What is a tax invoice template?
A tax invoice template is an invoice layout that already has every field the ATO requires from a GST-registered business: the words “Tax Invoice”, your identity and ABN, the date, what you sold with quantity and price, the GST, and the extent each item is taxable. Your GST-registered customers need a valid tax invoice to claim the GST back, so a missing field can hold up your payment. The template above checks each field as you type.
Download the tax invoice template (Word or Excel)
Both files are titled TAX INVOICE, with a separate GST line and a field for the buyer's ABN on sales of $1,000 or more. They open in Microsoft Office, Google Docs and Sheets, Apple Pages and Numbers, and LibreOffice.
| File | What it does | Download |
|---|---|---|
| Excel (.xlsx) | Calculates each line, the subtotal, 10% GST (rounded to the cent) and the total. The GST rate is one cell you can change. | Download Excel |
| Word (.docx) | Same layout to restyle as you like. You type the amounts and GST yourself. | Download Word |
| Fill in the template above. The checklist confirms the ATO fields, then download in one click. | Use the template above |
Not registered for GST? Don't use these. Use the invoice template without GST or the ABN invoice template instead.
The 7 things the ATO requires on a tax invoice
For a taxable sale under $1,000, a tax invoice must show these seven details. The template has a field for each.
| # | Requirement | What to write |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | It is intended to be a tax invoice | The words “Tax Invoice”, usually as the title |
| 2 | The seller's identity | Your business or trading name |
| 3 | The seller's ABN | Your 11-digit ABN |
| 4 | The date of issue | The date you create the invoice |
| 5 | What was sold | A brief description of each item, with quantity (if applicable) and price |
| 6 | The GST amount | A separate GST line, or “Total price includes GST” if GST is exactly one-eleventh of the total |
| 7 | The extent each sale is taxable | Mark GST-free items when an invoice mixes taxable and GST-free sales |
For sales of $1,000 or more, the tax invoice must also show the buyer's identity or ABN. The checklist in the template turns this on once your total reaches $1,000. Each rule is explained in our tax invoice requirements guide, and you can check them at the source on the ATO's tax invoices page.
Tax invoice template example
Here are two filled-in tax invoices from the same GST-registered electrician: one priced before GST and one priced including GST.
| Line | Example A: GST added on top | Example B: GST-inclusive price |
|---|---|---|
| Title | TAX INVOICE · INV-0118 | TAX INVOICE · INV-0119 |
| From | Bright Spark Electrical · your 11-digit ABN | Bright Spark Electrical · your 11-digit ABN |
| Bill to | Harbour Cafe Pty Ltd · client ABN | M. Rossi (home owner) |
| Items | Switchboard upgrade labour, 6 hrs × $110 = $660.00 Materials, 1 × $480 = $480.00 | Replace 4 downlights (incl. GST), 1 × $440 = $440.00 |
| Subtotal | $1,140.00 | $400.00 excl. GST |
| GST | GST (10%) $114.00 | GST included $40.00 |
| Total | $1,254.00 | $440.00 |
Example A is over $1,000, so the buyer's identity or ABN must be on it. In Example B the price already includes GST, so the GST is one-eleventh of $440: $40. To do the same in the template, tick Prices include GST and enter $440. The GST calculator does either sum.
Is there an official ATO tax invoice template?
No. The ATO sets out what a tax invoice must contain but does not issue a fillable template, and it doesn't require any particular layout. A tax invoice made in Word, Excel, accounting software or the template above is equally valid if it shows the required details. So a “template from the ATO” really means a template that meets the ATO's list, which this one is built to do.
When do you have to issue a tax invoice?
If you are registered for GST and a customer asks for a tax invoice, you must give them one within 28 days. You don't have to provide one for a sale of $82.50 or less including GST, though you still need your own record of the sale. If you are not registered for GST, you can't issue a tax invoice at all.
You must register for GST within 21 days of your GST turnover reaching $75,000, and taxi and ride-sourcing drivers must register whatever their turnover. Switch your invoices to “Tax Invoice” from the date your registration takes effect. See how the $75,000 threshold works.
GST-inclusive or GST-exclusive pricing
If your prices are before GST, the template adds 10%: a $500 job becomes $550 with $50 GST. If your prices already include GST, tick Prices include GST: a $550 price shows $50 GST, one-eleventh of the total. The Excel version works the first way: enter prices before GST and it adds 10%.
Tax invoice vs invoice: what's the difference?
| Tax invoice | Invoice | |
|---|---|---|
| Who issues it | GST-registered businesses | Anyone, including ABN holders not registered for GST |
| Title | “Tax Invoice” | “Invoice”. Must not say “Tax Invoice” |
| GST | Shown | Not charged |
| Lets the buyer claim GST credits | Yes | No |
| Template | This page | Invoice template · No GST template |
A pro forma invoice is something else again: a preview sent before the sale, not a tax invoice. See pro forma vs tax invoice.
Common tax invoice mistakes
- Calling it a tax invoice when you aren't registered for GST. Use “Invoice” until your registration is in place.
- Leaving off the ABN, or typing it wrong. The template checks it is a valid 11-digit ABN.
- No buyer details on a sale of $1,000 or more. Add the client's name or ABN.
- Charging GST on GST-free items in a mixed invoice. Set those lines apart and show what is taxable.
- Reusing or skipping invoice numbers. Keep one sequence; see how to number invoices.
Tax invoice template FAQs
Is there an official ATO tax invoice template?
No. The ATO lists the information a tax invoice must show but does not provide a fillable template. Any layout, including this one, is valid if it shows every required detail.
What makes an invoice a tax invoice?
It is issued by a GST-registered business for a taxable sale, is headed “Tax Invoice”, and shows the seller's identity and ABN, the date, the items with quantity and price, the GST, and the extent each sale is taxable. Sales of $1,000 or more also need the buyer's identity or ABN.
Do I need to show my customer's ABN?
Only on tax invoices of $1,000 or more, where the buyer's identity or ABN is required. The online template flags this once the total reaches $1,000.
Do I have to issue a tax invoice for every sale?
You must provide one within 28 days if a customer asks for it, unless the sale is $82.50 or less including GST. Many businesses issue one for every taxable sale anyway.
How do I show the GST amount?
Either as a separate GST line, or with the statement “Total price includes GST” when the GST is exactly one-eleventh of the total. The template shows a separate GST line.
This page is general information, not tax advice. For your situation, check the ATO or talk to a registered tax agent.
Create your tax invoice now
Fill in the template above. The checklist confirms each ATO field, then download the PDF.