2026 sets the appointment date for this first group. The Federal Tax Authority (FTA) says companies must complete the relevant EmaraTax procedures and arrange both a provider agreement and a technical connection. Their implementation deadline is Jan. 1, 2027.
Businesses below the AED 50 million threshold have until March 31, 2027, to select a provider and July 1, 2027, to implement e-invoicing. Gulf News reported that government entities covered by the program are scheduled to begin compliance in October 2027.
Cabinet Decision No. 106 of 2025 sets a monthly AED 5,000 penalty for covered businesses that miss provider or implementation deadlines. More details are available in EconoTimes’ report on penalties for missed e-invoicing deadlines.
The program, led by the Ministry of Finance and the FTA, uses structured electronic invoice data. Gulf News reported that e-invoices can be exchanged securely and processed automatically through accounting systems, unlike conventional PDF invoices. The FTA says businesses must coordinate the technical setup with their selected provider.
Caine Wanjau, CEO and co-founder of DigiTax, told Gulf News that e-invoicing can reduce paperwork and give companies a more consistent record of financial activity. Gulf News also reported that firms should check whether their accounting systems are compatible and test their processes ahead of implementation. The UAE’s Digital Economy Strategy aims to raise the digital economy’s contribution to GDP from 9.7% in 2022 to 19.4% within a decade, the outlet reported.
The first provider-selection deadline arrives Friday, Oct. 30.
