How to make a invoice in one minute
- Choose South Africa under Country preset. Currency switches to ZAR, Paper size to A4, Date format to YYYY-MM-DD and both ID labels to VAT No.
- Fill in From with your business name, address and VAT No., then Bill to with the recipient's name, address and, for larger invoices, their VAT No.
- Leave the VAT line at 15% under Totals, or remove it if you are not VAT registered. The heading reads Tax Invoice while a VAT rate is set.
- Add Line items with a Description, Qty, Unit and Rate. The subtotal, VAT and total update in the preview as you type.
- Check the Invoice number, Date and Due date, add Payment details (bank name and account number, with the branch code in Notes), then press Download PDF.
What an invoice in South Africa must show
The South Africa preset carries a six-item checklist drawn from what a tax invoice usually needs, and each item maps to a field in the editor. Presets are starting points — confirm current rates and requirements with your tax authority.
The heading “Tax Invoice” when you are VAT registered. The Document title switches to Tax Invoice automatically while the VAT line has a rate, and back to Invoice if you remove it.
Your name, address and VAT registration number. These go in From, where the ID label reads VAT No., and stay in your business profile once entered.
Invoice date and a serial number. The Date prints as YYYY-MM-DD, the order most South African businesses and banks use. The Invoice number counts up from your last one, and the editor warns if you reuse a number.
The recipient’s name, address and VAT number. SARS distinguishes a full tax invoice from an abridged one: above a value threshold (R5,000 at the time of writing) the recipient’s name and address must appear, and their VAT number where they have one. Fill in Bill to completely, including the VAT No. field, and you never have to think about which version applies.
A description and quantity of the goods or services. Each line has a Description, Qty, Unit and Rate. The Unit column (hrs, days, each) makes the rate clear, and the Amount is calculated.
The VAT amount, or a statement that VAT is included, and the total. The totals block prints the subtotal, the VAT line with its 15% rate and amount, and the total. If your prices are quoted inclusive, the tax-inclusive toggle shows the VAT that the total contains.
The preset also sets ZAR as the currency and A4 as the paper size, and adds a notes line, “Please use the invoice number as your payment reference”. Payment details take your bank name and account number; put the branch code in Notes.
VAT at 15% in the invoice generator for South Africa
South Africa has one standard VAT rate, 15%, so the preset adds a single VAT line rather than a rate picker. Zero-rated supplies, such as certain basic foodstuffs and most exports, are still taxable at 0%: set the rate on the VAT line to 0 and the invoice keeps the line, showing that VAT was applied at zero. Exempt supplies are outside VAT altogether; remove the line for those. The rate is a default as of the build date and is editable.
If you are not registered for VAT, remove the VAT line under Totals. The heading returns to Invoice, no VAT amount is printed and you should leave the VAT No. field empty. Registration becomes compulsory once taxable supplies pass R1 million in a twelve-month period, and voluntary registration is possible below that; SARS sets both figures.
Tax-inclusive pricing is common in South Africa, especially for consumers. Turn on tax-inclusive under Totals, type the price the customer sees as the Rate and the editor back-calculates the VAT at 15%, so the PDF shows the amount excluding VAT, the VAT and the total including VAT. Deposits go under Amount paid, and Balance due shows what remains.
Your data stays on your device
Your South African tax invoices, VAT numbers and client details are kept in this browser only and never sent to a server. The PDF is generated in your browser by a small worker; nothing is uploaded, and there is no account to create. Drafts, clients and your business profile live in your browser's local storage (IndexedDB), and one button under "Your data" deletes all of it. To verify, open your browser's developer tools, watch the Network tab while you fill in and download a document, and note that no request carries your details. Read the privacy policy and how it works for the details.
Templates, currencies and PDF output
| Templates | Classic, Modern, Minimal, Compact, Ledger, Receipt (6 layouts; accent colour and logo are yours). Prefilled invoice and receipt templates by trade open in the same editor. |
|---|---|
| Currencies | 68 ISO currencies with the right symbol and decimals, for example USD, CAD, GBP, EUR, AUD, INR and JPY; the South Africa preset picks the default. Country presets also set the tax lines and ID labels. |
| Paper sizes | A4 and US Letter; page numbers on multi-page documents |
| Numbering | Sequential per type, default prefix INV-0001, editable |
| Output | PDF download (text stays selectable), print, or a prefilled email with the PDF attached by you; file name Invoice-number-client.pdf |
Frequently asked questions
When must a business register for VAT in South Africa?
Registration is compulsory when the value of taxable supplies exceeds R1 million in any twelve-month period, and a business can register voluntarily from a lower turnover. Those are SARS's figures, not the editor's, and they can change; check the current thresholds and the conditions on the SARS website or with your accountant before deciding.
What is the difference between an invoice and a tax invoice?
A tax invoice is issued by a VAT vendor and shows the heading Tax Invoice, the vendor's VAT number, the VAT charged and the total including VAT. Only a valid tax invoice lets a registered customer claim the VAT back. A plain invoice from an unregistered business asks for payment without any VAT. The preset switches the heading for you based on the VAT line.
I am not VAT registered. What should my invoice show?
Your business name and address, the customer's details, a unique invoice number and date, a description of what you supplied and the total, with no VAT line and no VAT number. Remove the VAT line under Totals and leave VAT No. empty; the heading then reads Invoice. Do not describe the document as a tax invoice if you are not a vendor.
My prices include VAT. How do I show the VAT amount?
Turn on the tax-inclusive toggle under Totals. Enter each price as the customer sees it and the editor works backwards from the total, printing the amount excluding VAT, the VAT at 15% and the total including VAT. A statement that the total includes VAT is one option the checklist allows; showing the amount is clearer for customers who claim it back.
Do I need the customer's VAT number on the invoice?
For a full tax invoice above the SARS value threshold, the recipient's name, address and, if they are a vendor, their VAT number are required; below it an abridged tax invoice may leave them out. The Bill to block carries a VAT No. field, so filling it in for business customers is the simplest approach. Private customers have no VAT number.
Can I invoice a client abroad in dollars or pounds?
Yes. Change Currency in the document settings and the amounts are formatted for USD, GBP or any other currency. Exports of goods and many services to non-residents are zero-rated rather than standard-rated, subject to SARS's conditions, so set the VAT rate to 0 where that applies and keep the documentation SARS asks for.
Does SARS require e-invoices, and is a PDF acceptable?
There is no general e-invoicing mandate in South Africa at the time of writing. SARS does publish conditions for tax invoices issued electronically, and this tool creates a PDF on your device that you send yourself; nothing is transmitted to SARS. Check those conditions, keep copies of what you issue, and export your data from the editor for your records.
Why are dates printed as 2026-09-27?
The preset uses YYYY-MM-DD, the order commonly used in South Africa. If your customers prefer another order, change Date format in the document settings; the change applies to the invoice date and the due date and is remembered with the document.
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Last updated 2026-09-27. Presets are starting points — confirm current rates and requirements with your tax authority. PDF engine: pdfmake (MIT); fonts: Inter and Noto Sans (SIL Open Font License).