Do Phase 1 invoices need a QR code?

Only Simplified Tax Invoices (B2C) require a QR in Phase 1. Standard Tax Invoices (B2B) need the QR from Phase 2 onwards. Invoicemonk applies the correct rule per invoice type.

Can I edit a sent invoice?

No. ZATCA prohibits edits to issued invoices in both phases. Use a credit note to correct — Invoicemonk creates the linked credit note and preserves the original audit trail.

Will my Phase 1 records be valid for Phase 2 onboarding?

Yes. The structured records, hash chain, and sequence persist; once your CSID is provisioned the same records gain XAdES signing and Fatoorah clearance going forward.

What format is the invoice stored in?

Structured XML with PDF/A-3 rendering, retained for the ZATCA-required period inside immutable storage.

Is Phase 1 still active if my wave has not been called for Phase 2?

Yes — Phase 1 controls remain mandatory until ZATCA integrates your wave. Invoicemonk enforces both regimes side by side.

Saudi Arabia · ZATCA (Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority)

Fatoorah Phase 1 — Generation Phase

Invoicemonk meets ZATCA Phase 1 (Generation Phase): every invoice is generated as a tamper-resistant structured document with a QR code for Simplified Tax Invoices, kept in immutable storage, and ready for Phase 2 CSID signing the day you onboard. Live since December 2021.

Start with Pro: $15/mo All 18 live e-invoicing mandates

ArtefactTamper-resistant XMLTransportOn-system generation and archivalLive since2021Applies toAll VAT-registered businesses that have not yet onboarded to Phase 2

What you get

Built for Saudi Arabia from day one

What ZATCA Phase 1 requires

Phase 1, in force since 4 December 2021, requires VAT-registered businesses to generate and store invoices in a structured, tamper-resistant electronic format and to attach a QR code on Simplified Tax Invoices. Handwritten or scanned-PDF invoices, and any system that allows post-issue edits, are non-compliant.

How Invoicemonk meets ZATCA Phase 1

Invoicemonk generates every Saudi invoice as a structured document with append-only audit history, exposes the full sequence and hash chain, and embeds a QR with seller name, VAT number, timestamp, and totals on Simplified Tax Invoices. When you are ready to move to Phase 2, the same invoice records gain CSID signing and Fatoorah portal clearance without re-issuing past documents.

Who this applies to

Any VAT-registered person in Saudi Arabia not yet onboarded to Phase 2 Integration. ZATCA continues to onboard remaining taxpayers in waves; Phase 1 controls apply until your wave is integrated.

Cryptographic artefacts, in every jurisdiction we cover

Invoicemonk issues cryptographically signed structured invoices in every one of the 18 jurisdictions we cover, using the local artefact the tax authority requires:

CSID — ZATCA (Saudi Arabia)
IRN — GST India (NIC IRP), FIRS Nigeria, GRA Ghana
UUID — MyInvois Malaysia
QR + Control Unit Number — KRA eTIMS (Kenya)
Chave de Acesso — NF-e / NFS-e (Brazil)
Fiscal signature — ZIMRA FDMS (Zimbabwe)
XAdES digital signatures — Peppol (EU), MTD (UK)
ICP-Brasil A1 — Brazilian NF-e / NFS-e signing

Each mandate page documents the local artefact, signing algorithm, certificate authority, and the spec section that requires it.

FAQ

Saudi Arabia e-invoicing, answered

Related guides

Implementation playbooks for Saudi Arabia

Step-by-step guides, explainers, and error catalogues for the Tamper-resistant XML workflow.

Editorial illustration of Saudi Arabia's e-invoicing compliance workflow for the how to comply with zatca phase 1 guide

How to Comply with ZATCA Phase 1: Generation Phase Setup (2026)

Practical setup guide for the ZATCA Phase 1 Generation Phase: structured tamper-resistant invoices, sequential numbering, TLV QR for B2C Simplified Tax Invoices, immutable storage — and a Phase 2-ready foundation.

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Editorial illustration of Saudi Arabia's e-invoicing compliance workflow for the zatca phase 1 explained guide

ZATCA Phase 1 Explained: The Saudi Generation Phase (2026)

Plain-English explainer for the ZATCA Phase 1 Generation Phase: what it requires, who it applies to, when it went live, what it does not require, and how it sets up Phase 2 integration.

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Editorial illustration of Saudi Arabia's e-invoicing compliance workflow for the zatca phase 1 vs phase 2 guide

ZATCA Phase 1 vs Phase 2: What Changes When You Integrate (2026)

Side-by-side comparison of the Saudi Generation Phase and Integration Phase — rules, artefacts, transport, certificates, QR tags, retention, penalties, and the migration playbook for your wave.

Read guide

Saudi Arabia: compliant from day one

Structured, tamper-resistant invoices with QR — the on-system baseline before Phase 2 onboarding.

Start with Pro: $15/mo Talk to sales

Verified against authority specifications — sources reviewed 2026-06-23View