E-invoicing providers now need Ministry of Finance accreditation
Ministerial Decision No. 168 of 2026 took effect on 1 October 2026. Only a provider accredited by the Ministry of Finance may handle your e-invoices, and every accredited provider gives each client 100 free e-invoice exchange and reporting services a year.
The decision sets the rules for Accredited Service Providers (ASPs), the companies that send your e-invoices to your customer’s provider and report them to the FTA. It repeals Ministerial Decision No. 64 of 2025 and its amendments. The Ministry of Finance announced it on 9 October 2026.
What changes
- The pre-approval stage is gone. A provider may offer e-invoicing services in the UAE only after the Ministry of Finance accredits it, and the Ministry keeps a Central Register of accredited providers.
- Providers that held pre-approval under the old decision had 30 days from 1 October 2026 to complete accreditation. If a provider did not, the Ministry ends its pre-approval.
- Each accredited provider commits to 100 free e-invoice exchange and reporting services a year for each client, counted from the date the client signs its agreement with the provider. The decision does not say which documents count towards the 100, for example whether invoices you receive do.
- Accreditation is valid for two years.
- If the Ministry ends a provider’s accreditation, the provider must tell its clients within 5 business days of being notified, and it is removed from the register.
What to do
- If you have already signed with a provider, check that it is on the Ministry of Finance’s list of accredited service providers. Pre-approval no longer counts.
- Before you sign, ask the provider how it applies the 100 free exchanges and reports: which documents count, and what you pay after the first 100.
- If your provider tells you its accreditation has ended, appoint another accredited provider.
What this means for you
A business that sends few e-invoices may pay little or nothing for the exchange itself, depending on how its provider counts the 100. The decision says nothing about other charges, such as set-up or integration fees, so compare those separately.
How QuickTax helps
QuickTax is already building e-invoicing into the service you use for your books and invoices, and plans to have it running for clients by the end of 2026. We help you select and connect to an accredited provider that fits your systems and volume. For what to compare between providers, see our guide to choosing an ASP.
This update is for reference and is not tax advice. Source: Ministerial Decision No. 168 of 2026, Articles 3, 9, 13, 16, 18, 19 and 20, and the Ministry of Finance announcement of 9 October 2026.