ZATCA QR Code Scanner
Read the QR code on a Saudi tax invoice and see what it contains: the seller, their VAT number, the invoice date and time, the total and the VAT. Each field is checked against the format ZATCA specifies. Free, no account, and the invoice never leaves your device.
Add a photo, screenshot or PDF of the invoice
Drop it here, paste a screenshot (Ctrl+V / ⌘V), or choose a file. On a phone you can take a photo of the code.
Read in your browser — the invoice is never uploaded.
How to scan and check a ZATCA invoice QR code
A phone camera that scans a ZATCA QR code usually shows a long string of letters instead of the invoice details. That is expected — the details are packed into a compact format. This scanner unpacks them.
- 1Add the QR code. Take a photo of the code on a paper invoice, add a screenshot, paste a screenshot with Ctrl+V or ⌘V, or choose the PDF invoice itself — its first three pages are searched for the code.
- 2Or paste the text. If you already scanned the code with another app and got a long string of letters, paste that string into the box instead.
- 3Read the fields. The seller’s name, the seller’s VAT registration number, the date and time the invoice was issued, the invoice total including VAT, and the VAT total.
- 4Compare them with the invoice. The QR code should say exactly what the printed invoice says. A different total, date or VAT number is the thing to query.
- 5Look at the format checks. Each field is checked against the format ZATCA specifies, and any problem is listed in plain words.
What the checks tell you — and what they cannot
What is checked
That all five basic fields are present; that the VAT number has the Saudi format (15 digits, starting and ending with 3); that the date and time are in the ISO 8601 format; that the total and the VAT are numbers; and that the VAT is not larger than the total. It also shows what share of the amount before VAT the VAT represents — 15% is the standard rate, though an invoice with zero-rated or exempt items can show less.
What is not checked
Whether the seller is really registered for VAT, and whether the invoice was reported to or cleared by ZATCA. Those need ZATCA’s own systems: the official ZATCA VAT app can scan an invoice QR code and validate VAT registrations.
Phase 2 codes
Invoices from Phase 2 (integrated) solutions add a cryptographic stamp to the code — a hash of the invoice, a signature, a public key and ZATCA’s signature of the certificate. The scanner shows that the stamp is there and how large each part is, but it does not verify the signature.
Who uses a ZATCA QR scanner
Accountants and bookkeepers
Checking supplier invoices before they are entered, so the VAT number and the VAT amount claimed match what the seller encoded.
Businesses issuing invoices
Confirming that the QR code your own invoicing software prints carries the right totals and time — before hundreds of invoices go out with a mistake.
Buyers and procurement teams
A quick look at what an invoice’s code says when the paper copy is unclear or the totals look wrong.
Need to make an invoice with this QR code?
The free invoice generator adds the Phase 1 QR code to invoices issued with a Saudi VAT number, in English or English and Arabic. The ZATCA QR code explained shows how the code is built, byte by byte. BuzPulse is not a Phase 2 (FATOORA-integrated) solution.
Frequently asked questions
How do I verify a ZATCA invoice QR code?
Scan it here to read the five fields and check their format, and compare them with the printed invoice. To confirm the seller’s VAT registration or a Phase 2 invoice’s status with ZATCA itself, use ZATCA’s official VAT app.
Why does my phone show random letters when I scan the QR code?
The ZATCA QR code is not a web link. Its five values are stored in a binary format and written as Base64 text, which looks like random letters until it is decoded — paste that text above to read it.
Is this scanner free?
Yes, with no account and no limit.
Is the invoice uploaded anywhere?
No. The photo, screenshot or PDF is read in your browser and is not sent to BuzPulse or anyone else.
Can it read a QR code inside a PDF invoice?
Yes. It draws the first three pages of the PDF and looks for the code. If the code is further in, add a screenshot of it instead.
Does a valid-looking QR code mean the invoice is genuine?
No. A well-formed code shows the invoice was produced in the right format, not that it was reported to ZATCA. Anyone can create a code with any values, which is why checking against ZATCA’s own systems matters for large or unusual invoices.
Can I scan the QR code on a paper receipt?
Yes. Take a photo of the receipt with your phone, close enough that the code fills a good part of the picture and is in focus, and add the photo here. Thermal receipts that have faded may not scan.
Does it work on a phone?
Yes. Open this page in your phone’s browser and choose a file — the phone offers to take a photo directly.
Which invoice should carry a QR code?
Simplified tax invoices must, and ZATCA expects it on tax invoices too. Simplified tax invoice vs tax invoice explains the two types.
What is the difference between a Phase 1 and a Phase 2 QR code?
A Phase 1 code holds five fields: seller, VAT number, time stamp, total and VAT. A Phase 2 code adds a cryptographic stamp from a solution integrated with ZATCA’s FATOORA platform. The scanner reads both and tells you which one you have.
Read the guide
- The ZATCA QR code on an invoice: what is inside it and how to check it
The QR on a Saudi tax invoice is not a link. It is five invoice facts packed into one code, so anyone can confirm who issued the invoice and how much VAT it charges without opening a system.
- Simplified tax invoice vs tax invoice in Saudi Arabia: which one to issue
A simplified tax invoice is the short form: allowed for supplies under SAR 1,000 and for any sale to a consumer. Everything else needs a full tax invoice with the buyer’s details — and under e-invoicing the two travel to ZATCA differently.