Sole trader invoice template

What a sole trader invoice must include

• a unique invoice number
• your name, address and contact details
• your customer’s name and address
• a clear description of what you’re charging for
• the date you did the work
• the date of the invoice
• the amounts charged and the total owed

If you trade under a business name, the invoice must also show your own name and an address where legal documents can reach you.

Filling it in

1. Your business. Your name, address and email. Trading under a name? Write both, for example “Sam Patel trading as Patel Electrical”.
2. Customer. Their name and address.
3. Invoice number. Any sequence works, such as 001, 002, 003. Never reuse a number.
4. VAT. Turn off VAT registered under Your business. The invoice then shows no VAT.
5. Line items. What you did and when, for example “Rewire kitchen, 3 to 5 November”, with the quantity and price. Slater has no separate field for the date of the work, so the description is where it goes.
6. Payment details. Your bank details, so they can pay you.
7. Download the PDF and send it however you like.

No VAT unless you’re registered

If you aren’t VAT registered you can’t charge VAT, so the invoice shouldn’t show any. You must register once your taxable turnover for the last 12 months goes over £90,000. After that, your invoices need the details in what a VAT invoice must include.

Getting paid on time

Unless you agree a payment date, the customer must pay within 30 days of getting your invoice or the work. Slater sets the due date 14 days after the issue date. Change it if you agreed something else.