How To Invoice As a Sole Trader in Australia
Foreigners often joke about Australia being the “upside-down” country, where everything’s turned on ...
Looking for a sole trader invoice template for Australia? We have created a free invoice forms that you can easily edit or download to your computer. Select your preferred format and start using the template now.
The single GST rate in Australia is 10%. Only businesses registered for GST are charging GST on their tax invoices. Learn more below.
When starting a new business, you will not be registered for GST by default. You will need to get an ABN and add it to every invoice. If you register for GST, you will start generating and sending tax invoices. Only GST registered businesses will include the title 'Tax Invoice' on their invoices.
The difference is that a tax invoice will include GST details. The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) defines six reasons for mandatory registration for GST:
When your business or enterprise has a GST turnover (gross income from all businesses minus GST) of $75,000 or more
When you start a new business and expect your turnover to reach the GST threshold (or more) in the first year of operation
if you're already in business and have reached the GST threshold
If your non-profit organisation has a GST turnover of $150,000 per year or more
When you provide taxi or limousine travel for passengers (including ride-sourcing) regardless of your GST turnover – this applies to both owner drivers and if you lease or rent a taxi
If you want to claim fuel tax credits for your business or enterprise
Every Australian business needs to lodge an annual tax return, stating all your income and expenses for the previous financial year. A financial year starts on 01 July and finishes on 30 June next year.
If you register for GST, whether it is a voluntary or mandatory registration, you will be required to lodge your quarterly Business Activity Statements (BAS). On this statement, you will state your quarterly revenues, GST charged on the revenues, and GST from the expenses.
BAS can be lodged via the ATO portal, as part of the MY GOV app and online dashboard. Based on the result, you will be required to pay the difference between the GST on the revenue and expenses.
In your BAS, ATO can also calculate a prepayment on your future tax return which will be based on the expected income in the current financial year and your previous taxable income.
There are specific guidelines you should follow when issuing GST invoice:
1. Invoice is for $1,000 or more: The GST amount must be included for each item that appears on the invoice. This allows to feature a mix of GST items and GST-free items.
2. Invoice is for less than $1,000: In this case, you can simply include GST in the invoice total, for example 'Total price includes GST'.
Label "Tax invoice", if you are charging goods and services tax (GST)
Your business name
Services, quantity and price of services provided
Your Australian Business Number (ABN)
Invoice issue date
GST amount for each item or as for a total price
Sole traders in Australia are responsible for registering for an Australian Business Number (ABN). If their annual turnover exceeds a certain threshold, they may also need register for Goods and Services Tax (GST). They are also required to keep accurate financial records and file their own tax returns with the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) on time.
When creating an invoice as a sole trader in Australia, you should include essential information such as the business name and contact details, a description of the goods or services provided, the date of the transaction, the total amount due, and any applicable taxes or fees. It is also important to include payment terms, such as the due date and accepted methods of payment.
Contractor invoice should be detailed as much as possible to ensure it will be paid on time. Make sure to include these in contractor invoice template:
Invoice number - serves as a unique identifier for each of your invoice and works as a reference for tracking purposes.
Tax invoice - only applicable if you're registered for GST, it should be visible on the top of the invoice.
Due date - specific date when an invoice should be paid by your client.
Your business details - add here your business name, address, email and phone number.
Your client's details - add here your client's business name, address, email and phone number.
Item, description and price - include all services provided with short description and respective price.
Payment terms & methods - specify payment terms and include all accepted payment methods (bank transfer, Paypal, or others).
Total amount - summarize total amount to pay and any discount or tax rate (if applicable).
Creating sole trade invoices is simple with our sole trader invoice examples. You can download it in your desired format and start adding your details. If you're not sure how to fill in the invoice and you want to be sure you covered everything, we prepared this sole trade invoice checklist for you:
1. Add invoice number at the top (left or right corner) of your document and create a unique number
2. Continue with adding your business details together with your client's ones.
3. List all the items (services provide), their short description, price and total amount to pay.
4. Apply tax or discount if applicable
5. Add the payment terms and state all the payment methods for your clients - the easier for your client, the better.
6. Export your file into PDF and send it to your client via email.
If you want to have all your invoices under one roof, provide online payments for your clients and send them automatic payment reminders, we have it all in Billdu invoicing software where you can try it all out in 30-day free trial.
Have you not found your desired sole trader template for Australia? We have more free templates in our Free Generator Australia.
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A freelance job is a form of self-employment where individuals provide services to clients on a project basis rather than being committed to a long-term employment contract. Freelancers usually work independently, set their rates and schedules for their work, and are responsible for managing their own business affairs.
To be self-employed means to work for oneself rather than an organization or company.
A sole trader is a self-employed person who runs their own business alone and is legally responsible for all of its aspects.
As a sole trader in Australia, include your business name, ABN, and the words "Tax Invoice" on your invoice. List the goods or services provided, the date, and the total amount, specifying if GST is included. If your turnover exceeds $75,000 and you're registered for GST, show the GST amount separately. For sales over $1,000, include the buyer's details if requested. Ensure you meet the ATO's tax invoice requirements to stay compliant.
An independent contractor is a self-employed individual or service provider that works with clients on a contract basis for a set period. A contractor is part of a company but not a regular employee.
If you're issuing an invoice as a self-employed person, include your business and the client's name and contact information, the services provided, and their respective price. Don't forget to include all the important dates, the invoice number, tax, and discount if applicable.
You can try the process for yourself in our Free Online Invoice Generator, where you can create invoices easily in just a few steps.
It's up to you which format you choose for your invoice. Select your preferred format from our available contractor invoice templates, including Word, Excel, and Google Sheets.
Alternatively, you can create your template easily in just a few steps in our Free Online Invoice Generator.
Yes, if you have a business logo, you can include it in your invoices to make your brand more recognizable and ensure your invoices stay out of the crowd.
1. Go over our sole trader example templates and choose the one that you like.
2. Download the sole trade template in desired format, either Word, Excel or Google Sheet.
3. Save it to your computer and start editing all the fields, export in PDF and send it to your client!
If you want your invoice template instantly in PDF format, we've got you covered. Simply create your invoice in our Free online invoice generator and we'll generate PDF file for your for free.
As a sole trader you can issue several type of invoices depending of the nature of the work, these are the most common ones:
Standard invoice
Recurring invoice
Credit invoice
Debit invoice
Proforma invoice
Timesheet invoice
Professional invoice templates are not the only thing we offer. With Billdu you can grow business even more.
mobile and web app
Create your invoice templates directly in our app and keep your documents at one place and access them whenever you like. You can try it out with 30-days free trial.
2X FASTER PAYMENTS
Add a Pay Now button to the bill template and get paid up to 9 days sooner by accepting payments from online payment services. Nothing cheers up more than a settled bill!
dashboard and documents
Don't limit yourself with invoices only. Create estimates, quotes, delivery notes and more. Keep the track with our dashboard that gives you the greatest comfort for operating and monitoring your business.