Free invoice templates for UK contractors and sole traders

There's no single official invoice layout in the UK. GOV.UK lists the details an invoice must include, and HMRC lists what a CIS payment and deduction statement must show. Beyond that, the design is up to you. These templates are laid out to cover those details, so you can fill one in, check it against the list and send it.

The templates

Which format should I pick?

• Excel (.xlsx) if you want the sums done for you. The yellow cells are the only ones you type in, and every line is rounded to the penny.
• Word (.docx) if you want to edit the layout, add a logo or paste the invoice into an email.
• PDF if you want to print a blank copy and fill it in by hand. Each PDF also has a checklist page.

Every file is generated from the same layout, so the PDF, Word and Excel versions match. They contain no macros and don't send anything anywhere.

What GOV.UK says an invoice must include

GOV.UK says your invoice must include a unique identification number, your company name, address and contact information, the name and address of the customer, a clear description of what you're charging for, the date the goods or service were provided (the supply date), the date of the invoice, the amount or amounts being charged, the VAT amount if applicable, and the total amount owed.

Sole traders must also show their own name and any business name, and an address where legal documents can be delivered if they use a business name. Limited companies must show the full company name as it appears on the certificate of incorporation. VAT invoices carry more information, including your VAT number and the VAT shown separately. Our sole trader invoice requirements and VAT invoice requirements guides go through each item.

Want to test an invoice you've already written? Use the free "Is my invoice legal?" checker. It's a checklist that runs in your browser and shows what's missing for a sole trader, a limited company, a VAT-registered business or a CIS subcontractor.

If you work under CIS

Subcontractors in the Construction Industry Scheme should keep labour and materials separate on invoices, because the contractor works the deduction out on the invoice total excluding VAT, less the direct cost of materials and certain other costs you paid for. The CIS invoice template does this. Each month the contractor must then give you a payment and deduction statement within 14 days of the end of the tax month. Use the statement template to issue or check one, and the CIS calculator to check the figures.

What the templates don't do

• They don't decide whether you must register for VAT or CIS, and they don't give tax advice. Check GOV.UK or ask an accountant about your own position.
• They don't number your invoices for you. Keep a running sequence and never reuse a number. See invoice numbering rules.
• Rates and thresholds change. The templates contain no hard-coded tax rates apart from the choices you pick (0%, 5% and 20% VAT, and 0%, 20% and 30% CIS).