Skip to content
MakeMeABill
Create invoice

For UK businesses and sole traders

UK VAT invoice generator

Start with UK defaults already set: GBP, UK dates, a VAT reg. no. field and 20% VAT on new lines. Not VAT registered? Use the sole trader version with no VAT.
Create UK VAT invoiceSee templates

No signup · No watermark · Your data stays in your browser

What a UK VAT invoice must show

HMRC’s VAT Notice 700/21 lists what a full VAT invoice must include. Here is how each item maps to the generator:

  • A unique, sequential invoice number. Suggested automatically (INV-0001, INV-0002…), and you can use your own format.
  • The time of supply (tax point), and the date of issue if different. Use the issue date, and put a different supply date in the Reference field or notes.
  • Your name, address and VAT registration number. The UK preset labels the field “VAT reg. no.”.
  • Your customer’s name and address.
  • A description of each item, with the quantity or extent of the service and the unit price.
  • The VAT rate and the amount excluding VAT for each line. Each line has its own rate, and lines at different rates are totalled separately.
  • The total excluding VAT and the total VAT in sterling. Both are calculated for you in GBP.
  • The rate of any cash discount offered. Add early-payment discount terms in the terms field.

HMRC says you should normally issue a VAT invoice within 30 days of the date of supply.

Invoices of £250 or less

If you’re not a retailer and the supply is £250 or less including VAT, HMRC allows a simplified VAT invoice with fewer details. Retailers can issue one when a customer asks. The generator always produces a full VAT invoice, which is also valid for small amounts, and you can leave fields empty if they don’t apply. Exempt supplies can’t go on a simplified invoice.

Sole traders and businesses not registered for VAT

If you aren’t VAT registered, don’t charge or show VAT. The GOV.UK invoicing guidance says every invoice should include a unique number, your name, address and contact details, the customer’s name and address, a description of the work, the supply date, the invoice date, the amounts charged and the total owed.

  • Sole traders must also show their own name and any business name they use. If you use a business name, include an address where legal documents can be delivered.
  • Limited companies must use the full company name as it appears on the certificate of incorporation. If you list directors’ names, list all of them.

Create a sole trader invoice (no VAT). For hourly or project work, see the freelancer invoice guide.

Known limitations

  • No separate time-of-supply field: use the Reference field or notes when it differs from the issue date.
  • No VAT-inclusive (“modified”) invoices and no reverse-charge or margin-scheme wording built in. Add the required wording in the notes.
  • No currency conversion: for foreign-currency invoices, add the sterling VAT amount and exchange rate yourself.
  • PDF only: not a structured e-invoice for the planned 2029 mandate.

Frequently asked questions

Straight answers about how the generator works.

What does the UK preset change?

It titles the document “VAT Invoice”, selects GBP and UK date formats, labels your tax number “VAT reg. no.”, names the tax VAT and fills 20% on line items that don’t already have a rate. It applies when you start a new invoice, and everything stays editable. Change a line to 5% or 0% for reduced-rate or zero-rated items.

I’m a sole trader and not VAT registered. What should my invoice show?

Don’t show or charge VAT. GOV.UK says a sole trader’s invoice must include your name and any business name you use, plus an address where legal documents can be delivered if you use a business name. Use the no-VAT version, which sets GBP and UK dates without adding VAT.

Does this guarantee my invoice meets HMRC requirements?

No. The generator lets you enter the details HMRC lists for a VAT invoice, but you are responsible for making sure each invoice is correct for your supply, including special cases like the reverse charge or margin schemes. If you’re unsure, check VAT Notice 700/21 or ask an accountant.

Can I invoice a UK customer in euros or dollars?

Yes, but HMRC requires the total VAT on a VAT invoice to be shown in sterling. The generator doesn’t convert currencies, so add the VAT amount in GBP and the exchange rate you used in the notes.

Can I enter prices including VAT?

Not yet. Prices are entered excluding VAT and the VAT is added per line, which is the format of a full VAT invoice. A “modified” invoice that shows VAT-inclusive values isn’t supported.

Will a PDF invoice still be accepted after 2029?

The UK government has announced that VAT invoices must be issued electronically from April 2029, with details still being finalised. A PDF from this generator is not a structured e-invoice, so check HMRC guidance as that date approaches.

Ready to send your invoice?

Create a professional invoice in a few minutes. Free, with no account.

Create free invoice

Related tools and guides