A freelance invoice needs eight things:
- your name and contact details
- the client’s name and address
- a unique invoice number
- the invoice date and a due date
- an itemized description of the work, with quantities and rates
- the subtotal and any tax
- the total amount due
- how to pay you
If you’re registered for VAT in the UK, GST/HST in Canada or GST in Australia, the invoice must also show your registration number and the tax charged. You can fill in a free Invoice Generator and download a PDF in a couple of minutes.
What to include on a freelance invoice
| Field | What to write | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Your details | Your name or business name, address, email and phone | The client’s accounts team needs to know who is billing them |
| Client details | Company name, billing address, accounts-payable email | The invoice reaches the person who pays it |
| Invoice number | A unique, sequential ID, e.g. INV-0042 | Required for VAT/GST invoices; prevents duplicate payments |
| Invoice date | The date you issue it | Starts the clock on your payment terms |
| Due date | A specific date, e.g. “Due 26 October 2026” | Clearer than “Net 14” alone |
| Line items | Description, quantity (hours, pages, units), unit price, line total | Shows exactly what is being paid for |
| Totals | Subtotal, discount, tax, expenses, total due | The client can check your arithmetic |
| Payment details | Bank details, card or PayPal link, reference to quote | Removes excuses for paying late |
| Tax number | VAT number, GST/HST number or ABN where required | Lets business clients reclaim the tax |
Add the client’s purchase-order (PO) number if they gave you one. Many larger companies won’t process an invoice without it.
How to create an invoice step by step
Here’s how the Invoice Generator works:
- Enter your business details once. Add your name, address, contact line, tax ID, payment details, a logo (PNG or JPEG) and an accent colour. These are stored in your browser’s local storage on your device, so they’re filled in next time and never uploaded.
- Add the client. Enter their name, then their address and billing email in the address box.
- Check the number and dates. Numbers follow the INV-0001 pattern and go up by one each time you download a PDF. The invoice date defaults to today and the due date to 14 days later, and you can change any of them.
- Pick the currency. Choose from USD, GBP, EUR, CAD, AUD, NZD, INR, MAD and AED.
- Add line items. Each line has a description, quantity, unit price and its own tax %, so you can mix taxable and zero-rated items.
- Apply extras. Add a discount (percentage or fixed amount), shipping, and any deposit already paid. A deposit produces a “Balance due” line.
- Download. The PDF uses US Letter size if your browser is set to a US or Canadian locale and A4 otherwise. You can also print directly.
Worked example: discount, HST and a deposit
An Ontario web designer bills a client for a five-page website:
| Item | Qty | Rate | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Website design, 5 pages | 1 | $2,400.00 | $2,400.00 |
| Copywriting (hours) | 6 | $85.00 | $510.00 |
| Hosting setup | 1 | $150.00 | $150.00 |
- Subtotal: $2,400 + $510 + $150 = $3,060.00
- 10% discount: $3,060 × 0.10 = −$306.00, leaving $2,754.00
- HST at 13% on the discounted amount: $2,754 × 0.13 = $358.02
- Total: $2,754 + $358.02 = $3,112.02
- Deposit already paid: −$1,000.00
- Balance due: $2,112.02
Calculate tax after the discount. Tax applies to the price the client actually pays. The generator handles this by spreading the discount across the lines before it applies each line’s tax rate.
Invoice rules in the US, UK, Canada and Australia
United States
No federal law sets an invoice format, so include whatever your contract and your client’s accounts team need. Never put your Social Security number on an invoice. A free Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the IRS works as your business tax ID. Business clients will usually ask for a Form W-9 and may report what they pay you on Form 1099-NEC. Most states don’t tax most services, but some, including Hawaii, New Mexico and South Dakota, tax a wide range, and many tax digital products. If you need to charge it, the Sales Tax Calculator combines the state and local rates.
United Kingdom
According to GOV.UK, every invoice needs:
- a unique identification number
- your name or company name, address and contact details
- the customer’s name and address
- a clear description of what you’re charging for
- the date of supply and the invoice date
- the amount owed
Sole traders must show their own name as well as any trading name. Limited companies must use their full registered name.
Once you’re VAT-registered, you also need your VAT number, the VAT rate for each item, the total before VAT and the total VAT charged. Registration is compulsory once taxable turnover passes £90,000 in a rolling 12-month period, and you must not charge VAT before you’re registered. Use the UK VAT Calculator to add 20% to a net price, or to find the VAT inside a gross price (at 20%, VAT is the gross amount ÷ 6).
Canada
You must register for GST/HST once your taxable revenue goes over $30,000 in a single calendar quarter or over four consecutive quarters. After that, put your GST/HST registration number on invoices (your business number followed by an RT account, e.g. 123456789 RT0001), along with the tax charged. Business clients need both to claim input tax credits. GST is 5% in provinces that don’t use HST. HST is 13% in Ontario and 14% or 15% in the Atlantic provinces. Quebec adds QST, and British Columbia, Manitoba and Saskatchewan have their own PST rules. Rules and rates are on Canada.ca.
Australia
Put your ABN on every invoice. If you don’t quote one, business clients may have to withhold 47% of the payment and send it to the ATO. GST registration is compulsory once turnover reaches $75,000. After that, GST-registered sellers issue tax invoices showing:
- the seller’s identity and ABN
- the issue date
- a description, quantity and price for each item
- the GST payable, or a statement that the total includes GST
- the buyer’s identity or ABN, on sales of $1,000 or more
The words “tax invoice” haven’t been compulsory since 2010, but the document must be intended as a tax invoice. Most businesses still write those words prominently, for example as the first line of the notes. GST is 10%, so on a GST-inclusive price the GST is the total ÷ 11.
Payment terms that get you paid faster
- Use a real due date. “Due 26 October 2026” is harder to ignore than “Net 14”. Net 7, Net 14 and Net 30 are all common, so agree terms in your contract and repeat them on the invoice.
- Take deposits. For larger projects, ask for 25–50% upfront and record it as “Amount already paid”, so the final invoice shows the balance.
- Agree late fees in advance. In the UK, businesses can claim statutory interest of 8% above the Bank of England base rate plus fixed compensation of £40 to £100 under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998. The Late Payment Interest Calculator works out the amount. In the US, Canada and Australia, late fees generally need to be in your contract and are limited by local law.
- Make paying easy. List bank details and at least one card or online option. Ask clients to quote the invoice number as the payment reference.
- Invoice promptly. Send the invoice the day the work is delivered, and follow up politely on the due date.
Invoice vs quote vs proforma vs receipt
| Document | When you send it | What it does | AnyShift tool |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quote / estimate | Before work starts | Offers a price, valid until a set date | Quotation Generator |
| Proforma invoice | Before delivery or for a deposit | Previews the final bill for approval, budgets or customs; it’s not a demand for payment or a tax invoice | Proforma Invoice Generator |
| Invoice | On or after delivery | Formally requests payment by a due date | Invoice Generator |
| Receipt | After you’ve been paid | Confirms the payment, the date and how the client paid | Receipt Maker |
The Receipt Maker records card, cash, bank transfer, PayPal or check payments and marks the document “PAID IN FULL”.
Common invoicing mistakes
- Reusing or skipping numbers. Keep one sequence per business and never reuse a number. To fix an error, issue a credit note or a corrected invoice.
- Vague line items. “Design work: $2,000” invites questions. “Homepage and 4 inner-page designs, 2 revision rounds” doesn’t.
- Charging tax you aren’t registered for, or forgetting tax you are registered for.
- Not keeping copies. Typical record-keeping periods:
- UK sole traders: at least five years after the 31 January filing deadline
- Australia: five years
- Canada: six years
- US: generally at least three years after filing
FAQ
Can I send an invoice without a registered business?
Yes. Sole proprietors and sole traders can invoice under their own name. In the US, use an EIN rather than your SSN. In Australia, quote an ABN to avoid 47% no-ABN withholding.
What number should my first invoice have?
Any unique number works, such as INV-0001 or 2026-001. What matters is that each number is used once and the series runs in sequence.
Do I have to charge VAT or GST as a freelancer?
Only if you’re registered or required to be. In the UK that’s above £90,000 of taxable turnover, in Canada above $30,000 and in Australia at $75,000. Below those thresholds, registration is voluntary.
Is a PDF invoice legally valid?
Yes. Electronic invoices are standard in all four countries as long as they contain the required details. Keep a copy of every PDF you send.
What’s the difference between an invoice and a receipt?
An invoice asks for payment. A receipt confirms that you’ve been paid. Send the receipt once the money arrives, especially when a client pays in cash or asks for proof of payment.