Create a professional invoice, free

Q: Can I charge VAT if I am not VAT registered?

No. Charging VAT without being registered is unlawful. Only businesses registered as VAT vendors with SARS may add 15 percent VAT and issue tax invoices. Until then your invoice shows the plain amount with no VAT line.

Q: Do invoice numbers have to be sequential?

Sequential numbering is the accepted standard and what SARS expects to see in your records: it proves completeness. Pick a format like INV-001 and never reuse or skip numbers; gaps invite questions in a verification.

Q: How do I get paid faster?

State the due date as an actual date rather than terms like 30 days, put your banking details and a payment reference on the invoice itself, send it immediately on delivery, and send a statement or reminder the day after it falls overdue. Consistency trains clients.

Your first invoice sets the tone for how clients pay you. This builds a clean, correct South African invoice in your browser: VAT handled properly, totals calculated, ready to print or save as PDF. Nothing you type leaves this page.

1. Your businessAppears at the top of the invoice

Your business name

Registration number (optional)

Your contact details

Are you VAT registered?

2. This invoiceWho it is for and when it is due

Bill to (client name and details)

Invoice number

Invoice date

Due date

Banking details

3. What you are charging forOne line per item or service. Totals update as you type.

SubtotalR0

Total dueR0

Invoice rules worth knowing

Not VAT registered? Your invoice must not say Tax Invoice and must not show VAT; charging VAT without registration is unlawful
VAT registered? The words Tax Invoice, your VAT number and the VAT amount are all required for your client to claim the input
Number invoices sequentially and never reuse a number; SARS reads gaps as missing income
State the due date as a date, not "30 days", and put the payment reference on the invoice
Keep a copy of every invoice for five years; they are the backbone of your tax records

Frequently asked questions

What must a South African invoice contain?

Your business name and registration number if you have one, an invoice number, the date, a description, the amount, banking details and a due date. VAT registered businesses add the words Tax Invoice, the VAT number and the VAT amount; everyone else leaves VAT off entirely.

Can I charge VAT if I am not VAT registered?

No. Only registered VAT vendors may charge VAT and issue tax invoices. Until registration, your invoice shows the plain amount.

Do invoice numbers have to be sequential?

Sequential numbering is the standard SARS expects: it proves your records are complete. Pick a format and never skip or reuse numbers.

How do I get paid faster?

A real due date, banking details on the invoice, immediate sending, and a reminder the day after it falls overdue. Consistency trains clients.

Deadlines and rule changes, by email

Filing dates, fee increases and rule changes that affect small South African businesses. One email when something matters, never more than monthly.

This generator runs entirely in your browser; nothing is stored or sent to us. Check VAT obligations with SARS as your turnover grows.

Create a professional invoice, free

Invoice rules worth knowing

Frequently asked questions

Want the full invoicing system?

Deadlines and rule changes, by email