Free Australian tax invoice generator with ABN and GST

How to create an invoice for Australia

1. Check the region and currency. The editor opens with Australia defaults: AUD, GST presets and the right date and number format. Change the currency in the settings if you bill in another one.
2. Add your business details. Enter your name, address and ABN and acn (optional). Upload a logo if you have one. Save it as a business profile so you can reuse it next time.
3. Add the client. Fill in the customer’s name and address and their client abn where it applies. Saved clients are stored in your browser for next time.
4. Add line items and tax. Describe each item, enter quantity and rate, and choose a GST preset or set your own rate. The totals update as you type, and you can switch between tax-exclusive and tax-inclusive prices.
5. Check the checklist and terms. Open the compliance checklist to see which required fields are still empty, then choose payment terms, add bank details and notes.
6. Pick a template and colour, then export. Choose one of the 15 templates and colour themes, then download the PDF, use Print / Save as PDF, or export a PNG. Everything is created in your browser.

Tax invoice or invoice: which do you need in Australia?

In Australia the word that matters is tax. A tax invoice is a document a GST-registered seller issues so the buyer can claim a GST credit. It must be clearly identified as a tax invoice and contain the information the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) sets out. If you are not registered for GST, you cannot charge GST and you should not call your document a tax invoice. You simply issue an ordinary invoice, as business.gov.au explains in its “how to invoice” guidance.

That makes the first decision easy. Registered for GST? Use the Tax Invoice title. Not registered? Use Invoice and set GST to zero. The generator’s tax preset lets you switch between the two, and the title changes with it.

Australian users also like to include a payment method that fits local banking. The editor’s payment box pre-fills BSB, account number and PayID lines. Dates default to day-month-year and paper size to A4.

What must be on a tax invoice

For a sale of less than $1,000, the ATO lists seven items: the document is a tax invoice, your identity, your ABN, the date, a brief description of what was sold with quantity and price, the GST amount (or a statement that the total price includes GST), and the extent to which each item is taxable. For a sale of $1,000 or more, you must also show the buyer’s identity or ABN. The live checklist in the editor follows this structure:

• The words "Tax Invoice" clearly shown
• Your identity (business name)
• Your ABN
• Date the invoice is issued
• Brief description of items, quantity and price
• GST amount (or "Total price includes GST" when GST is exactly 1/11th)
• Buyer's identity or ABN (required for sales of $1,000 or more)

The “Total price includes GST” shortcut

When the GST on a sale is exactly one-eleventh of the total price, you may show the single statement “Total price includes GST” instead of a separate GST amount. The editor offers that statement when you switch the tax mode to inclusive. If you sell a mix of taxable and GST-free items, show clearly which are taxable, the GST amount, and the total payable. Do not rely on the shortcut then.

When you must provide one

According to the ATO, if a customer asks for a tax invoice you must give it within 28 days, unless the sale is $82.50 or less including GST. Always read the current ATO page, because the details and the wording are updated from time to time.

GST registration and how it appears on an invoice

GST in Australia is 10% on most goods and services. You must register if your GST turnover is $75,000 or more, which the ATO measures over the current month plus the previous 11 months, or if you expect it to reach that level in the next 12 months. Taxi, limousine and ride-sourcing drivers must register regardless of turnover. If you are below the threshold you may register voluntarily, but then you must charge GST and lodge a Business Activity Statement.

Some supplies are GST-free (for example many basic foods, some health and education services, and most exports) and others are input-taxed (for example residential rent and financial supplies). Use the per-line tax tick-box to mark which lines carry GST. The GST calculator shows how to add or remove 10% GST correctly, using the one-eleventh method for GST-inclusive amounts.

ABNs, quoting your number and withholding

An Australian Business Number is an 11-digit identifier. You quote it on tax invoices, and the field in the editor shows an 11-digit placeholder so you notice mistakes. If you supply to a business and do not quote an ABN, the buyer may be required to withhold tax from the payment at the top marginal rate, which the ATO currently sets out on its “no ABN withholding” page. That is one reason many sole traders put their ABN on every invoice even when they are not registered for GST.

You can check an ABN on the free Australian Business Register lookup. If you invoice a company, the ACN is a separate 9-digit number and is optional on invoices, but appears on many company documents.

A worked example

Liam is an electrician and a GST-registered sole trader in Brisbane. He installs two outdoor lights and charges three hours of labour plus materials.

The sale is below $1,000, so Liam does not need the buyer’s ABN, but he adds the customer’s name and address anyway. He titles the document “Tax Invoice”, enters his ABN, and gives 14-day terms, with his BSB and account number below.

Common mistakes on Australian invoices

• Calling the document a tax invoice when you are not registered. Use “Invoice” instead.
• Forgetting the ABN. It is a core requirement, and it prevents withholding.
• Dividing by 1.1 for GST. To extract GST from a gross price, divide by 11. Dividing by 1.1 gives the ex-GST price, which is also correct, but mixing the two in one sentence confuses people.
• Not identifying the buyer on larger sales. From $1,000 the buyer’s identity or ABN is needed.
• Rounding GST per line when the ATO’s rounding rules for multiple lines call for a different method. If it matters, read the ATO page on rounding.
• Leaving out due dates. “Payment terms: 30 days” is not a date.

Getting paid faster as an Australian business

1. Include a PayID or BSB and account number, plus a payment reference that matches the invoice number.
2. Invoice at completion, or issue progress claims for longer jobs.
3. Ask for a deposit on custom work. See our deposit and milestone guide.
4. Use the quote generator first so the invoice matches an agreed price.
5. Send the invoice to the person who approves payments, not just to the site contact.

Keep records for the period the ATO requires, generally five years for most business records, and check the ATO page if you are unsure. See how long to keep invoices.

Glossary

ABN

Australian Business Number, an 11-digit business identifier.

GST-free

A supply taxed at 0% where you can still claim credits.

Input-taxed

A supply with no GST charged and no credits claimable on related purchases.

BAS

Business Activity Statement, used to report and pay GST and other amounts.

BSB

Bank-State-Branch number that identifies an Australian bank branch.

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