An invoice is a request for payment. A good one is clear, complete and easy to pay — and if you’re a VAT vendor, it also has to meet SARS’s tax invoice requirements.
Want to skip ahead? Our free invoice generator builds an invoice or tax invoice with VAT and downloads it as a PDF — in your browser, without signing up.
What every invoice should include
- The word “Invoice” (or “Tax Invoice” — see below)
- A unique invoice number, in sequence (INV-0001, INV-0002…)
- Invoice date and due date
- Your details: business name, address, contact details
- Your client’s details: name and address
- What you’re charging for: a clear description, quantity, unit price and line total
- Totals: subtotal, VAT (if applicable) and amount due
- How to pay: bank details (or a payment link) and the reference to use — usually the invoice number
When it must be a tax invoice
If you are a registered VAT vendor and you make a taxable supply, you generally need to issue a tax invoice. SARS sets out what a tax invoice must contain, and the requirements depend on the value of the supply (there are full and abridged tax invoices, plus a threshold below which a tax invoice isn’t required).
A full tax invoice generally includes:
- The words “Tax Invoice” in a prominent place
- Your name, address and VAT registration number
- Your customer’s name, address and — where applicable — VAT registration number
- A serial number and the date of issue
- A full description of the goods or services
- The quantity or volume supplied
- The value of the supply, the amount of VAT charged and the consideration (total) for the supply
Check the current thresholds and exact rules in SARS’s VAT guidance before you rely on this list.
Showing VAT correctly
At South Africa’s standard rate of 15%:
| Line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Subtotal (excl. VAT) | R9,250.00 |
| VAT (15%) | R1,387.50 |
| Total (incl. VAT) | R10,637.50 |
Work out the figures with the VAT calculator, or let the invoice generator do it for every line.
Tips to get paid faster
- Agree terms before you start. Put them in your quote and repeat them on the invoice.
- Invoice promptly — the day the work is delivered.
- Make paying easy: full bank details, a clear reference and, if you can, a payment link.
- Use a real due date, not just “30 days”. The date calculator can count calendar or working days, excluding South African public holidays.
- Follow up politely the day after the due date.
When to move to invoicing software
A generator is ideal for occasional invoices. If you send many each month, need automatic numbering, recurring invoices, reminders or bank reconciliation, look at invoicing or accounting software.