FBR Invoice QR Code: What It Is and What Size to Print

Every FBR digital invoice must carry a QR code. Shops often search for an "FBR invoice QR code generator", but the QR code is not something you design. It is made from the invoice number that FBR returns when it accepts your invoice.

This guide explains what goes into the code, the print sizes named in the papers we read, and what to check on your printer. ApnaBill is an independent tool. It is not run by FBR or PRAL, and it is not tax advice.

ہر ایف بی آر ڈیجیٹل انوائس پر کیو آر کوڈ لازمی ہے۔ یہ کوڈ ایف بی آر کے واپس بھیجے ہوئے انوائس نمبر سے بنتا ہے، اس لیے آپ اسے خود نہیں بنا سکتے۔ سائز کے بارے میں نیچے دونوں حوالے دیے ہیں۔

Updated

What you need first

  • An invoice already accepted by FBR, so that you have the FBR invoice number.
  • The printer you will really use: A4, an 80 mm receipt printer or a 58 mm one.
  • A phone to scan the printed code as a test.

What to know about the QR code

  1. Step 1

    The QR code comes from the FBR invoice number

    FBR returns an invoice number after a successful send. The number looks like XXXXXX-DDMMYYHHMMSS-0001 in the IRIS rules summary. ApnaBill draws the QR code from that number and prints both on the bill. A QR made from any other text is not a valid FBR invoice code.

    How you get the number →

  2. Step 2

    You cannot make the code before FBR accepts the invoice

    There is no number to put in the code until FBR replies. A free online QR generator cannot create a valid FBR code on its own, and a made-up code on a bill is a risk for you.

  3. Step 3

    The logo and the QR code must be on every invoice

    The PRAL technical document says the FBR Digital Invoicing logo and the QR code must be printed on every invoice. The IRIS rules summary also lists the FBR invoice number, the QR code, the software registration number and the FBR logo as things the invoice must show.

  4. Step 4

    Print size: two sizes appear in the FBR papers

    The PRAL technical specification (v1.12) gives the QR as version 2.0 (25 × 25 modules), 1.0 × 1.0 inch. The IRIS rules summary on this site gives 7 × 7 mm for the receipt (rule 150R). ApnaBill prints the QR at 7 × 7 mm. The two sizes are different, so confirm which one applies to your kind of bill with PRAL or your tax consultant.

    💡 A bigger code scans more easily. If your 58 mm or 80 mm thermal printer gives a code that does not scan at 7 mm, ask before you change the size.

  5. Step 5

    Test the printed code

    Print a practice invoice from the sandbox, measure the black square with a ruler, and scan it with a phone. Do this for every paper size you use. Thermal printers have fewer dots per mm, so very small codes can fail.

    Print a practice invoice in the sandbox →

Make your first invoice free

Questions about this guide

What does the FBR invoice QR code contain?

ApnaBill makes the QR code from the FBR invoice number that FBR returns after it accepts the invoice. Check the PRAL technical document for the exact rules if you build your own software.

Can I use an online QR code generator for an FBR invoice?

Only if you put the real FBR invoice number in it, and only after FBR has returned that number. A code made without the number does not make a valid FBR invoice.

What size should the FBR QR code be?

The PRAL technical document names 1.0 × 1.0 inch (version 2.0, 25 × 25 modules), and the IRIS rules summary names 7 × 7 mm for the receipt. ApnaBill prints 7 × 7 mm. Confirm with PRAL or your tax consultant which one applies to you.

My QR code does not scan. What should I do?

Print it on the same printer on plain paper, scan it with a phone, and check that the black square is clean and not cut off. A thermal printer with a low print quality can fail at a very small size. Ask PRAL or your tax consultant before you change the size.

Is there a QR code on a practice invoice?

Yes, a sandbox invoice can be printed with the number FBR returns, and ApnaBill marks it as a practice invoice only. It does not count as a real sale.

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ApnaBill is an independent tool. It is not run by FBR or PRAL and it is not tax advice. Rules and menu names can change, so confirm with FBR or your tax consultant. See the disclaimer.