Large businesses in the UAE are racing against an October 30, 2026 deadline to appoint an Accredited Service Provider (ASP) for the country's new e-invoicing system, with only days left on the clock. The requirement applies to companies with annual revenue of Dh50 million or more, which must then have the full e-Invoicing System live by January 1, 2027.
Under the law, a fine of Dh5,000 applies for every month, or part of a month, that a company delays appointing its provider. Tax advisers stress that avoiding the penalty does not require a company to go fully live immediately — it only needs to pick one of the officially listed accredited providers, log into the EmaraTax portal, and formally submit that selection before the deadline.
Smaller businesses, those with annual revenue below Dh50 million, have more breathing room: their deadline to appoint a provider is March 31, 2027, with mandatory go-live required by July 1, 2027.
Advisers are warning companies not to treat the provider appointment as a formality to rush through at the last minute. A late appointment compresses the time available for mapping the new system into existing ERP software, testing it, and training staff — raising the risk of billing errors or delays in collecting payment from customers once the system is live.
The deadline is part of a broader UAE push to digitise its tax and financial infrastructure, a shift officials say is aimed at improving financial transparency and curbing tax evasion among businesses operating in the country.