Hacienda Requires Merchants to Record SINPE Payments in Electronic Invoices: Challenges and Opportunities for Your Business

In Costa Rica, using SINPE Móvil has become an everyday habit for both consumers and businesses. Restaurants, online stores, independent professionals, and even large chains use it as a fast, direct, and frictionless way to accept and make payments.

However, starting September 1, 2025, the Ministry of Finance has issued a new requirement: every merchant that receives payments through SINPE must issue an electronic invoice that records this payment method using code "06".

Far from being a simple administrative change, this measure opens a new chapter in how Costa Rican businesses must manage payments, accounting, and their relationship with tax authorities.

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What does Hacienda's requirement mean?

Until now, payments received through SINPE Móvil could be listed generally on electronic invoices without distinguishing them from other payment methods. With the new update:

• Each SINPE Móvil payment must be explicitly recorded on the invoice.






• Code "06" is assigned to identify this payment method.






• Merchants must ensure that their electronic invoices accurately reflect the payment method used by the customer.

Simply put, if someone pays through SINPE, it must be clearly and verifiably recorded on the invoice.

Why is Hacienda introducing this change?

The Ministry of Finance's main goals are:

Greater tax traceability

Millions of transactions are currently made through SINPE Móvil every month, but Hacienda does not know how many are commercial payments and how many are personal transfers.

By requiring the payment method to be recorded on the invoice, Hacienda can more accurately measure the volume of economic activity flowing through SINPE.

Reduced tax evasion

If a business consistently receives payments through SINPE and does not record them in its invoices, Hacienda will be able to detect this more easily.

Stronger tax enforcement

The information collected will allow Hacienda to cross-check SINPE reports against tax returns.

Modernize the tax system

Costa Rica continues to advance its digitalization and real-time oversight. Adding SINPE to electronic invoicing is part of that strategy.

What does this mean for merchants?

1. Electronic invoicing updates

Invoicing systems must be updated to reflect the payment method "SINPE (code 06)." This requires coordinating with technology providers or accountants to verify proper implementation.

2. Greater administrative oversight

Every payment received through SINPE must be supported by an invoice. Failing to do so exposes your business to penalties from Hacienda.

3. Potential penalties

Hacienda has warned that noncompliant merchants could receive verification visits and face fines ranging from 50% to 150% of the omitted amount, according to the Tax Code.

4. Indirect benefits

Although it may seem like an additional burden at first, this requirement also represents an opportunity: merchants can generate detailed reports of all their SINPE transactions, making bank reconciliation, tax filing, and financial decision-making easier.

The upside: opportunities for businesses

This change should not be viewed solely as a tax requirement, but also as a way to improve business management:

Financial visibility: having clear reports of payments received through SINPE helps you evaluate cash flow, transaction frequency, and your reliance on this payment method.

Audit readiness: keeping everything properly documented minimizes legal and tax risks.

Customer trust: issuing an invoice for every SINPE payment provides transparency and strengthens trust in your business.

Business intelligence: by centralizing data, businesses can identify consumer patterns and optimize their operations.

Challenges merchants face

Lack of awareness: many small business owners do not know how to implement the update in their invoicing system.

Resistance to change: some merchants may try to avoid recording these payments, creating a risk of penalties.

Transaction volume: high-volume businesses may find the process complex if they do not have an automated system.

Technology integration: it is essential to have payment solutions that are already prepared to integrate SINPE with electronic invoicing.

How can you prepare to comply with Hacienda?

Update your invoicing software
Check with your provider to make sure the system supports version 4.4 of electronic receipts.

Train your staff
Cashiers and billing staff must know how to identify and correctly record a SINPE payment.

Implement automated reconciliation
With the right tools, payments received through SINPE can be automatically reconciled in financial reports.

Centralize your information
Bringing card payments, transfers, and SINPE payments together on a single platform gives you more comprehensive reports and simplifies management.

How can Tilopay help?

In this new environment, Tilopay becomes a strategic partner for businesses.

Automated reports: Tilopay offers reports that consolidate payments received through different methods, including SINPE.

Electronic invoicing integration: we make it easier to properly record every payment on the invoice, helping you comply with Hacienda's new requirement.

Local support: our team guides merchants through implementation, ensuring that every detail complies with the regulations.

Security and scalability: in addition to helping your business comply with the law, Tilopay lets you manage transactions securely and efficiently while supporting future growth.

Practical example

Imagine a small store in San José that receives 500 SINPE payments per month. Previously, it had to manually review its bank statement, identify payments, and match them to sales.

Under the new requirement, that store could face fines if it does not issue accurate invoices. But by integrating its invoicing system with Tilopay:

• Every payment received through SINPE is automatically recorded with the corresponding code.






• The business receives a consolidated report that it can provide to its accountant or Hacienda in the event of a verification.






• Reconciliation time is reduced from hours to minutes.

For companies operating in multiple countries, the advantage of having a regional payments ecosystem like Tilopay is clear: you can comply with local regulations while maintaining centralized management.

Conclusion

Hacienda's requirement for SINPE payments is more than an obligation: it is an opportunity for merchants to professionalize their management, strengthen trust with customers and authorities, and gain business intelligence from their transactions.

In a world where traceability and transparency are increasingly valued, adapting quickly is a competitive advantage.

Tilopay is here to support every business through this process, ensuring that selling more and accepting payments more effectively remains as simple as ever—now with the peace of mind that you are up to date with Hacienda.