Australian invoice templates
Built to the ATO's tax invoice requirements, with or without GST. Pick the one that matches how your business is registered — InvoiceGen fills it in and hands you a PDF.
- ATO tax invoice fields
- GST and no-GST versions
- Free with no time limit
- From
- Northside Electrical Pty Ltd
- ABN 12 345 678 901
- Bill to
- Harbourview Property Group
- ABN 98 765 432 109
- Invoice no.
- INV-1042
- Date issued
- 14 July 2026
| Description | Qty | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Site inspection & report | 1 | $450.00 |
| Installation labour (6 hrs) | 6 | $720.00 |
| Materials — as quoted | 1 | $286.00 |
Choose by how you are registered
The GST question decides almost everything about which document you should be issuing.
GST tax invoice template
You are registered for GST. The document is headed 'Tax invoice', shows GST at 10% as a separate amount, and marks the taxable status of each line.
Use this template →Invoice template — no GST
You are under the $75,000 threshold and not registered. No GST is charged, and the document is headed 'Invoice' rather than 'Tax invoice'.
Use this template →ABN invoice template
You are a sole trader or contractor invoicing under an ABN. Covers both GST-registered and not, with the ABN placed where a business customer will look for it.
Use this template →What every Australian tax invoice must show
These are the ATO's requirements for a tax invoice on a sale of less than $1,000. Every InvoiceGen template carries them.
| What must appear | Why the ATO requires it |
|---|---|
| That the document is intended to be a tax invoice | Without it, the document is just an invoice. Your customer's ability to claim a GST credit depends on this being unambiguous — in practice, the words “Tax invoice” on the document. |
| The seller's identity | Your business or trading name, so the customer knows who supplied the goods or services. |
| The seller's ABN | Your Australian Business Number. If you supply a business and do not quote an ABN, they may be required to withhold 47% of the payment. |
| The date the invoice was issued | Fixes the invoice to a tax period for both sides. |
| A brief description of the items sold | Including the quantity where it applies, and the price. Enough that the customer can tell what they are paying for. |
| The GST amount | Shown as a separate amount, or as the statement “Total price includes GST” — the latter only where the GST is exactly one-eleventh of the total. |
| The extent to which each sale is taxable | Where some lines carry GST and others do not, the invoice must make clear which is which. |
Sales of $1,000 or more
Everything above still applies, plus one addition: the invoice must also show the buyer's identity or ABN. An invoice laid out to meet the $1,000 requirements can be used for smaller sales too, which is why InvoiceGen simply captures the buyer's details on every invoice.
Tax invoice or invoice? The distinction that matters
The two words look interchangeable and are not. A tax invoice is issued by a business registered for GST and shows the GST charged on the sale. It is the document your customer needs in order to claim a GST credit — if it is missing a required field, they may not be able to claim, and they will ask you to reissue.
An invoice is the same request for payment from a business that is not registered for GST. It charges no GST and should not be headed 'Tax invoice'.
Issuing a tax invoice when you are not registered is not a formatting slip. It implies you are collecting GST you have no entitlement to collect. If you are below the threshold and not registered, use the plain invoice template.
When registration becomes compulsory
You must register for GST once your GST turnover reaches $75,000 — or $150,000 for a non-profit organisation. Once you cross the threshold you have 21 days to register. Taxi, limousine and ride-sourcing drivers must register regardless of turnover.
The day you register is the day your templates change: your invoices become tax invoices, GST is charged, and the GST amount is shown separately.
How long you have to provide one
If a customer asks for a tax invoice, you must give them one within 28 days of the request — unless the sale is $82.50 including GST or less. In practice most businesses issue one for every sale, which removes the question entirely.
Invoice templates by state and territory
The invoice itself is identical everywhere — GST is federal. These pages cover the local licensing and fair trading context for each state.
Use a template that fills itself in
Enter your ABN once. Every invoice after that is a minute's work and arrives correctly formed.
Frequently asked questions
Which invoice template should I use?
It comes down to your GST registration. If you are registered for GST, use the GST tax invoice template. If you are not, use the no-GST invoice template — issuing a document headed 'Tax invoice' when you are not registered implies you are collecting GST you are not entitled to collect. Sole traders and contractors invoicing under an ABN can start from the ABN template, which covers both cases.
Are these templates ATO compliant?
They carry the information the ATO requires on a tax invoice: that the document is intended as a tax invoice, the seller's identity and ABN, the date issued, a description of the items sold with quantity and price, the GST amount, and the taxable status of each sale. For invoices of $1,000 or more, the buyer's identity or ABN is included as well.
Do I need a different invoice template for each state?
No. GST and tax invoice requirements are set federally by the ATO and are identical in every state and territory. What differs by state is licensing, trade regulation and the fair trading body you deal with in a dispute — not the invoice itself. The state pages cover that local context.
Can I download these as Word or Excel files?
InvoiceGen fills the template in for you rather than handing over a blank file. The finished invoice downloads as a PDF, which is what customers and bookkeepers expect and which cannot be altered by accident once sent.
What is the difference between an invoice and a tax invoice?
A tax invoice is issued by a GST-registered business and shows the GST charged; it is the document a customer needs in order to claim a GST credit. An invoice is the same request for payment without GST, issued by a business that is not registered. The words on the document should match your registration status.