GST tax invoice template for Australian businesses
For businesses registered for GST. Shows the 10% GST as its own amount, marks the taxable status of each line, and carries every field the ATO requires — including the buyer's details once the sale reaches $1,000.
- GST calculated at 10%
- Buyer details above $1,000
- PDF or email
- Free to use
- 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 |
The ATO's tax invoice requirements, field by field
For a taxable sale of less than $1,000. Every one of these is on the InvoiceGen template.
| 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 If you supply a business and do not quote an ABN, they may be required to withhold 47% of the payment.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. |
At $1,000 and above
One field is added: the buyer's identity or ABN. Because an invoice that meets the $1,000 requirements is also valid for smaller sales, InvoiceGen captures the buyer's details on every invoice rather than switching layouts at a threshold.
How GST appears on the invoice
GST in Australia is 10%. There are two acceptable ways to show it on a tax invoice, and the second is narrower than most people assume.
Option 1 — show the GST amount separately
List the subtotal, then the GST as its own line, then the total. This always works, including where some lines are taxable and others are GST-free. It is what InvoiceGen does by default.
Option 2 — state that the total includes GST
The wording “Total price includes GST” is acceptable only where the GST is exactly one-eleventh of the total price. That is true when every line on the invoice is fully taxable. The moment you have a GST-free item on the same invoice, the fraction stops being one-eleventh and this shortcut is no longer valid.
Mixed invoices
Where an invoice contains both taxable and GST-free lines, it must show the extent to which each sale is taxable. This is where hand-built templates most often fail: the total is right, but nothing on the document tells the reader which items carried GST.
The arithmetic, in one place
The invoice alongside is for $1,456.00 of work before GST. Because it is over $1,000, the buyer's ABN appears as well as the seller's.
- Subtotal (GST-exclusive): $1,456.00
- GST at 10%: $145.60
- Total payable: $1,601.60
Working the other way, from a GST-inclusive figure: divide by 11 to get the GST. A $1,601.60 total contains $145.60 of GST. Divide by 1.1 to get back to the GST-exclusive amount.
- 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 |
Issue a compliant tax invoice today
Enter your ABN and GST status once. Every invoice after that arrives correctly formed, with the GST worked out for you.
Frequently asked questions
What must a GST tax invoice include in Australia?
For sales under $1,000: that the document is intended to be a tax invoice, the seller's identity, the seller's ABN, the date issued, a brief description of the items sold including quantity and price, the GST amount, and the extent to which each sale is taxable. For sales of $1,000 or more, the buyer's identity or ABN must also appear.
Can I write 'Total price includes GST' instead of showing the GST amount?
Only where the GST is exactly one-eleventh of the total price — that is, where every line on the invoice is fully taxable. If any line is GST-free or input-taxed, that shortcut does not apply and the GST amount must be shown separately with the taxable status of each line made clear.
How much GST do I charge?
GST in Australia is 10%. On a $100 sale you charge $10 GST and the customer pays $110. Working backwards from a GST-inclusive price, the GST component is the total divided by 11 — so $110 includes $10 of GST.
When do I have to register for GST?
When your GST turnover reaches $75,000, or $150,000 for a non-profit organisation. You then have 21 days to register. Taxi, limousine and ride-sourcing drivers must register regardless of turnover.
What happens if my tax invoice is missing a required field?
Your customer may not be able to claim the GST credit for that purchase, and will usually ask you to reissue it. It is not a fine so much as a friction — but it delays your payment and it happens most often with manually built templates where a field was quietly dropped.
Do I need to issue a tax invoice for every sale?
You must provide one within 28 days if the customer asks, unless the sale is $82.50 including GST or less. Most businesses issue one every time regardless, because deciding case by case costs more effort than just doing it.