How to Create a ZATCA-Compliant Invoice

Saudi Arabia's Phase 1 e-invoicing rules (Fatoora) apply to every VAT-registered business. This step-by-step guide shows how to issue a compliant invoice in under five minutes using our free, in-browser Invoice Generator — no uploads, no sign-up, no account.

Before You Start: What You Need

• Your company's 15-digit VAT registration number (from your ZATCA certificate)
• Your buyer's name and (for B2B above 1,000 SAR) their VAT number
• Line items with description, quantity, and unit price
• The applicable VAT rate (standard rate is 15%)

Step-by-Step

1. Open the tool — Go to the Invoice Generator.
2. Enter seller details — Add your company name (Arabic + English), full address, and your 15-digit VAT number. Double-check the VAT number against your official certificate; a single wrong digit invalidates the invoice.
3. Enter buyer details — Add the customer's name. For standard tax invoices (B2B above 1,000 SAR), also enter their VAT registration number.
4. Set the invoice number and date — Use a unique sequential number (e.g. INV-2026-0042). The issue date and time are mandatory and cannot be backdated after issuance.
5. Add line items — For each product or service, enter description, quantity, and unit price. Descriptions should be in Arabic (English is allowed alongside).
6. Set the VAT rate — Use 15% for standard-rated supplies. The tool calculates subtotal, VAT amount, and inclusive total automatically.
7. Verify the QR code — For B2C (simplified) invoices, ensure the QR code is generated. It encodes seller name, VAT number, timestamp, total, and VAT amount in TLV format — required by Phase 1.
8. Review and download — Check totals, VAT calculations, and that all required fields are present, then download the PDF. Store it in a tamper-resistant electronic archive (cloud storage with version history is fine).

Quick Compliance Checklist

• ✅ Seller name, address, and 15-digit VAT number
• ✅ Unique sequential invoice number
• ✅ Issue date and time
• ✅ Itemized lines with quantity, unit price, and description (in Arabic)
• ✅ Subtotal, VAT rate, VAT amount, and inclusive total
• ✅ QR code (mandatory for B2C / simplified invoices)
• ✅ Buyer's VAT number (for standard B2B invoices above 1,000 SAR)

If You're in a Phase 2 Wave

If ZATCA has notified you that you fall under Phase 2 (Integration phase), you additionally need a ZATCA-approved e-invoicing solution provider that connects to the Fatoora API to clear or report invoices in real time, sign them cryptographically (XAdES), and store the returned UUID. Our generator covers Phase 1 fields but does not perform API clearance.

Ready to issue your first compliant invoice? Open the free Invoice Generator — it runs entirely in your browser, supports Arabic and English, and never uploads your customer data.