Create a tax invoice that shows your ABN, GST at 10% and the words “Tax Invoice”. Not registered for GST? Switch tax off and issue an ordinary invoice instead.
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In Australia the word “tax” on your invoice matters. A tax invoice is issued by a business registered for GST, and it’s the document your customer needs to claim a GST credit. You must register for GST once your annual GST turnover reaches A$75,000 (A$150,000 for non-profits), and you can choose to register earlier.
If you’re not registered, you can’t charge GST and you shouldn’t call your document a tax invoice. Issue an ordinary invoice instead, and still quote your ABN. In BillFlow that means setting the tax to none and changing the title to “Invoice”. If you register for GST part-way through the year, switch to tax invoices from your registration date and keep your invoice numbers running in the same sequence.
For sales under A$1,000, a tax invoice must show:
When the total is A$1,000 or more, the tax invoice must also show the buyer’s identity or ABN. Add your client’s business name in the client details and their ABN in the client tax ID field, and BillFlow prints both on the PDF.
This template is set up for a GST-registered business: the title reads “Tax Invoice”, the tax is labelled GST and each line is at 10%. If an item is GST-free, set that line to 0% and describe it clearly so your customer knows no GST was charged on it.
Always put your ABN on invoices to other businesses, whether or not you’re registered for GST. If you don’t quote one, the business paying you may have to withhold tax from your payment at the top rate, which is a hassle nobody wants.
Australian clients usually pay by bank transfer, so add your account name, BSB and account number. You can also paste a payment link, such as PayPal or Stripe, and BillFlow adds a scan-to-pay QR code. Set a due date and a short note like “Payment within 14 days” to keep things moving. If you’re unsure how GST applies to what you sell, the ATO website or your accountant can confirm.
Only GST-registered businesses issue tax invoices, which let the buyer claim a GST credit. If you’re not registered for GST, you issue an ordinary invoice: no GST and no “Tax invoice” heading, but you should still quote your ABN.
You must register once your GST turnover reaches A$75,000 a year (A$150,000 for non-profit organisations), and you can register voluntarily below that. Check the ATO website or ask your accountant if you’re close to the threshold.
The words “Tax invoice”, your identity and ABN, the date of issue, a description of what you sold including quantity and price, and the GST amount, or a clear statement that the total includes GST.
For tax invoices of A$1,000 or more, yes: show the buyer’s identity or ABN. BillFlow has a tax ID field for your client, so you can add their ABN alongside their name and address.
If you invoice another business without quoting an ABN, they may have to withhold tax from your payment at the top rate. Adding your ABN in your tax ID field avoids that.
Change the tax setting to none and change the document title from “Tax Invoice” to “Invoice”. Keep your ABN in the tax ID field so it still prints on the invoice.