Record keeping — the foundation of compliance before any review
In Saudi Arabia, compliance is not only about issuing sales invoices or recording supplier bills—it also includes keeping books and records for the required periods and in the proper form. This page summarizes the key points in a practical way.
Key benefits of record-keeping compliance with Haseem
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Keep sales invoices, supplier bills, and expenses organized in a way that's easy to retrieve
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Prepare faster for audits or reviews without searching across scattered files
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Reduce risk from missing documents or incomplete records
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Clearer understanding of "what to keep" and "for how long"
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Stronger foundations for VAT reporting, reconciliation, and financial clarity
FAQ
Under the Commercial Books Law, books, correspondence, and related documents must be kept for at least 10 years.
VAT regulations require keeping invoices, books, records, and accounting documents for at least 6 years from the end of the relevant tax period. Note: Capital assets records may require a longer period (adjustment period + 5 years).
Yes. The Commercial Books Law requires books to be in Arabic. VAT regulations also require keeping records in Arabic and having tax invoices in Arabic (with the option to add another language as a translation).
VAT regulations indicate records must be kept in the Kingdom physically or electronically with access from within the Kingdom, under conditions that allow submission to the authority upon request.
Phase 1 requires generating and storing invoices and notes electronically using compliant solutions.
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