VAT certificate and VAT number in Saudi Arabia: get it, print it, verify it
In Saudi Arabia, your VAT certificate is issued by ZATCA (the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority) as soon as it accepts your registration. The certificate carries your VAT number, a 15-digit number that starts and ends with 3, and the date from which you must charge VAT. This guide shows how to download it, how to check a supplier's VAT number, and where the number goes in your FATOORA e-invoices.
- VAT number format
- 15 digits, first and last digit is 31
- Printing the certificate
- Free, online, about 5 minutes2
- Deadline to report a change
- 20 days3
In brief
- ZATCA issues the VAT registration certificate in a notification once it accepts the registration; the certificate states the effective date of registration and the tax identification number (VAT Implementing Regulations, Article 8).
- A Saudi VAT number has 15 digits, and its first and last digits are 3: this is validation rule BR-KSA-40 of ZATCA's e-invoice XML implementation standard.
- The certificate can be downloaded free of charge from the ZATCA portal through the 'Reprint of VAT Certificate' service; ZATCA gives a service time of 5 minutes (checked on 4 November 2026).
- ZATCA lets anyone check a business's VAT registration on its public lookup, free and with no account, using one of 3 identifiers: the VAT number, the certificate number or the commercial registration number.
- A resident company must display its certificate at its main place of business and at every branch, and must report any change to its details within 20 days (Article 8, paragraphs 7 and 8).
What is a VAT registration certificate in Saudi Arabia?
It is ZATCA's confirmation that your company is registered for VAT. The VAT Implementing Regulations set the minimum content: ZATCA issues the certificate in a notification, and it states the date on which registration takes effect and the tax identification number (Article 8, paragraph 5).
There is no paper original to collect. According to ZATCA's service page, the certificate is made available on the portal as soon as it is issued, and you can view and reprint it whenever you need to. The service is free.
The certificate comes at the end of a sequence: the company is first entered in the commercial register, then registered for VAT if its turnover calls for it (see the SAR 375,000 threshold and our VAT and ZATCA guide). The effective date on the certificate matters: from that date, your invoices must carry 15% VAT (check the amounts with our VAT calculator).
Illustrative example: your certificate shows an effective date of 1 March. Invoices issued before that date carry no VAT; from 1 March, each one carries 15% VAT and your 15-digit number. If you then move offices, you have 20 days to report the change to ZATCA, after which you reprint the certificate.
Which number goes on an invoice: VAT, certificate or CR number?
Only the 15-digit VAT number goes on an invoice, or the VAT group number for a group member. ZATCA's lookup still accepts three identifiers, and mixing them up is the most common mistake on supplier forms and invoices.
Table 1
| Identifier | What it identifies | Where it belongs |
|---|---|---|
| VAT number (tax identification number) | Your company as a VAT-registered person. 15 digits, first and last digit is 3 (rule BR-KSA-40) | On every tax invoice and simplified tax invoice, in every e-invoice XML file and in your VAT correspondence with ZATCA |
| VAT certificate number | The certificate itself, separate from the VAT number | On the certificate; accepted by the online lookup |
| Unified national commercial registration number | The company in the commercial register (Ministry of Commerce) | On the commercial registration; never a substitute for the VAT number on an invoice |
| Group VAT number | A VAT group approved by ZATCA, which receives its own number | Used instead of the individual number on invoices issued by a group member (rule BR-KSA-39) |
How do I download and print my VAT certificate from the ZATCA portal?
You download it free of charge from the ZATCA portal in about 5 minutes, once your VAT registration is complete, with no documents to provide. The service is called 'Print VAT Certificate' (in Arabic: طباعة شهادة ضريبة القيمة المضافة).
- 1
Log in to the ZATCA portal
From zatca.gov.sa, use the login button and the company account credentials. If nobody on your team has access, fix that first: the same account is used for VAT returns.
- Qui
- Holder of the company's ZATCA account
- Durée
- 1 minute
- 2
Open the VAT area
Go to the e-services tab, then 'Value Added Tax'.
- Qui
- You
- Durée
- 1 minute
- 3
Request the reprint
Select 'Request to reprint of VAT Certificate', then 'Reprint of VAT Certificate'. The label says reprint even the first time you download it.
- Qui
- You
- Durée
- 1 minute
- 4
Open the PDF and file it
An electronic copy opens. Save it to your company records and check the legal name, the VAT number and the effective date. ZATCA confirms the request by SMS and email.
- Qui
- You
- Durée
- 2 minutes
- 5
Display it at the head office and every branch
A registered resident company must display its certificate at its main place of business and at its branches, visible to the public (Article 8, paragraph 8). Remember it for each new site.
- Qui
- You
- Durée
- On receipt
How do I verify a Saudi VAT number before paying a supplier?
Use ZATCA's public VAT registration lookup, free and with no account: choose the type of number, enter it and submit, and the registration status appears on screen. It is open to taxpayers and the general public.
Table 2
| Check | How | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Format | 15 digits, a 3 at the start and at the end | A malformed number fails the e-invoice validation rules |
| Active registration | ZATCA lookup, by VAT number, certificate number or commercial registration number | A supplier that is not registered may not charge VAT |
| Match with the invoice | Compare the result with the name and number on the invoice | Input VAT can only be deducted with proper evidence, normally a valid tax invoice (Article 49, paragraph 7) |
| Many suppliers at once | Download the Excel template from the same page, fill it in and upload it | Handy for checking a whole supplier list before your first VAT return |
Who will ask for your VAT certificate or VAT number?
The law requires your VAT number on invoices and the certificate on display at your premises; clients, banks and public buyers ask for it as a matter of practice. The table keeps the two apart.
Table 3
| Situation | What is asked for | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Every invoice you issue | Your VAT number, at least in Arabic on a tax invoice | Implementing Regulations, Article 53 |
| Every e-invoice (FATOORA) | Your VAT number in the XML file and in the file name | ZATCA XML standard, rules BR-KSA-39 and 40 |
| Correspondence with ZATCA | Your VAT number on any VAT-related correspondence | Implementing Regulations |
| Your premises | The certificate on display, visible to the public | Implementing Regulations, Article 8, paragraph 8 |
| Vendor onboarding with a Saudi client | A copy of the certificate for the supplier file | Common practice among large buyers |
| Bank, card terminal, marketplace | A copy of the certificate or the VAT number | Varies by provider: ask for their list (see corporate bank account) |
| Public tender (Etimad platform) | The documents listed in the tender booklet, often a valid zakat and tax certificate | Each tender's own terms: read them before bidding |
VAT certificate or zakat and tax certificate: two different documents
Where does the VAT number go in a FATOORA e-invoice?
The VAT number sits in the XML file of every e-invoice, where it is mandatory (rule BR-KSA-39), and at the start of each invoice file name. ZATCA's XML standard also checks its format (BR-KSA-40). For a member of a VAT group, the group number is used instead.
On the customer side, a Saudi buyer's VAT number, when shown on the invoice, must follow the same format, except on an export invoice (BR-KSA-44). A mistyped number therefore stops the invoice from validating. Copy it from the client's certificate, not from an old email.
Set up your invoicing software with the exact number from your certificate before you issue the first invoice. The integration phase timetable and the obligations for each wave are covered in our e-invoicing guide.
Common mistakes with the VAT certificate and VAT number
The costliest is charging VAT while not registered: a fine of up to SAR 100,000 under ZATCA's schedule (updated 30 August 2026). These mistakes come up again and again with new companies.
Table 4
| Mistake | Consequence | How to avoid it |
|---|---|---|
| Charging VAT before registration, or before the effective date | Issuing a tax invoice while not registered: fine of up to SAR 100,000 | Wait for the certificate and work from the effective date it shows |
| Putting the commercial registration number where the VAT number should be | Non-compliant invoice, e-invoice rejected | Copy the 15-digit number from the certificate |
| Not reporting a change (address, activity, manager, bank details) | Breach of the Regulations: up to SAR 50,000 | Update your details within 20 days, then reprint the certificate |
| Not displaying the certificate at a branch | Breach of the Regulations: up to SAR 50,000 | Print one copy per site whenever you open one |
| Paying VAT to a supplier without checking its number | Input VAT hard to recover if the invoice is not valid | Run every new supplier through the ZATCA lookup |
| Confusing the VAT certificate with the zakat and tax certificate | Incomplete tender file | Re-read the document list in the tender booklet |
Frequently asked questions
Is there a fee for a VAT certificate in Saudi Arabia?
No. ZATCA issues the certificate automatically when it accepts your VAT registration, and downloading it is free. The Print VAT Certificate service page gives a processing time of 5 minutes and asks for no documents. You can reprint it as often as you need, for example after updating your company details.
How many digits is a Saudi VAT number?
15 digits. The first and last digits are 3, which ZATCA's e-invoice validation checks (rule BR-KSA-40). A number that does not fit this pattern has either been mistyped or is a different identifier, such as the commercial registration number. Copy it from the certificate rather than from an old email: one wrong digit stops an e-invoice from validating.
Can I check several Saudi VAT numbers at once?
Yes. ZATCA's verification page offers an Excel template: you download it, enter your suppliers' numbers and upload the completed file. It is a quick way to check a whole supplier list before your first VAT return. The service is free and needs no account, and it accepts VAT, certificate or commercial registration numbers.
Does the Saudi VAT certificate expire?
The Implementing Regulations set no validity period: the certificate stands as long as the registration is active. Any change to your details must be reported within 20 days, though, and you should then reprint the certificate so the copy on display and the one you send clients are current.
Is the VAT number the same as the VAT certificate number?
No. ZATCA's verification service treats them as two separate numbers. The 15-digit VAT number is the one that goes on your invoices and inside the XML file of every e-invoice; the certificate number identifies the document itself. To check a supplier, either one works, as does its commercial registration number.
Do I have to display the VAT certificate at my premises?
Yes, if you are a registered resident company: at your main place of business and at every branch, visible to the public (Implementing Regulations, Article 8, paragraph 8). There is no specific fine for this in the schedule, but it counts as a breach of the Regulations, capped at SAR 50,000.
When must my VAT number appear on invoices?
From the effective date of registration, on every tax invoice and simplified tax invoice. It is also embedded in the XML file of every e-invoice. Issuing a tax invoice with VAT while not registered can lead to a fine of up to SAR 100,000.
Notes and sources
- 1.ZATCA: E-Invoice XML Implementation Standard, version 1.2 (rules BR-KSA-39, 40 and 44)
- 2.ZATCA: Print VAT Certificate service (free, 5 minutes)
- 3.ZATCA: Implementing Regulations of the VAT Law (Articles 8, 49 and 53)
- 4.ZATCA: VAT Registration Verification service
- 5.ZATCA: Verify the Current VAT Registration Status of Any Business (lookup)
- 6.ZATCA: VAT violation fines (updated 30 August 2026)
- 7.ZATCA: Zakat & Tax Certificate Request
Information verified in November 2026. Amounts and timelines are observed ranges provided for information only. Government fees are set by Saudi authorities and may change: they are confirmed in writing in the quote before you commit to anything.
See also
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