What the eTIMS QR code is for
The QR code printed on a compliant eTIMS receipt is not decoration; it is a verification tool. It encodes a link to KRA's record of that specific invoice, so anyone who scans it can confirm the invoice was genuinely registered with KRA rather than just printed.
This matters for trust. A customer who needs to rely on an invoice, or an auditor, can scan the QR code to verify it, which is part of what makes eTIMS invoices trustworthy. So the QR code, alongside the control number and digital signature, is one of the markers that distinguish a recorded eTIMS invoice from an ordinary receipt. A compliant system prints it automatically. Confirm the current verification behaviour with KRA.
Getting the basics right once means compliance runs quietly in the background of your business.
How to use the eTIMS QR code
A practical path for a Kenyan business.
- 1
Look for it on the receipt
A compliant eTIMS receipt carries a QR code along with the control number and signature. Its presence is a good first check.
- 2
Scan to verify
Scanning the QR code links to KRA's verification of that invoice, confirming it was genuinely recorded.
- 3
Use it to build trust
For customers and auditors, the QR code is a quick way to confirm an invoice is real, which supports their reliance on it.
- 4
Ensure your invoices carry it
Issue invoices through a compliant system that prints the QR code, so your customers can verify them.
Common mistakes to avoid
Treating the QR code as decoration
It is a verification tool linking to KRA's record of the invoice, not just a graphic. Use it to verify.
Accepting receipts without a QR code
A compliant eTIMS receipt carries a QR code with the control number and signature. Without them, it is not recorded.
Issuing invoices without one
If your receipts lack the QR code, customers cannot easily verify them. Use a compliant system that prints it.
An auditor verifies in seconds
An auditor reviewing a Nairobi business wanted to confirm its sales invoices were genuinely recorded with KRA.
Rather than cross-checking each by hand, the auditor scanned the QR codes, which linked to KRA's verification of each invoice, confirming they were registered.
The QR codes turned verification into a quick scan, and the business's compliant invoices stood up to the review.
Trading without eTIMS-compliant tax invoices risks KRA penalties, blocked VAT input claims for your customers, and receipts a business buyer cannot expense.
Veira signs every sale to KRA eTIMS automatically, so each receipt is compliant the moment it prints, with no separate device to reconcile.
How Veira makes this simple
Veira is built for Kenyan businesses. It issues compliant KRA eTIMS invoices automatically on every sale, applies the right tax treatment per item, captures the buyer KRA PIN, keeps your records reconciled and ready for filing, and reconciles M-Pesa and Pochi payments to each sale.
It runs on a free handheld terminal or the phone you already own, keeps working offline, and runs from KES 2,999 a month with a free terminal and a 30-day money-back guarantee. See how Veira works, or book a free demo.
Frequently asked questions
What is the QR code on an eTIMS receipt for?
How do I verify an eTIMS invoice with the QR code?
Is a receipt without a QR code compliant?
Does my system add the QR code automatically?
Does Veira handle this for me?
Where do I confirm the current rules?
eTIMS QR code is straightforward once you know the essentials, and with a compliant system like Veira the day-to-day part is handled for you. See how Veira works, or book a free demo. Always confirm current KRA rules and rates at kra.go.ke, as they can change.