FBR Launches Online Invoice Verification System

The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has launched a new digital verification facility on its official web portal enabling purchasers to authenticate invoices and bills issued by registered businesses and service providers. Introduced through a recent official communication, this measure is designed to strengthen transactional transparency and reinforce compliance with applicable tax laws.

Under the newly introduced mechanism, buyers can verify whether invoices issued by integrated enterprises have been duly transmitted to and recorded within the FBR’s computerized system. The initiative forms part of the authority’s broader digital transformation agenda aimed at standardising and streamlining the national e-invoicing framework.

In parallel with the verification facility, the FBR has mandated that all businesses and professionals falling within the prescribed integration regime must generate real-time, system-verifiable electronic invoices for every taxable supply of goods and services. These invoices are required to be electronically maintained for a period of six years in accordance with Section 174 of the Income Tax Ordinance, ensuring proper documentation and audit traceability.

The notification further requires that debit notes and credit notes be issued exclusively through the integrated electronic system and preserved for the same statutory six-year duration. In respect of online transactions, including supplies executed via digital marketplaces, invoices will be auto-generated through the system, with complete transactional records retained electronically for six years.

This regulatory development aligns with the FBR’s continuing efforts to integrate e-invoicing mechanisms with the broader income tax reporting infrastructure, thereby enhancing documentation standards, minimizing revenue leakages, and improving overall tax compliance across sectors.