What to include on a GST tax invoice in Australia

If you're registered for GST, your customers need a valid tax invoice to claim their GST credits — and the ATO has specific rules about what one must contain. Get it wrong and you'll be reissuing invoices and slowing down your own payments.

Here's the plain-English version.

What every tax invoice needs

For a sale under A$1,000, a valid tax invoice must show:

• The words "Tax invoice"
• Your identity (business name) and your ABN
• The date the invoice was issued
• A description of what was sold (items, quantity, price)
• The GST amount — or a statement that the total "includes GST"

The $1,000 rule

For a sale of A$1,000 or more, you also have to include the buyer's identity or ABN. Below that threshold it's optional. It's a small detail that's easy to miss on bigger jobs — and exactly the kind of thing that gets an invoice bounced back.

No ABN? Expect withholding

If you don't quote an ABN on your invoice, your business customer may be required to withhold 47% of the payment. Quoting your ABN isn't just tidy — it's what lets you get paid in full.

GST-registered or not?

You only charge (and break out) GST if you're registered for GST — which is compulsory once your turnover hits A$75,000. If you're not registered, you issue a plain invoice (not a "tax invoice") and don't add GST.

Make it automatic

Rebuilding all of this by hand for every job is where mistakes creep in. BookQuo generates a compliant Australian tax invoice from a confirmed quote — ABN, GST and the $1,000 buyer rule handled for you — and sends it straight to the customer.

Start free for 14 days and send your next invoice in a couple of taps.

This article is general information, not tax advice. Check the current ATO guidance or your accountant for your situation.