The e-invoice QR code is a signed QR generated by the Invoice Registration Portal when it issues an IRN. It carries key invoice details — supplier and buyer GSTIN, document number, type and date, invoice value, number of line items, main HSN code, IRN and IRN date — plus the IRP's digital signature, so anyone can verify the invoice offline with the official verification app.
The QR code is the visible proof that an invoice was registered under GST e-invoicing. Buyers look for it before booking input tax credit, transporters carry it, and officers scan it during checks. This guide explains what the code holds, where it comes from, how to print it properly and how to verify one you receive.
What is the e-invoice QR code?
When you submit an invoice to an Invoice Registration Portal (IRP), the IRP validates it, generates an Invoice Reference Number (IRN) and digitally signs the invoice. It also returns a signed QR code: a compact string containing the main invoice details and the IRP's digital signature. Your system turns that string into a QR image printed on the invoice.
Because the QR is signed by the IRP, it cannot be faked by editing the details: any change breaks the signature. That is what makes it useful as proof. If you are new to the overall process, read what is e-invoicing first.
What details does the e-invoice QR code contain?
The QR does not hold the full invoice — that would make it too dense to scan. It carries a defined set of key fields:
| Field in QR | Example value |
|---|---|
| Supplier GSTIN | 27AAAAA0000A1Z5 |
| Recipient GSTIN | 29BBBBB1111B1Z3 |
| Document number | PN/25-26/0418 |
| Document type | INV (invoice), CRN or DBN |
| Document date | 14/10/2026 |
| Total invoice value | 236000.00 |
| Number of line items | 2 |
| HSN code of main item | 854449 |
| IRN | 64-character hash |
| IRN date | Date and time the IRN was generated |
The "main item" is the line with the highest taxable value. Line-level details are not in the QR; they are in the signed invoice JSON that the IRP also returns.
Where does the QR code come from — and where it does not
A frequent misunderstanding is that billing software "makes" the QR. For e-invoices, it does not.
- Your software sends the invoice JSON to the IRP (see how to generate IRN).
- The IRP returns a SignedQRCode value along with the IRN and acknowledgement.
- Your software renders that value as an image.
If you print a QR built by your own software from invoice fields, it will not carry the IRP signature and will fail verification. Only the returned signed value counts.
How should the QR code be printed on the invoice?
There is no rigid layout, but follow these practices so the code works in the real world:
- Size. Print it large enough to scan from a phone — roughly 2.5 to 3 cm square is a practical minimum on A4.
- Placement. Top-right or near the invoice header is common and easy to find.
- Quiet zone. Leave white space around the code; borders and text touching it cause scan failures.
- No stretching. Keep the aspect ratio square; resizing in a spreadsheet often distorts it.
- Print the IRN too. Show the IRN, acknowledgement number and acknowledgement date near the QR.
- Every copy. Original, duplicate and triplicate copies should all carry the same QR.
- PDF and email. Use a high-resolution image so it survives forwarding and reprinting.
Billing Software by Betterwork, for instance, places the signed QR and IRN in the invoice header automatically once the IRN is received, including on PDFs shared over WhatsApp.
How to verify an e-invoice QR code
Buyers should verify QR codes on supplier invoices, especially from new suppliers.
- Install the official e-invoice QR code verification app (published by the e-invoice system) on a phone.
- Open the app and scan the QR code on the invoice.
- The app checks the IRP's digital signature and shows the decoded details.
- Compare the displayed GSTINs, document number, date and value with the printed invoice.
- If they match and the signature is valid, the IRN was genuinely issued for that document.
- For extra assurance, search the IRN on the e-invoice portal to confirm it has not been cancelled.
Signature checks work offline, but cancellation status needs an online lookup — a QR can be genuine yet belong to an IRN that was cancelled within 24 hours. See cancel e-invoice.
Worked example: checking a supplier invoice
A Nashik packaging buyer receives an invoice from a registered Gujarat supplier:
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Plastic storage crates, 5,000 nos at ₹24 | ₹1,20,000 |
| IGST @ 18% | ₹21,600 |
| Total | ₹1,41,600 |
The buyer's accounts clerk scans the QR code. The app shows supplier GSTIN starting 24, recipient GSTIN starting 27, document type INV, value 141600.00, 1 line item, HSN 392310. Everything matches except the document number: the paper shows "GJ/1187" while the QR shows "GJ/1178".
That mismatch is a red flag. Either the paper was edited, or the supplier printed the wrong QR on this invoice. The clerk asks the supplier for the signed copy and holds the input tax credit entry until it is resolved. Without the QR check, the error would only have surfaced months later during GSTR-2B reconciliation.
How is the e-invoice QR different from B2C dynamic QR?
Two different QR requirements exist under GST, and they are often confused.
| Point | E-invoice signed QR | B2C dynamic QR |
|---|---|---|
| Applies to | B2B, export, SEZ invoices and CN/DN of e-invoicing businesses | B2C invoices of businesses above ₹500 crore aggregate turnover |
| Generated by | IRP | Supplier's own system |
| Legal basis | E-invoicing under Rule 48(4) | Notification 14/2020-Central Tax |
| Purpose | Prove IRN registration | Enable payment and show invoice details to consumers |
| Contains IRN? | Yes | No (not registered with IRP) |
A business between ₹5 crore and ₹500 crore needs the signed QR on B2B invoices but has no QR requirement on ordinary B2C bills. It may still choose to print a UPI QR for payment convenience, which is a separate thing.
Who uses the QR code, and for what?
The QR code serves several people along the supply chain, each with a slightly different purpose.
| User | What they do with the QR | What they are checking |
|---|---|---|
| Buyer's accounts team | Scan on receipt of invoice | Invoice is genuinely registered before booking input tax credit |
| Buyer's stores / receiving | Scan at goods inward | Paper invoice matches the registered one |
| Transporter | Carries the invoice with goods | Proof of a valid tax invoice during movement |
| GST officer | Scans during inspection or audit | Signature validity and match with goods and e-way bill |
| Auditor | Samples invoices | IRN exists and was not cancelled |
For the buyer, the QR check is the cheapest fraud control available. It takes a few seconds and catches edited invoices, wrong numbers and invoices from suppliers who never registered them.
What happens to the QR code when an invoice is cancelled or corrected?
The QR is tied to one IRN. If that IRN is cancelled within 24 hours, the QR still decodes and the signature still verifies — but the invoice is no longer valid. That is why buyers should check the IRN status online for large or unusual invoices.
When a correction is made through a credit note or debit note, the note gets its own IRN and its own QR code. The original invoice's QR does not change. Your printed credit note should therefore carry its own QR, with document type CRN, and should reference the original invoice number in its body.
If you reprint an invoice months later, use the stored signed QR value — do not regenerate anything. The QR printed on a reprint must be identical to the one on the original.
Practical tips for different printers and formats
- Laser and inkjet printers: standard QR images work well; keep the image at least 300 dpi.
- Thermal printers: test scanning before going live; low-contrast thermal paper can fail with dense codes.
- Dot-matrix pre-printed stationery: many businesses move the QR to a separate box printed by laser, or switch to plain-paper invoices.
- PDF invoices on WhatsApp or email: embed the QR as a vector or high-resolution image so forwarding and screenshots do not blur it.
- Multi-page invoices: print the QR on the first page at least; repeating it on every page is helpful for the receiving team.
How to check a QR code step by step
A buyer's accounts team can make QR verification a routine part of booking purchases:
- Scan the QR with the verification app from the e-invoice portal, or with software that reads the signed QR.
- Confirm the signature passes. A failed signature means the data was altered or the QR was not issued by an IRP.
- Match the fields — supplier GSTIN, your GSTIN, document number, date and value — against the paper or PDF invoice.
- Check the status online if anything looks wrong, since a cancelled IRN still carries a valid signature.
- Record the IRN in your purchase entry so the invoice can be traced later.
The procedure document notes that the size and placement of the QR on the invoice are up to the business, as long as it is readable by QR readers.
Common mistakes with e-invoice QR codes
- Generating a "QR" from invoice fields in your template instead of using the IRP's signed value.
- Printing too small or blurred, especially on thermal or dot-matrix printers.
- Pasting an old QR onto a revised invoice; a changed invoice needs a new IRN (or a credit/debit note).
- Leaving the QR off duplicate copies carried with goods.
- Confusing UPI QR with e-invoice QR; a payment QR proves nothing about IRN registration.
- Not checking cancellation: a valid signature does not mean the IRN is still active.
For other rejection and validation problems, see e-invoice common errors.
Key takeaways
- The e-invoice QR is signed by the IRP and returned with the IRN; your software only displays it.
- It contains GSTINs, document details, value, line-item count, main HSN, IRN and IRN date.
- Print it clearly on every copy, alongside the IRN and acknowledgement details.
- Buyers can verify the signature offline with the official app and should check cancellation status online.
- The B2C dynamic QR for ₹500 crore+ businesses is a different requirement.
Need a starting layout? Browse invoice templates with space reserved for the QR code and IRN.
This guide is general information, not tax advice. Rules last checked on 20 October 2026; confirm with your tax professional for your situation.