All natural and legal persons residing in Panamanian territory, registered or not with the General Directorate of Revenue (DGI), who carry out a transfer operation, sale of goods, and/or provision of services, except for activities expressly excepted by law, are obligated to document these through authorized fiscal equipment or through the Electronic Billing System of Panama.
Law No. 256 of November 26, 2021, modified article 12 of Law No. 76 of 1976, regarding activities exempted from the use of fiscal equipment. Various activities that were exempt lost that condition, and are now pending confirmation of the mandatory implementation date to begin with either fiscal equipment or the electronic billing system.
Executive Decree No. 25 of June 27, 2022, establishes the calendar to implement the use of fiscal equipment authorized by the DGI or the Electronic Billing System of Panama for free zones and other activities that lost their exempt status, which are:
| Activity | Implementation Date |
| 1. Baru Free Zone
2. City of Knowledge 3. Free Zones 4. Oil Free Zone 5. Headquarters of Multinational Companies (SEM) 6. Panama Pacific Special Economic Area (AEEPP) 7. Colon Free Zone |
Beginning on February 1, 2023 |
| 1. Entities authorized by the Panama Maritime Authority, whether or not they are registered in the Panama Merchant Marine.
2. Operations carried out by stock exchanges and products authorized to operate in Panama. 3. International public passenger transport services by land, air or sea, not excepted by law. 4. National public passenger transport services by air. 5. Petroleum derivative cargo transportation services. 6. Hostels that have less than seven rooms. 7. Activity of leasing real estate under notarized contracts or registered in the Ministry of Housing and Territorial Planning, carried out by natural or legal persons without the intervention of third parties. |
Beginning on January 2, 2023 |
| Operations and services in general carried out by banks and other financial institutions | Beginning on February 1, 2023 |
Calendar for the implementation of the authorized fiscal equipment or Electronic Billing System of Panama
The implementation date for activities of liberal arts and crafts operations, independently or through civil societies, will be established later.
Natural or legal persons, who have registered as taxpayers with the DGI as of January 1, 2022, may only implement the Electronic Billing System of Panama to document the transfer, sale of goods, and/or provision of services.
It is worth noting that the Electronic Billing System of Panama can be carried out in two ways: using the free billing system created by the DGI or adopting electronic billing through a qualified authorized provider (PAC). The list of qualified authorized providers can be found on the DGI website.
Law No. 256 of November 26, 2021, maintains certain activities exempted. Other taxpayers who wish to request exceptions to these methods, due to their internet connectivity, nature or volume of activity, may receive temporary authorizations to use equivalent methods or documents. This exception must be formally requested to the DGI, who will evaluate the request and approve or reject it by resolution.
Additionally, Law 256 of November 26, 2021 establishes that those companies, associations or natural persons that sell or provide services to any public entity of the Government of the Republic of Panama, must migrate to the Electronic Billing System. Beginning on July 30, 2022, public entities may only receive the electronic billing as a valid document to manage purchases of goods and services.
