Free credit note generator: UAE tax credit notes

A credit note reduces what a customer owes you after an invoice has already been issued: goods come back, a price was wrong, or you agreed a discount after the sale. This generator lays out a UAE tax credit note with the original invoice reference, the amount credited, the corrected value and the VAT being reversed, then saves it as a PDF. Everything happens in your browser.

Quick answer

A credit note reduces what a customer owes after an invoice has been issued, for returns, refunds or price corrections. Enter the original invoice number, the items being credited and the VAT below, and download a UAE tax credit note as a PDF in English, Arabic or both. It is made in your browser and nothing is stored.

Your business (seller)

Name

Address

Phone or email

TRN (VAT number)

With a TRN the document is titled "Tax Credit Note" and shows the VAT being reversed.

Customer (buyer)

Name

Address

Phone or email

TRN (VAT number)

Credit note number

Credit note date

Refund or settlement date (optional)

Credit note language

Currency

Original invoice

Original invoice number

Original invoice date

Original invoice value (excl. VAT)

Needed on a tax credit note: it shows the original value, the amount credited and the correct value.

Reason for the credit note

Items credited

Description

Qty

Unit price credited (excl. VAT)

VAT

Notes and payment details

Remember my business details, logo and next credit note number on this device

Your browser's print window opens. Choose "Save as PDF" as the printer to download the invoice.

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Credit Note

Credit note no.: CN-0001

Date:

Customer

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#	Description	Qty	Unit price	VAT	VAT amount	Amount

Amount credited (excl. VAT): AED 0.00
VAT credited: AED 0.00
Total credited: AED 0.00

How to use the Credit Note Generator

Enter your business details and TRN. With a TRN the document is titled "Tax Credit Note".
Fill in the original invoice number, its date, its value before VAT and a short reason for the credit.
List the items or amounts you are crediting, with the VAT treatment of each.
Check the preview and press "Download PDF / print", then choose "Save as PDF".

When you need a credit note

Once an invoice has been issued you should not edit or delete it. If the amount turns out to be too high, you issue a credit note that refers back to it instead. Common reasons are goods returned by the customer, a service cancelled after invoicing, a pricing or quantity mistake, a volume discount or rebate agreed later, and a bad debt write-off in some cases. The credit note keeps your records honest: the original invoice stays as it was, and the credit note shows exactly what changed and why.

What a UAE tax credit note shows

If you are VAT-registered and the change reduces the VAT on a supply, the Federal Tax Authority expects a tax credit note. It carries the words "Tax Credit Note", your name, address and TRN, the customer's name, address and TRN if they are registered, the date it is issued, the value of the supply on the original tax invoice, the correct value, the difference, the VAT on that difference, a short explanation of why it was issued and enough detail to identify the original supply. This generator prints each of these. The FTA's rules also set a deadline for issuing the credit note after the event that caused it, so issue it promptly and check the current rules on the FTA website.

How the VAT adjustment works

The VAT shown on the credit note is the output tax you reduce in your VAT return for the period in which the credit note is issued. Your customer, if registered, reduces the input tax they claimed by the same amount. That is why the credit note must point clearly to the original invoice: both sides need to match the adjustment to the original supply. Zero-rated and exempt lines carry no VAT, so crediting them changes the totals but not the tax.

A PDF credit note, not an e-invoice

The UAE is introducing mandatory e-invoicing for business-to-business supplies from 2027, phased by company size. Once it applies to you, credit notes in scope will also have to be issued as electronic documents through an accredited service provider. A PDF from this page is a correctly laid-out tax credit note for today, but it is not an e-invoice. Our UAE e-invoicing guide explains the dates.

Frequently asked questions

Is a credit note the same as a refund?

No. A credit note records that the customer owes you less. You can then refund the money, or let the customer use the credit against a future invoice. Either way the credit note is the document that adjusts the original invoice and the VAT.

Can I just cancel the original invoice instead?

It is better not to. Invoice numbers should run in sequence with nothing deleted, so the clean way to reduce or reverse an invoice is a credit note that refers to it. If the whole invoice was wrong, credit it in full and issue a new correct invoice.

Does the customer need a TRN on the credit note?

Show the customer's TRN when they are VAT-registered, as on the original tax invoice. If they are not registered, leave it empty and the field is left off the PDF.

What if the original invoice was in US dollars?

Choose the same currency and enter the exchange rate to dirhams. The credit note then also shows the VAT and total in AED, as UAE rules require for tax documents in a foreign currency.

Is my credit note data uploaded?

No. The credit note is built and printed inside your browser. If you tick "Remember", your business details and next credit note number are saved only on this device, and you can erase them at any time.