In recent years, the Spanish Tax Agency and the regional Basque tax authorities have driven two different systems with the same goal: putting an end to invoicing fraud. One is Verifactu, applicable in the rest of Spain (including Catalonia). The other is TicketBAI, specific to the Basque Country, with its own rules and deadlines independent of Verifactu. Although it doesn't directly affect businesses in Catalonia, it's worth knowing about because it shares the same philosophy: every business will need certified invoicing software, no exceptions.
What matters for your business in Catalonia: from January 2027, the Verifactu system becomes mandatory for companies (1 July 2027 for freelancers). The dates have already shifted once, so it's best not to leave it until the last moment.
How does it work?
Both systems are based on the same idea: every invoice your business issues must be generated with software certified by the Tax Agency, which creates an unalterable record of the transaction at the exact moment it happens. Each invoice includes a unique QR code that the customer can scan to verify it's genuine. If someone later tries to delete, modify or "touch up" that invoice, the system records the manipulation. In practice, this means your POS or invoicing program stops being just a checkout tool and becomes your safeguard in the event of an inspection.
The penalties for not having it
This is not a minor warning. A business using non-certified invoicing software faces real penalties:
Maximum penalty for a business using a non-certified system.
20% of turnover, rising to 30% (min. €30,000) for repeat offenses.
In TicketBAI, manipulating, deleting or destroying the system's records is also a separate and more serious offense, with a minimum penalty of €40,000 (€60,000 for repeat offenses). In both systems, the logic is the same: the longer you wait to adapt, the more risk you take on.
3 questions we get asked every week
Is my small business obligated too?
Yes. Neither the size of your business nor being self-employed exempts you from the obligation — only the software you need changes, not whether you need it.
Can I keep using my current POS?
It depends on whether the manufacturer already has it certified. Many older POS systems won't receive that update, so now is the time to check before the change catches you off guard.
What if my invoicing software is from another country or home-made (Excel, Word)?
This is where most businesses are in for a surprise: these tools don't meet the required technical requirements, no matter how well they get you by today.
Don't wait until January 2027 to sort it out
Switching systems with time to spare costs nothing. Switching in a rush — with an inspection on top — gets expensive. At Digital World TPV, in Badalona and Barcelona, we already work with POS systems and invoicing software ready for Verifactu, ready to install in your business without complications.
If you're in Catalonia or Barcelona and run a shop, restaurant, call center or any business that issues invoices, now is the time to make sure your system already complies — not next year, with the deadline looming.
Is your business already compliant?
We'll check it for you, no obligation.