IRAS InvoiceNow: What GST-Registered Businesses Need to Know
The Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) isn't asking goods and services tax (GST)-registered businesses to change their invoices. It's asking them to change how those invoices reach IRAS in the first place, and the deadline depends on when your business registered and how large it is.
InvoiceNow is Singapore's nationwide e-invoicing network, and IRAS is progressively making it mandatory for GST-registered businesses to transmit invoice data through it directly to IRAS, rather than only filing a periodic GST return. The requirement is being phased in over several years, based on when a business registered for GST and how large it is, so the deadline that applies to your business depends on which category it falls into.
What InvoiceNow Actually Requires
Businesses in scope must transmit prescribed invoice data, covering standard-rated, zero-rated and exempt supplies and purchases, to IRAS through the InvoiceNow network, using an InvoiceNow-ready accounting or invoicing solution. This includes data from tax invoices, simplified tax invoices, receipts, debit notes and credit notes, and the transmission needs to happen by the earlier of filing the GST return or the return's due date. Businesses also need to register on the SG Peppol Directory to get a Peppol ID linked to their Unique Entity Number.
This doesn't remove the existing requirement to keep proper GST records and supporting documents. InvoiceNow is an additional transmission requirement, not a replacement for record-keeping.
The Phased Rollout
Based on IRAS's published timeline, the requirement is being extended progressively rather than applied to every GST-registered business at once:
| Category | Required from |
|---|---|
| New voluntary GST registrants (any business structure or incorporation date) | 1 April 2026 |
| New compulsory GST registrants, and existing businesses with annual supplies up to S$200,000 | 1 April 2028 |
| Existing businesses with annual supplies up to S$1 million | 1 April 2029 |
| Existing businesses with annual supplies up to S$4 million | 1 April 2030 |
| Existing businesses with annual supplies above S$4 million | 1 April 2031 |
Businesses that registered for GST before this rollout began are individually notified by IRAS of their specific implementation date, and can check their own date using IRAS's GST InvoiceNow Implementation Date Calculator. If your business hasn't received a notification yet and isn't sure which category it falls into, that calculator, or your accountant, is the place to confirm it rather than assuming based on the general phases above.
Getting Ready Before Your Date Arrives
The practical work of getting ready is mostly about the accounting system, not the invoices themselves. A business needs an InvoiceNow-ready solution connected to the Peppol network, and processes that capture the data InvoiceNow requires (buyer and seller details, line items, tax treatment) consistently, rather than in a format that needs manual clean-up before transmission. Businesses still using spreadsheets or a system without native InvoiceNow support will generally need to move to one that has it before their mandatory date, which is worth planning for well ahead of the deadline rather than in the final weeks.
A grant is available to help SMEs cover part of the cost of adopting InvoiceNow-ready software; check current eligibility and amounts with Enterprise Singapore or your accounting software provider, since grant terms are updated periodically.
Not sure which InvoiceNow phase applies to your business?
Compliz helps Singapore businesses confirm their InvoiceNow implementation date, choose an InvoiceNow-ready accounting system, and get GST filing set up to comply on time.
Request a QuoteFrequently Asked Questions
Does InvoiceNow change how I invoice my customers?
Not directly. It changes how invoice data reaches IRAS. Most businesses continue invoicing customers as before, but the underlying data now also needs to be transmitted to IRAS through the InvoiceNow network.
What happens if my business isn't ready by its InvoiceNow date?
Missing the mandatory date risks non-compliance with a GST filing requirement. Businesses should confirm their date early and plan the accounting-system transition with enough lead time to avoid a last-minute scramble.
Do voluntary GST registrants really have to comply before larger existing businesses?
Yes. New voluntary registrants are required from 1 April 2026, ahead of most existing GST-registered businesses, which are phased in between 2028 and 2031 based on annual turnover.
Is InvoiceNow the same as the GST rate or GST registration itself?
No. InvoiceNow is a transmission and reporting requirement for businesses already GST-registered. It doesn't change the GST rate or the S$1 million compulsory registration threshold.
Can my existing accounting software handle InvoiceNow?
Some can, some need an upgrade or add-on, and some don't support it at all. Check directly with your software provider or an InvoiceNow-ready accounting partner rather than assuming compatibility.