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What is Fiscalisation?
Fiscalisation refers to configuring of fiscal devices to enable them to record and transmit sales and other tax information at the time of sale to the ZIMRA servers for use by the authority in Value Added Tax administration.
Who should fiscalise?
- All Value Added Tax (VAT) registered operators should fiscalise as outlined in SI 104 of 2010 and must comply with the requirements of ZIMRA’s Fiscalisation Data Management System (FDMS).
- All taxpayers are required to fiscalise in terms of Section 90 of the Income Tax Act [CAP 23:06] as read with Section 80D and Section 80DD of the same Act, which grants the Minister the authority to mandate fiscalisation through issued regulations. This obligation also applies to taxpayers with an annual turnover below the VAT registration threshold of USD 25,000.00.
What are fiscal devices?
These are electronic devices that are used in the recording of transactional data before it is sent to the ZIMRA servers. The devices could be hardware based (physical devices) or software based (virtual devices). These are electronic devices which contain a “fiscal memory”. A “fiscal memory” is a special read only memory which is permanently built into a fiscalised device to store tax information at the time of the sale.
The following are broad categories of fiscal devices available in the market;
- Fiscalised electronic registers, also referred to as Cash Registers / Electronic Tax Registers (ETRs);
- Fiscalised Printers;
- Electronic Signature Devices (ESDs) and
- Virtual Fiscal Devices (VFD)
How do I know the type of device I am required to use?
VAT registered operators and other taxpayers not registered for VAT, are allowed to choose any fiscal devices they prefer, based on the nature of their business and their capacity to implement the chosen option. The fiscal devices are as listed above.
Who is eligible for Virtual Fiscalisation?
Any registered operator is eligible for Virtual Fiscalisation depending on taxpayer needs and ability to develop APIs for interfacing with the ZIMRA FDMS.
- Use of APIs as Virtual Fiscalisation is suitable for Medium to Large Taxpayers / Clients – especially those who process their transactions on connected servers; Accounting Systems and/or Point of Sale Systems.
- Small Traders can also use Virtual Fiscalisation through Mobile Point of Sale.
What is Virtual Fiscalisation?
It is the use of software based Virtual Fiscal Devices (VFD) / Application Programming Interface (API) or software applications (POS) which are compatible with FDMS for recording, transmitting or interfacing with ZIMRA Servers. Virtual Fiscalisation options include:
- Direct Interface of Taxpayer Server –to- ZIMRA Server
- Direct Interface of taxpayer Accounting / POS System –to- ZIMRA Server
The API for the Virtual Fiscalisation option can be accessed by taxpayers free of charge from the ZIMRA Website: https://www.zimra.co.zw/downloads/category/9-domestic-taxes?download=3807:fiscalisation-apidocumentation
Is there any assistance ZIMRA is giving in acquiring the devices?
Incentives which are granted to facilitate the Fiscalisation Programme are as follows:
- Registered operators can claim 50% of the cost of acquisition of the fiscal electronic registers as Input Tax on their VAT 7 Return.
- In addition the remaining 50% is spread over two years and claimed as SIA on the Income Tax Return (ITF 12C).
- Rebate of duty is granted to Approved Suppliers on the importation of fiscal devices and fiscal memory devices.
- No VAT is payable on the importation of fiscal devices by approved suppliers.
- The local supply of fiscal devices and fiscal memory devices is VAT zero-rated.
Training on use of fiscal devices
The approved suppliers will assist taxpayers in identifying appropriate devices, install the devices as well as provide training on appropriate usage.
General Guidance
For specific details concerning electronic fiscal devices, kindly contact the approved suppliers.
For specific ZIMRA related issues, please contact your nearest ZIMRA office.
Where do I purchase the fiscal devices?
The virtual solution can be developed in-house or through engaging third party. Hardware fiscal devices should be acquired from the Approved Suppliers. The current list of approved suppliers is provided in the below link: