E-invoicing and ZATCA
CSID
A CSID is a digital certificate that your invoicing system receives during Phase 2 onboarding. You first receive a compliance CSID and use it to pass compliance checks with sample invoices, then receive a production CSID for issuing real invoices.
What it means
Onboarding runs in two stages, and each stage has its own CSID. The compliance CSID comes first. Your system uses it to submit sample invoices that ZATCA checks. When those checks pass, you receive the production CSID, the one your system relies on for real invoices. You do not move on to the second before you pass the first, because the order is part of the procedure.
The certificate matters because it ties invoices to your system. The production CSID is what your system uses to sign live invoices, which is why it is worth knowing where it was stored and who set it up. Treat it with the same care you give a company stamp. Store its details with care, and know who in your business has access to them.
A shop owner with three tills in two branches should ask the provider how each till is registered, because the certificate belongs to the business and completing the steps on the portal is the taxpayer's job. Note the onboarding date and the name of the person who did it, and you will save yourself a search later. That record is enough for whoever takes over invoicing after you to see how and when onboarding was done.
In practice
- Complete the compliance checks with sample invoices before you expect a production CSID.
- Record who onboarded the system, when, and which certificate is for compliance or production.
- Ask your provider how each till or branch is registered before you roll out.
- Share certificate details only with the people who set up your invoicing system.
Questions about CSID
What is the difference between a compliance CSID and a production CSID?
The compliance CSID comes first and belongs to the testing stage: you submit sample invoices to pass ZATCA's compliance checks. The production CSID is received afterwards and is the certificate for live invoices. Use ZATCA's simulation environment to practise the same steps before production, so you do not start live invoices until you feel confident.
Who requests the CSID, me or my software provider?
The taxpayer carries out onboarding. You get a one-time password, generate a certificate signing request (CSR), and ZATCA returns the compliance CSID. A provider such as Fatooraz can guide you through it, but the process runs under your business's own account.
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