Invoiceo

Free tool · United Kingdom

Free VAT invoice generator for the UK

Add who is selling, who is buying and what was sold. VAT is worked out line by line, your VAT number is checked, and you get a clean PDF in pounds. It takes about a minute and needs no account.
From (your business)

Optional. PNG or JPG, under 150 KB.

Shown on the invoice, e.g. GB123456789.

To (your customer)

Optional. Only used for the WhatsApp button below. Not printed, not sent to us.

Optional. Only used for the email button below.

Invoice
Due:
Items
Item 1
How the PDF looks

Optional. Printed at the bottom, e.g. payment terms or thanks.

What a VAT invoice has to show

A VAT invoice is an ordinary invoice that carries the details HMRC asks for, so your customer can reclaim the VAT you charged them. In plain words, it needs:

  • A unique, sequential invoice number. No repeats, and no gaps you cannot explain.
  • Your name, address and VAT registration number. The generator checks the number’s shape as you type.
  • The invoice date, and the date of supply (the “tax point”) when that is a different day.
  • Your customer’s name and address.
  • For each line: what was sold, the quantity, the price before VAT, and the VAT rate.
  • The totals: before VAT, any discount, the VAT charged (for each rate used), and the amount to pay.

Retailers selling to the public can use a less detailed invoice for small sales (HMRC’s limit is £250 including VAT at the time of writing). For anything else, use a full invoice like the one above.

The three rates, and a fourth thing that is not a rate

  • 20% standard. The default for most things.
  • 5% reduced. Specific goods and services, such as domestic fuel.
  • 0% zero rate. You still record the sale and still show it on the invoice, you just charge no VAT on it.
  • Exempt. Not a rate at all. The sale is outside VAT, so no VAT is charged, and you generally cannot reclaim VAT on costs that relate to it.

Worked example: £500 of work at 20%

Before VAT: £500.00. VAT at 20%: £100.00. Total to pay: £600.00.

If the £500 already includes VAT, tick “My prices already include VAT”: the VAT is £83.33 and the price before VAT is £416.67.

Habits that save you trouble

  • Invoice in pounds. If you bill in another currency, the VAT still has to be shown in sterling.
  • Fix mistakes with a credit note, not by overwriting the invoice. Inside an Invoiceo account an issued invoice cannot be edited for this reason.
  • Keep copies. You need to keep VAT records for several years; GOV.UK gives the current period.

Only need a figure? The VAT calculator adds or removes VAT from a single price.

Questions people ask

Is this UK VAT invoice generator free?

Yes. Make as many invoices as you like without an account and download each as a PDF. The free PDF carries a small 'Made with Invoiceo' line at the bottom. Invoices made inside a free account do not.

What must a UK VAT invoice show?

In short: a unique invoice number, your name, address and VAT number, the invoice date and the date of supply if it differs, your customer's name and address, a description of what you sold, and for each line the quantity, the price before VAT and the VAT rate. Then the total before VAT, any discount, the VAT charged and the total to pay. HMRC's page on VAT invoices has the full list.

Do I have to give every customer a VAT invoice?

You must give a VAT invoice to a customer who is VAT registered and who buys standard, reduced or zero-rated goods or services from you. For sales to the public you are generally not required to, though most businesses give an invoice or receipt anyway. HMRC explains the cases on GOV.UK.

How soon must I issue it?

Normally within 30 days of the date of supply. HMRC sets out the exceptions, so check GOV.UK if your sale is unusual.

Which VAT rate do I use?

Most goods and services are at the 20% standard rate. Some things are at the 5% reduced rate, and some at 0%, which is still a taxable sale. Some things are exempt and carry no VAT at all. The generator lets you set the rate on each line, but it cannot decide which rate your product falls under. HMRC publishes the lists.

I am not VAT registered. What do I do?

Choose 'Not VAT registered' and the invoice is made with no VAT and no VAT number. You may only charge VAT, and show a VAT number, once you are registered. Registration is compulsory when your taxable turnover passes the threshold (£90,000 at the time of writing, but check GOV.UK for the current figure).

What happens to the details I type?

They are used to draw the PDF and are not stored on our server. Your browser remembers your business details on your own device so you do not retype them, and one button clears them. The privacy policy has the full detail.

Checked against the official sources

Last reviewed on 11 October 2026. Tax rules and limits change, and we cannot see your whole situation, so treat this page as a guide, not advice. If something here looks out of date, the official pages below are the ones to trust, and we would be grateful if you told us.

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