Fiscal Printer vs EXO Number: What Malta Businesses Must Know

If you run a shop or restaurant in Malta, you already know that every sale to a customer needs a fiscal receipt. It is a legal requirement under the VAT Act. But here is a question most business owners never think to ask: does it matter how you generate that receipt?

The answer is yes — and the difference between a fiscal printer and an EXO number could affect your compliance standing, your audit exposure, and even how smoothly your business operates day to day.

What Is a Fiscal Cash Register?

A fiscal cash register is a standalone hardware device approved by the Commissioner for Revenue. It is the default method that Maltese law prescribes for issuing fiscal receipts.

These devices have been around for decades. Under the Thirteenth Schedule of the VAT Act, retailers and businesses that supply catering services are required to issue fiscal receipts using a fiscal cash register. The device prints receipts that are automatically considered fiscal — no additional approval process is needed beyond registering the device with the VAT Department.

The key advantage? Simplicity of compliance. The hardware itself is pre-approved, and receipts it generates are fiscal by default.

The downside? Fiscal cash registers are basic. They handle transactions and print receipts, but they do not offer inventory management, sales reporting, delivery integrations, or any of the features that modern businesses rely on.

What Is an EXO Number?

An EXO number — short for Exemption number — is an approval granted by the Commissioner for Revenue that allows a business to use a computerised POS system instead of a fiscal cash register.

The word "exemption" is telling. The law's default is the fiscal cash register. When you use a POS system, you are asking the Commissioner for an exemption from that default. To obtain one, you need:

1. A software supplier certificate confirming the POS system meets VAT Department criteria
2. An independent auditor's report certifying the system complies with the VAT Act and cannot be tampered with
3. A formal application submitted to the Commissioner for Revenue

As of February 2025, the Malta Tax and Customs Administration also accepts EXO number applications through their online portal.

Once granted, the EXO number must appear on every fiscal receipt your POS system issues. Each outlet needs to be registered separately, even if they share the same VAT number. And here is the part many business owners miss: until you receive your EXO number, your POS receipts are not fiscal. You would need to issue receipts from a VAT receipt book or a fiscal cash register alongside your POS system in the meantime.

Why the Law Prefers Fiscal Printers

The legal preference is clear. The VAT Act establishes fiscal cash registers as the standard. POS systems are permitted through an exemption process — one that involves auditor certification and Commissioner approval precisely because the law holds them to a higher burden of proof.

But here is the thing: this does not mean you need to choose between compliance and modern technology.

A fiscal printer is a hardware device that combines the tamper-proof, fiscally compliant receipt printing of a traditional cash register with the ability to connect to a modern POS system. When your POS is integrated with a fiscal printer, every receipt it produces carries the same legal weight as one from a standalone fiscal cash register.

This is the approach that gives the Commissioner the most confidence — and it gives you the strongest compliance position during audits.

POS with Fiscal Printer vs POS with EXO Number

So how do the two approaches compare in practice?

POS with EXO Number Only

• Requires auditor certification and Commissioner approval
• Receipts are fiscal only after EXO number is granted
• Compliance depends entirely on the software being audited and certified
• Each outlet must be separately registered
• Approval can take time, and any system update may require re-certification

POS with Integrated Fiscal Printer

• The fiscal printer hardware satisfies the law's preference for fiscal cash registers
• You still get all the POS features: inventory, reporting, delivery integrations, multi-location management
• Receipts are fiscally compliant through the hardware, giving you a stronger audit position
• Less reliance on the EXO exemption process alone

For a restaurant on the Strand in Sliema processing hundreds of orders a day across dine-in, takeaway, and Wolt and Bolt deliveries, the integrated approach means you are never in a grey area. Your fiscal compliance is baked into the hardware.

What Should You Do?

If you are setting up a new business or upgrading your current system, here are the key takeaways:

• Fiscal cash registers are the law's default, but they lack the features modern businesses need.
• An EXO number lets you use a POS system, but it is an exemption — not the preferred method — and it comes with an approval process.
• A POS system integrated with a fiscal printer gives you the strongest compliance position and the operational tools to run your business efficiently.

Whichever path you choose, make sure your system meets the VAT Department's requirements and that you keep your documentation current. Twine POS supports both fiscal printer integration and EXO number compliance, so you can choose the approach that fits your business — or transition between them as your needs change.

The bottom line? Do not settle for just meeting the minimum. Choose the compliance method the law was written around, and pair it with the technology your business deserves.