Independent reviews · every verdict signed and dated · honest, and never for sale

Guide · GST & e-invoicing

IRAS InvoiceNow: what your business must do, and by when

Singapore is moving GST-registered businesses onto e-invoicing through the InvoiceNow network. Two deadlines have already passed. Here is who is in scope, what to do in five steps, and the accounting software that already handles it.

Written by Wei Chun Updated 2026·07·08 9 min read

Applies to: GST-registered businesses in Singapore

Deadlines

The deadline ledger

InvoiceNow is Singapore's national e-invoicing network, run by IMDA on the Peppol standard. The GST InvoiceNow requirement uses that network to transmit your invoice data to IRAS. It is arriving in waves, not all at once.

2025·05·01 Soft launch of the GST InvoiceNow requirement.Any GST-registered business may adopt early, voluntarily. Open to all
2025·11·01 First mandatory wave.Newly incorporated companies that register voluntarily for GST. In force
2026·04·01 Second mandatory wave.All new voluntary GST registrants, whatever the company's age. In force
To be announced Remaining GST-registered businesses, in progressive waves.IRAS has said existing businesses will be given sufficient lead time. Expected

Dates per IRAS and IMDA announcements as at the updated date above. We revise this ledger when IRAS announces the next wave.

Are you in scope

Three situations, three answers

Act now You registered, or plan to register, voluntarily for GST. Transmitting invoice data through InvoiceNow is part of the deal since April 2026. Set it up before you file your first return, not after.
Prepare You are already GST-registered. No hard deadline has been announced for you yet, but one is coming. The cheap move is to make sure your next accounting software decision is InvoiceNow-ready, so your wave is a settings change rather than a migration.
Watch You are not GST-registered. Nothing is required of you. Adopting InvoiceNow voluntarily still helps if you invoice government agencies or large customers that prefer e-invoices.

Five steps

Getting compliant, in order

  1. Confirm which wave you are in

    Check your GST registration type. Voluntary registrants from 1 April 2026 onward are in scope today; everyone else GST-registered should assume a future wave. If an IRAS notice named a date for you, that date wins over anything in this guide.

  2. Pick software that is already InvoiceNow-ready

    The requirement is transmitted through your accounting software, so this is where compliance is won or lost. Every product we mark InvoiceNow-ready in our accounting roundup connects to the network without extra tooling.

  3. Register on the network through an access point

    Your software vendor registers your UEN on the Peppol directory through its access point; in Xero and Zoho Books this is a settings screen, not a contract. Once registered, other businesses can send e-invoices to you as well.

  4. Send a test e-invoice, then switch real invoicing over

    Send one invoice to a customer on the network, or to your own second entity, and confirm it lands as structured data. Then make e-invoices the default and keep PDF only for customers who are not on the network yet.

  5. Turn on transmission to IRAS and keep records

    Under the GST InvoiceNow requirement your invoice data flows to IRAS through the same network. Enable it from day one so your GST returns and your transmitted data always agree, and keep source documents as usual.

Ready software

Software that already does this

All three connect to InvoiceNow through a built-in access point and filed a real GST return in our testing. Coverage here is on merit; none of these placements is paid.

Xero

Cloud accounting

Our top accounting pick. Native GST returns, InvoiceNow via Peppol, unlimited users on every plan.

Research from S$32/mo 8.7

Zoho Books

Cloud accounting

The value pick. InvoiceNow-ready on a much lower entry price, and free below S$90k revenue.

Research from S$15/mo 8.3

QuickBooks

Cloud accounting

Strong reporting and a familiar choice for accountants. InvoiceNow connects via partner access points.

Research from S$30/mo 8.1

FAQ

Questions businesses ask us

Is InvoiceNow mandatory in Singapore?
Not for every business yet. Since 1 November 2025 it is required for newly incorporated companies that register voluntarily for GST, and since 1 April 2026 for all new voluntary GST registrants. Existing GST-registered businesses are expected to be brought in over later waves, announced by IRAS.
What is a Peppol access point?
The certified gateway that connects your software to the InvoiceNow network. You do not deal with it directly in most cases: accounting apps such as Xero or Zoho Books include one, so registering on the network is a settings step, not a new vendor contract.
My business is not GST-registered. Do I need InvoiceNow?
No requirement applies to you today. You can still adopt it voluntarily to invoice large customers and government agencies electronically, and if you plan to register for GST voluntarily, adopting InvoiceNow first is now part of that decision.
What happens if I ignore the requirement?
For new voluntary GST registrants, transmitting invoice data through InvoiceNow is a condition tied to registration, so ignoring it is not an option from April 2026. Existing businesses have not been given hard deadlines yet; the practical risk is picking accounting software now that cannot connect later.

Written by

Wei Chun

Founder & Editor

I run GST-registered books through the software we review, including the InvoiceNow setup steps in this guide, most recently in July 2026. When IRAS announces the next wave, this guide gets updated and re-dated.

Author profile → How we test → Corrections policy →

About the product links here: they go to our own reviews, which is where any affiliate relationship is disclosed. Products appear in this guide on merit; no placement in it is paid or sponsored. Full terms in our editorial policy and affiliate disclosure.