E-invoice QR code reader

What does this tool do?

Every Saudi e-invoice carries a QR code holding the invoice's basic data. The tool reads this code and displays its contents clearly:

• The seller's name and VAT number.
• The invoice date and time.
• The VAT-inclusive total and the VAT amount.
• The phase: Phase 1 (Generation) or Phase 2 (Integration).

It then checks the data and alerts you if it finds a VAT number in the wrong format, an invalid date, or VAT that does not match the total. It helps when you receive supplier invoices and review them before recording them in your books.

How to use the invoice QR code reader

1. Tap Scan the code with your phone camera and point the camera at the code to read it automatically, or upload an image of the code (PNG or JPG) or the PDF invoice file.
2. Or paste the text read from the code (in Base64 format) into the box, if you read it with another app.
3. The result appears instantly: the invoice data, then a list of checks with a tick or a warning for each one.
4. If the tool cannot find a code in the image, try a closer, clearer image.

Want to see what the result looks like first? Click Try a sample code.

What does the e-invoice QR code contain?

The code is Base64 text containing fields arranged in a TLV structure: each field has a tag number, then its length, then its value. The tool reads the following tags:

If any tag from 6 to 9 is present, the tool treats the code as Phase 2; otherwise it is a Phase 1-style code. To learn the difference between the two phases, read E-invoicing in Saudi Arabia: a guide to both phases for businesses.

What checks does the tool run?

• VAT number: must be 15 digits, starting and ending with the digit 3.
• Date and time: present and in a valid date format.
• Total and VAT: present and numeric.
• VAT matches the total: the tool compares the VAT with 15/115 of the total and accepts a difference of up to 0.05 SAR. A larger difference is a warning, not an error: the invoice may include zero-rated or exempt items, or discounts.
• Phase: a warning if the code has no Phase 2 tags.

Worked example: reading an invoice code

This is the code of a fictitious invoice for illustration only, with a seller name and VAT number that are not real:

ASjZhdik2LPYs9ipINin2YTZhdir2KfZhCDYp9mE2KrYrNin2LHZitipAg8zMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDMDFDIwMjYtMTAtMjZUMTA6MzA6MDBaBAcyMzAwLjAwBQYzMDAuMDA=

When you paste it into the tool, the following result appears:

Check results: the VAT number has a valid format, the date is valid, the total and VAT are numeric, and the VAT equals 15/115 of the total (2,300 × 15 ÷ 115 = 300). One warning appears: the code has no Phase 2 tags.

If the VAT in the same code were 200.00 instead of 300.00, a warning would appear that the VAT does not equal 15/115 of the total and that 300.00 is expected.

What the tool does not do, and your privacy

• The tool only reads the code and checks its format. It does not verify the digital signature in the Phase 2 tags.
• It does not check that the VAT number is actually registered with the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority (ZATCA), or that the invoice has been submitted to the FATOORA platform.
• The image and text are read inside your browser, and they are not sent to our servers or stored.

To learn the requirements for tax and simplified invoices, read Tax invoice vs. simplified invoice: when to use each.

Frequently asked questions

Content last reviewed: 2026-10-26