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🇳🇮 Nicaragua - E-Invoicing Specifications (Factura Electrónica)

Status: 🟢 Mandatory | Active for all businesses Authority: DGI (Dirección General de Impuestos) Platform: DGI Electronic Invoice System


1. Context & Overview

Nicaragua has mandatory e-invoicing through DGI. The system follows a Clearance Model requiring pre-authorization. Progressive rollout began in 2019.

DateScopeObligation
2019+ProgressiveInitial rollout by sector
OngoingAll businessesContinuous DGI authorization
CurrentFull mandatoryAll transaction types

2. Technical Workflow (Clearance)

flowchart TD
    S["Invoicerr (Supplier)"] -->|1. Generate XML| X[XML Document]
    X -->|2. Digital Signature| Cert[Digital Certificate]
    Cert -->|3. Submit to DGI| DGI[DGI Platform]
    
    DGI -->|4. Validation| V[Schema + Rules]
    V -->|5. Authorization| DGI
    
    DGI -->|6. Return ACK| S
    
    S -->|7. Deliver Invoice| C[Client]
    S -->|8. Store XML| DB[Archive]

🧱 Key Components

  1. RUC (Registro Único de Contribuyente): Tax ID
  2. Digital Certificate: DGI-approved

3. Data Standards & Formats

A. Required Format

  • XML Format: DGI national schema
  • Encoding: UTF-8
  • Digital Signature: Required

B. Document Types

CodeTypeDescription
01FacturaInvoice
03Nota DébitoDebit note
04Nota CréditoCredit note

C. Critical Data Fields

  • RUC: Tax ID (14 digits)
  • IVA: VAT (15%)
  • Número Autorización: Authorization number

4. Business Model & Compliance

A. Workflow

  1. RUC Registration: Obtain Nicaraguan tax ID
  2. Certificate: Acquire DGI digital certificate
  3. XML Generation: Create schema-compliant document
  4. Signing: Apply electronic signature
  5. Submission: Send to DGI
  6. Delivery: Send to buyer

B. Archiving

  • Retention: 5 years
  • Format: Original XML

5. Implementation Checklist

  • RUC Registration: Obtain Nicaraguan tax ID
  • Digital Certificate: Acquire DGI certificate
  • XML Engine: Build DGI schema generator
  • Signature Integration: Implement signing
  • DGI API: Connect to web services

6. Resources