What Is an ASP (Accredited Service Provider) in UAE e-Invoicing?

Key Takeaways on Accredited Service Provider Explained

• UAE e-invoicing will roll out in phases from July 2026 and become mandatory in 2027, requiring businesses to prepare in advance to avoid penalties.
• ERP or accounting systems alone are not sufficient; businesses must appoint an FTA & MoF approved Accredited Service Provider (ASP) to exchange invoices via the Peppol network and report tax data.
• All electronic invoices must comply with the PINT-AE standard, be exchanged through the UAE five-corner model, and be reported to the Federal Tax Authority within prescribed timelines.
• Flick Network is an FTA & MoF pre-approved ASP, offering fully compliant, automated e-invoicing with seamless ERP integration, real-time tracking, and dedicated local support.

The United Arab Emirates will begin implementing its national electronic invoicing system in phases from July 2026 starting with pilot and voluntary adoption and mandatory implementation will follow in 2027 as part of the country’s broader tax digitisation programme to improve tax transparency.

Under the UAE e-invoicing framework businesses that fall within the scope of the mandate are required to appoint an Accredited eInvoicing Service Provider (ASP) to enable the issuance, exchange and reporting of electronic invoices in line with regulatory requirements. 

This blog explains everything businesses need to know about e-invoicing in the UAE and the role of e-invoicing solution providers.

What Is e-Invoicing in the UAE

E-invoicing in the United Arab Emirates refers to the issuing, exchanging and reporting of invoices and credit notes in a structured electronic format. Invoice data must follow the PINT-AE standard and be exchanged through Accredited Service Providers (ASPs) using the Peppol network to meet regulatory requirements. PDF and paper invoices are not considered valid e-invoices.

UAE e-Invoicing Requirements

We have a detailed guide on UAE e-invoicing for businesses that you can refer to for more information and this is a quick overview of the key requirements businesses must meet to comply with the UAE Electronic Invoicing System.

• Invoices and credit notes must be issued, exchanged, and reported in a structured electronic format.
• Invoice data must comply with the PINT-AE (Peppol International Invoice for the UAE) specification prescribed by the Ministry of Finance
• Electronic invoices must be exchanged through the Peppol network using the UAE five-corner e-invoicing model
• Businesses within the scope of the mandate must appoint an FTA and MoF approved or pre-approved Accredited Service Provider (ASP) to perform invoice exchange and tax data reporting
• Invoice and related tax data must be reported to the Federal Tax Authority within prescribed timelines
• Electronic invoice data must be stored within the UAE in line with data residency and record retention requirements

Why Current ERP or Accounting Systems Are Not Sufficient for UAE e-Invoicing

As explained in the UAE e-invoicing requirements section, businesses are required to exchange invoices electronically with buyers and report invoice data to the Federal Tax Authority in a structured format aligned with the PINT-AE specification, exchanged through the Peppol network and reported via an Accredited Service Provider (ASP). For this reason, current ERP or accounting systems are not sufficient on their own to comply with UAE e-invoicing, and businesses must appoint an FTA and MoF approved or pre-approved ASP to perform invoice exchange and tax data reporting.

While ERP and accounting systems can generate invoice data, they are not designed to support regulated invoice exchange through the Peppol network or tax data reporting through the UAE e-invoicing infrastructure without integration with an approved ASP.

Accredited Service Provider (ASP) in the UAE e-Invoicing System

An Accredited Service Provider (ASP) in the UAE e-Invoicing System is an e-invoicing service provider that is authorised to validate electronic invoices in line with the standards mandated by the Ministry of Finance, exchange electronic invoices between businesses using approved infrastructure, and report invoice and tax data to the Federal Tax Authority.

Under the UAE five-corner e-invoicing model, ASPs are responsible for:

• Validating invoice data against the PINT-AE specification
• Exchanging electronic invoices securely through the Peppol network
• Reporting relevant invoice and tax data to the Federal Tax Authority

Businesses are not permitted to perform these functions directly. UAE regulations require invoice validation, exchange, and tax data reporting to be carried out through an FTA and MoF approved or pre-approved Accredited Service Provider.

Flick Network as an FTA & MoF Pre-Approved e-Invoicing Solution Provider in the UAE

As already mentioned, only FTA and MoF approved or pre-approved Accredited Service Providers (ASPs) are authorised to provide e-invoicing services in the United Arab Emirates. The UAE has published an official list of pre-approved e-invoicing solution providers, which is updated periodically by the authorities to include newly approved service providers as they meet the prescribed eligibility and accreditation requirements.

Flick Network is officially pre-approved by the Ministry of Finance and the Federal Tax Authority as an Accredited Service Provider for e-invoicing. This pre-approval confirms that Flick Network meets the technical, security, and operational requirements defined under the UAE e-invoicing framework.

How Flick Network Supports UAE Businesses

As an FTA and MoF pre-approved Accredited Service Provider, here is how Flick Network supports UAE businesses:

1. Seamless Integration

Flick e-invoicing solution integrates seamlessly with your existing ERP. Our team will help you with the setup so your business can achieve UAE e-invoicing compliance without any effort.

2. Full Compliance with UAE e-Invoicing

Flick’s e-invoicing solution fully complies with UAE e-invoicing requirements by validating every invoice in line with the PINT-AE specification and submitting it through the Peppol network.

3. Fully Automated Invoicing

You don’t have to manually enter invoice data, prepare documents, or submit them to the FTA. Flick’s e-invoicing solution automates the entire process by extracting invoice data from your ERP, validating invoices, and submitting them through its ASP platform.

4. Real-Time Tracking

Flick’s e-invoicing solution provides real-time tracking of every invoice directly in your ERP. The buyer’s ASP delivery status and the FTA’s validation response are updated automatically in your system, so you always know whether an invoice is delivered or requires correction without leaving your ERP.

5. Dedicated Support

Our UAE support team helps you throughout the integration of your ERP with Flick’s e-invoicing solution, and you will be live within a few days with a fully tested and compliant setup.  

UAE ASP Appointment Timelines and Related Penalties

As part of the UAE e-invoicing rollout, businesses are required to appoint an FTA and MoF approved Accredited e-invoicing Service Provider (ASP) within the prescribed timelines. Failure to appoint an ASP before the applicable deadline may result in administrative penalties of AED 5,000 for each month or part thereof of delay, so businesses must ensure an approved ASP is appointed before their deadline.

Business Category	ASP Appointment Deadline	Mandatory e-Invoicing Start Date
Pilot and voluntary participants	Before onboarding from 1 July 2026	From 1 July 2026
Businesses with annual revenue ≥ AED 50 million	31 July 2026	1 January 2027
Businesses with annual revenue < AED 50 million	31 March 2027	1 July 2027
Government entities	31 March 2027	1 October 2027

Conclusion

The UAE’s phased rollout of e-invoicing, starting from July 2026 and becoming mandatory in 2027, requires businesses to prepare by appointing an FTA and MoF approved Accredited Service Provider (ASP) to avoid penalties and stay compliant. 

Flick Network is an FTA pre-approved e-invoicing service provider, and our team is ready to support you throughout the onboarding and implementation process.

FAQs

1. Is appointing an Accredited Service Provider (ASP) in UAE mandatory?

Yes. Businesses are required to appoint an FTA and MoF approved or pre-approved Accredited Service Provider in UAE to exchange electronic invoices and report invoice data under the UAE e-invoicing framework.

2. Can businesses comply with UAE e-invoicing using only their ERP or accounting system?

No. ERP or accounting systems alone are not sufficient. UAE e-invoicing requires structured invoice exchange through the Peppol network and reporting via an approved ASP.

3. What is PINT-AE?

PINT-AE is the UAE-specific structured invoice standard based on the Peppol International Invoice model. All electronic invoices must comply with this specification.

4. What happens if a business does not appoint an ASP before the deadline?

Failure to appoint an approved ASP before the applicable deadline may result in administrative penalties of AED 5,000 for each month or part thereof of delay.

5. Is Flick Network an approved UAE e-invoicing solution provider?

Yes. Flick Network is pre-approved by the MoF and the FTA as an Accredited Service Provider for UAE e-invoicing.

6. Why is Flick Network one of the best e-invoicing solution providers in the UAE?

Flick Network is a fully compliant and pre-approved e-invoicing service provider authorised by both the Ministry of Finance and the Federal Tax Authority and is fully connected to the Peppol network. The Flick solution complies with the PINT-AE standard, supports scalable transaction volumes, and offers seamless ERP integration capabilities.