Proforma Invoice Maker
Pre-sale proformas for deposits and approvals.
- 100% free for your first 100 documents
- UAE VAT and AED ready
- Clean, print-ready PDF output
- Works on desktop, tablet and mobile
Proforma Invoice Maker
Pre-sale proformas for deposits and approvals.
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More ways to use the proforma invoice
Business use cases for a proforma invoice
How founders, freelancers and SMEs across the UAE, KSA, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain and Iraq use a proforma invoice day to day.
SMEs and trading companies
Small and mid-sized companies across the GCC send a proforma invoice every week to keep clients, suppliers and regulators on the same page. Whether you operate on the UAE mainland, out of a free zone, or across borders into KSA and Qatar, a clean, branded document makes your business look established from day one.
Freelancers and consultants
Independent consultants, designers, developers and coaches in Dubai, Riyadh, Doha, Muscat and Manama use a proforma invoice to project a professional image, get paid faster and avoid awkward back-and-forth with clients over missing information.
Startups raising capital
Founders pitching investors, applying for a trade licence or opening a corporate bank account are asked for proforma invoices as part of due diligence. A well-structured document signals operational maturity and shortens the review cycle at ADGM, DIFC, DMCC, QFC and similar hubs.
Cross-border operations
Companies invoicing or contracting between the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain need proforma invoices that respect local rules — Arabic language requirements, ZATCA e-invoicing in KSA, TRN in the UAE, CR numbers in Qatar and Oman — while staying commercially readable in English.
Required sections in a professional proforma invoice
Every proforma invoice should contain these building blocks so it holds up in front of clients, banks, courts and regulators across the GCC.
Issuer identification
Full legal name of the issuing company, trade licence or CR number, registered address in the emirate or region, contact email and phone. If VAT-registered, include the 15-digit TRN (UAE) or the equivalent tax number (KSA VAT number, Bahrain VAT account number, Oman VAT number).
Recipient details
Legal name and address of the customer, employee, counterparty or authority receiving the proforma invoice. For cross-border documents, include the country and, where applicable, the recipient's tax registration number.
Unique reference and dates
A sequential reference number (unique to your business) plus the issue date, and — where relevant — an effective date, expiry date or due date. Sequential numbering is required by tax authorities across the GCC for accounting audit trails.
Line items or subject matter
A clear description of each line, quantity, unit price in AED (or local currency), any applicable discount and the resulting subtotal. Avoid vague descriptions — regulators and clients both benefit from specificity.
Tax, totals and currency
Currency shown clearly (AED, SAR, QAR, OMR, KWD, BHD, IQD as applicable). VAT breakdown at the correct rate — 5% UAE / Bahrain, 15% KSA, no VAT in Kuwait / Qatar / Oman GCC members without VAT — plus a grand total. Show whether prices are VAT-inclusive or exclusive.
Signatures and authorisation
Named signatory, position, signature block and date. For legal documents add company stamp / seal, witness lines where required, and notarisation or attestation blocks for documents that will be presented to UAE courts, ministries, embassies or MoFA.
GCC compliance considerations
Tax, language, data-protection and attestation rules that shape how a proforma invoice is drafted, retained and shared across the GCC.
UAE Federal Tax Authority (FTA)
Tax invoices must show supplier name and TRN, customer name and TRN (for taxable supplies over AED 10,000), sequential invoice number, issue date, description, net amount in AED, 5% VAT and gross total. Simplified tax invoices are allowed under AED 10,000.
KSA ZATCA e-invoicing (Fatoora)
Since 2021, Saudi VAT-registered businesses must issue e-invoices with ZATCA-compliant fields, QR codes and (in Phase 2) cryptographic stamps integrated with ZATCA's platform. A proforma invoice issued to a KSA customer should mirror those fields even if generated abroad.
Bilingual and Arabic-language rules
Arabic is the official language of contracts, court filings and government-facing documents across the GCC. English is widely accepted commercially, but where a proforma invoice will be submitted to a court, ministry, immigration or a bank, provide a bilingual version — Arabic on the right, English on the left — to avoid rejection.
Data protection and confidentiality
The UAE PDPL (Federal Decree-Law 45 of 2021), KSA PDPL (2023), Bahrain PDPL and Qatar's data protection framework treat personal and commercial data in proforma invoices as protected. Restrict circulation, use secure delivery (email, verified WhatsApp), and store PDFs in an access-controlled folder.
Retention and audit
Keep signed proforma invoices in a searchable, backed-up archive. Regulators, banks and courts across the GCC increasingly accept digitally signed PDFs, but paper originals are still expected in real-estate, immigration and inheritance matters.
Industry-specific variations of a proforma invoice
How the proforma invoice adapts to trading, construction, professional services, technology, retail and real estate.
Trading & wholesale
A trading company's proforma invoice typically references HS codes, INCOTERMS (FOB, CIF, EXW), country of origin, and packing details. Add per-line unit and quantity precision so customs brokers can process the shipment without follow-up.
Construction & contracting
Construction-sector proforma invoices reference the project name, LPO number, milestone or BOQ item, retention percentage and defects-liability period. Payment terms typically run to 30–60 days from certification.
Professional services & consulting
Service firms describe deliverables by phase or sprint, reference the underlying engagement letter, and split fees from reimbursable expenses. Add a scope statement to avoid disputes over what is included.
Technology, SaaS & digital
Tech companies bill in monthly or annual subscription cycles, reference the subscription plan, quote seats or usage tiers, and cite the master services agreement. Cross-border digital services from the UAE to KSA carry KSA VAT reverse-charge implications.
Retail, F&B and hospitality
Retail proforma invoices emphasise SKU, discount and loyalty programme references. F&B and hospitality operators add service charge (10%), municipality fee (7%) and tourism dirham where applicable, keeping them separate from 5% VAT.
Real estate & facilities
Real-estate operators reference the Ejari or Tawtheeq contract number, unit number, chiller and utility split, and any commission or brokerage RERA rules. Facilities-management proforma invoices reference the SLA schedule.
Country-specific guidance (7 GCC markets)
Currency, VAT rate, tax authority and language priority for a proforma invoice issued from — or into — each GCC market.
United Arab Emirates
Currency: AED. VAT 5% since 2018. TRN is a 15-digit FTA number. E-invoicing framework (EmaraTax) is rolling out from 2026. Federal Law No. 32 of 2021 (Commercial Companies Law) and Federal Decree-Law 33 of 2021 (Labour Law) govern most commercial and HR documents.
Saudi Arabia (KSA)
Currency: SAR. VAT 15% (raised from 5% in 2020). ZATCA Fatoora e-invoicing is mandatory for VAT-registered businesses. Follow the Companies Law issued by Royal Decree M/132 for corporate documents.
Qatar
Currency: QAR. No VAT yet, though a GCC-wide framework is in place. Corporate documents reference the QFC or mainland CR number. Arabic is the official language for government-facing proforma invoices.
Oman
Currency: OMR. VAT 5% since 2021. Sultanate of Oman Tax Authority (OTA) rules apply for tax invoices; keep records for at least 10 years. CR (Commercial Registration) number replaces the UAE trade licence reference.
Kuwait
Currency: KWD. No VAT (as of writing). proforma invoices for Kuwaiti counterparties should reference the Civil ID or the company's Commercial Licence number. Arabic-language contracts have priority in court.
Bahrain
Currency: BHD. VAT 10% since 2022 (raised from 5%). National Bureau for Revenue (NBR) governs tax invoicing. Sequential numbering and archiving requirements are similar to the UAE FTA rules.
Iraq
Currency: IQD. No federal VAT but customs duties and specific sector taxes apply. Arabic is mandatory for government-facing proforma invoices; commercial contracts routinely reference both English and Arabic versions with Arabic prevailing.
Common proforma invoice mistakes to avoid
These are the pitfalls that turn a routine proforma invoice into an audit finding or a dispute.
Non-sequential or duplicate numbering
Skipping or reusing reference numbers on a proforma invoice triggers FTA and ZATCA audit flags and makes accounting reconciliation painful. Always number sequentially per business per year.
Missing or wrong TRN / tax number
A UAE tax invoice without a valid 15-digit TRN is not deductible input VAT for the buyer. In KSA, a missing VAT number invalidates the invoice under ZATCA rules. Double-check the field before you send.
Vague descriptions
"Services rendered" or "as agreed" is not enough. Describe each line with quantity, unit, period or deliverable. Regulators and clients both push back on vague documents.
Ignoring the Arabic version
Even a well-drafted English proforma invoice can be rejected by a UAE court, KSA ministry or Qatari bank if there's no Arabic version. Provide a bilingual layout for anything that might reach a public authority.
Weak signature and stamp block
A proforma invoice signed without a printed name, title, date and company stamp lacks the evidentiary weight commercial partners across the GCC expect. Add all four every time.
Continue exploring the proforma invoice cluster
Related documents, format vs sample references, GCC country variants and glossary terms — everything you need to master the proforma invoice in one place.
Related documents
Documents used alongside a proforma invoice
Template vs example
Two ways to reference a proforma invoice
The blank, editable structure you fill in yourself — ideal when you already know what belongs in each field.
- Proforma Invoice exampleFilled
A filled-in GCC sample with realistic values — use it as a reference before drafting your own.
- Proforma Invoice guideWalkthrough
Complete walkthrough of fields, compliance and best practice.
GCC variants
Proforma Invoice across the GCC
- Proforma Invoice in United Arab EmiratesCountry
- Proforma Invoice in Saudi Arabia (KSA)Country
- Proforma Invoice in QatarCountry
- Proforma Invoice in OmanCountry
- Proforma Invoice in KuwaitCountry
- Proforma Invoice in BahrainCountry
UAE city variants
Glossary terms
Key terms around a proforma invoice
- TRN (Tax Registration Number)
- The 15-digit number issued by the UAE Federal Tax Authority to every VAT-registered business. Required on tax invoices and other financial documents.
- ZATCA / Fatoora
- The Saudi Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority and its e-invoicing platform, Fatoora. Governs VAT invoicing across KSA and mandates QR codes and cryptographic stamps.
- MoFA attestation
- Legalisation by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs — required for many commercial documents before they can be used abroad or in front of embassies.
- Reverse charge
- A VAT mechanism where the buyer (not the seller) accounts for VAT — common on cross-border services into the UAE and KSA.
- LPO / PO
- Local Purchase Order (LPO) or Purchase Order (PO) — the buyer's formal commitment to purchase goods or services from a supplier, referenced on the matching invoice.
- Free zone entity
- A company licensed by a UAE free zone (DMCC, IFZA, JAFZA, DIFC, ADGM, RAKEZ, etc.), enjoying 100% foreign ownership and — under specific conditions — 0% corporate tax on qualifying income.
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