Free UK VAT Invoice Generator

What a UK VAT invoice must show

Once you are VAT-registered, you normally have to give other VAT-registered customers a VAT invoice within 30 days of the supply or payment. HMRC's VAT guide (Notice 700) lists what a full VAT invoice must show:

• A unique invoice number that follows on from the last one
• The invoice date and, if different, the time of supply (tax point)
• Your business name and address, and your VAT registration number
• Your customer's name and address
• A description of the goods or services, with the quantity and the unit price excluding VAT
• The VAT rate and the amount of VAT charged
• The total excluding VAT and the total amount payable including VAT

How to make a VAT invoice in BillOak

Enter your business name and address, and add your VAT registration number on its own line (for example "VAT Reg No. GB123456789"). Add your customer's name and address, then give the invoice a number and date. If the time of supply is different from the invoice date, note it in the Notes field.

Add each item with its quantity and the unit price excluding VAT, choose GBP as the currency, and set the tax to 20% for standard-rated supplies. Click the "Tax" label to rename it to "VAT 20%". BillOak shows the subtotal, the VAT amount and the total, and you can download the invoice as a PDF.

BillOak has one tax field per invoice, so it suits invoices where every item has the same VAT rate. If one invoice mixes standard, reduced and zero-rated items, use software that shows VAT per line, or issue separate invoices for each rate.

Simplified VAT invoices for £250 or less

If the total including VAT is £250 or less, you can issue a simplified VAT invoice instead. It still needs your name, address and VAT number, the time of supply, a description of what you supplied, the VAT rate and the total including VAT, but not your customer's details.

Above £250 you need a full VAT invoice. If in doubt, use the full format: it is valid for any amount.

Not VAT-registered yet?

You must register for VAT when your taxable turnover for the last 12 months goes over the registration threshold (£90,000 as of October 2026), or if you expect it to within the next 30 days. Until you are registered, you must not charge VAT or show a VAT number, so leave the tax at 0 and send a normal invoice.

VAT-registered businesses also have to follow Making Tax Digital: keep digital records and file VAT returns through compatible software. BillOak creates invoices but does not file returns, so record each invoice in your bookkeeping software too. If you are unsure about any of this, check GOV.UK or ask an accountant.

Invoicing in euros or dollars

You can issue a VAT invoice in another currency, and BillOak supports more than 150. HMRC still expects the VAT amount in sterling, so add the sterling VAT figure and the exchange rate you used to the notes.