Invoice
this is the right way!
Whether as a company, self-employed person or as an individual
The legal basis for issuing an invoice is §14 of the Value Added Tax Act.
In order for the tax office to recognize an invoice document, the following information must be shown:
- Name and address of the performing company
- Name and address of the beneficiary
- Date of delivery or service
- Quantity and designation of the products supplied or the type and scope of the service provided
- the net amounts broken down by tax rates, if applicable
- the respective tax amounts attributable to net amounts
- the date of issue (invoice date),
- a uniquely assigned invoice number
- the tax number or VAT identification number of the issuer.
This information is self-explanatory and must be entered so that the accounting department and the tax office can process the invoice as quickly as possible. See also the sample invoice to find the information again.
Important Notice: Describe the services provided by you / delivered products as accurately as possible! For example, if you have added a contact form to a website, but only write "Processing of musterwebsite.de" as the service description, you could be held liable for damages/rework for errors that were not caused by you. Better would be "Adding a contact form to musterwebsite.de".
This procedure is for your protection only. So take your time and protect yourself. With the passage of time and numerous invoices that have been issued, you may become careless and write only short simplified formulations.
- Information that is not obligatory but that you should nevertheless provide
- Details of own bank account and method of payment
- Personal contact details
- Payment deadlines
- if applicable, reference to the non-disclosure of value added tax
Sample invoice
Here we have created a sample invoice for you. It contains all the necessary information and some more. Note that this invoice is an invoice with sales tax.
For an invoice without sales tax, remove the line where the tax is calculated. Your gross amount will then be equal to your net amount. In addition, the note for the application of the small business regulation is added.
Do I have to show sales tax in my invoice?
In short: Yes, if you do not fall under the small business regulation.
Small business owners (entrepreneurs with annual sales of less than EUR 22,000) do not have to account for sales tax (colloquially sometimes called VAT). This is to give them a competitive advantage over established businesses. Instead, a corresponding note must be made. Below you will find some wording examples for this notice:
"As a small entrepreneur within the meaning of § 19 (1) UStG, no sales tax is charged."
"No VAT statement due to application of the small business regulation according to § 19 UStG."
"In accordance with § 19 UStG, no sales tax is charged."
"No display of sales tax, as small business in accordance with § 19 UStG."
"In accordance with § 19 UStG, the invoice amount does not include sales tax."
"No display of sales tax, as small business in accordance with § 19 UStG."
"The invoice amount shown does not include sales tax in accordance with § 19 UStG."
Whether you act under the small business regulation or not you indicate in the "questionnaire for tax registration" (so the document is called at least in Berlin), which you fill out and send to your tax office to become active for example as a freelancer.
All other companies and self-employed persons who do not fall under the small business regulation must show VAT.
Invoice as a private person
Private persons are the second group of persons besides freelancers who are allowed to write an invoice without a trade.
There are a few points to consider:
However, no commercial character/entrepreneurial interest may be recognizable
There must be no regular activity
The invoice must be unique
As a private person you also fall under §19 UStG. Thus, the small business regulation applies. You do not have to pay VAT and insert one of the above formulations in your invoice.
Otherwise, the invoices must contain all the information described.
Important note: If you are a private person, you do not have to provide a tax number. The tax number is obtained when registering a business (private individuals do not have this number). Please never confuse the tax number with the tax identification number (tax ID).
We have tried to be as brief as possible in order not to make this extensive topic more complicated than necessary.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us!