Malaysia e-Invoicing Guide

Malaysia has implemented a Continuous Transaction Control (CTC) model through its MyInvois platform, operated by the Inland Revenue Board (IRBM/LHDN). Every invoice — whether B2B, B2G, or B2C — must be validated by MyInvois in real-time before it is considered legally valid. This makes Malaysia one of the most comprehensive e-invoicing mandates in Southeast Asia.

The system uses UBL 2.1 format (supporting both XML and JSON) and requires 55 mandatory fields per invoice. Each validated invoice receives a digital signature from IRBM and a QR code that allows anyone to verify its authenticity, creating a fully traceable invoice chain from seller to tax authority.

Malaysia rolled out in revenue-based phases starting with the largest enterprises (above RM 100 million) in August 2024. Subsequent phases progressively lowered the threshold, with Phase 4 (businesses above RM 1 million) effective from January 2026. The originally planned Phase 5 was cancelled, and businesses below RM 1 million are now exempt.

All businesses with annual revenue above RM 1,000,000 must issue e-invoices through the MyInvois platform. This covers B2B, B2G, and B2C transactions. Invoices must be submitted via API in UBL 2.1 format with all 55 mandatory fields populated correctly.

Businesses with turnover up to RM 5 million receive a grace period allowing consolidated e-invoices without penalties until December 2026. Non-MYR invoices require exchange rate documentation from September 2025. Micro-businesses below the RM 1 million threshold are exempt from the mandate entirely.

MyInvois operates as a real-time validation platform. When a business issues an invoice, the data is submitted to MyInvois via API. The platform validates the invoice structure and data, applies IRBM's digital certificate, generates a QR code, and returns the validated invoice. Only after this validation does the invoice gain legal status.

The QR code on each validated invoice links back to MyInvois, allowing the buyer (or any party) to verify the invoice's authenticity. Certain B2C transactions may use consolidated e-invoices rather than per-transaction submissions, providing some flexibility for high-volume retail scenarios.

Malaysia ties compliance directly to tax validity. Invoices that are not validated by MyInvois are considered invalid for tax purposes — sellers cannot claim deductions, and buyers cannot claim input tax credits. This economic consequence makes non-compliance immediately costly, even without explicit fine amounts.