The Federal Tax Authority, FTA, has urged all consumers in the UAE to request tax invoices from retailers when purchasing products or services subject to Value Added Tax, VAT, to prevent attempts to manipulate the tax system.

The Authority urged all taxable businesses to issue tax invoices when providing any supply, in order to avoid administrative penalties. In a new awareness message issued today, and as part of the FTA’s consumer awareness campaign “Be Aware of Your Rights”, the Authority stressed that failure to issue a tax invoice or alternative document when providing a product or service will expose the taxable business to an administrative penalty of AED5,000 for each tax invoice or alternative document. Similarly, failure to issue a tax credit note or alternative incurs an administrative penalty of AED5,000 for each notice or alternative document.

The FTA urged consumers to verify the VAT amount on prices displayed in tax invoices. The Authority has launched online instruments and services to enable consumers to easily verify the value of the tax – namely, the VAT Calculator, launched in January – as well as to ensure that the issuer of the invoice is actually registered with the FTA, through the TRN Verification service.