UAE Scraps Preliminary Approval for E-Invoicing Service Providers Under New Decision

The UAE Ministry of Finance has eliminated preliminary approval for electronic invoicing service providers under Ministerial Decision No. 168 of 2026, which took effect on October 1, Gulf News reported.

Under the revised framework, service providers are required to complete direct assessments and technical testing instead of operating under temporary pre-approvals. Providers that previously held preliminary approval under Decision No. 64 of 2025 were granted a 30-day transitional window starting October 1 to satisfy full accreditation rules.

Companies subject to the mandate with annual revenues of Dh50 million or more face a deadline of October 30, 2026, to appoint an accredited provider ahead of the January 1, 2027 go-live date. In-scope businesses with annual revenues below Dh50 million must appoint an accredited provider by March 31, 2027, ahead of their July 1, 2027 implementation deadline.