GST Invoice Template (Australia)
Last updated 17 August 2026 · By InvoiceSonic Team · 5 minute read
Quick answer
If you are registered for GST, your invoice must be headed "Tax invoice" and show your ABN, the GST amount (one eleventh of a GST-inclusive total) and the total price. If you are not registered — which is most sole traders under the A$75,000 turnover threshold — you must NOT charge GST and must NOT call it a tax invoice. Issue a plain invoice showing your ABN and the total, with no GST line at all.
First: are you registered for GST?
Everything about your invoice follows from this one question. GST registration is compulsory once your GST turnover reaches A$75,000 a year (A$150,000 for not-for-profits). Below that you may register voluntarily, but you are not required to.
| Registered for GST | Not registered | |
|---|---|---|
| Document heading | Tax invoice | Invoice — never "Tax invoice" |
| Charge 10% GST | Yes | No — charging it is an offence |
| Show a GST amount | Yes | No GST line at all |
| Show your ABN | Yes | Yes — still required |
| Buyer can claim a GST credit | Yes | No |
The most expensive mistake in this category is adding 10% while unregistered. You are not entitled to collect it, you will have to refund it, and your customer cannot claim it back.
Invoicing with GST
A GST invoice is simply a valid tax invoice. For a sale under A$1,000 it must show the words "Tax invoice", your business name, your ABN, the date, a description of what was sold, the GST amount payable (or a statement that the total includes GST), and the total price. At A$1,000 or more you must also identify the buyer by name and address or ABN.
Show GST as its own line so the customer's bookkeeper can read it without arithmetic. If a customer asks for a tax invoice you have 28 days to supply one, unless the sale is A$82.50 or less including GST.
The 1/11th rule
GST is 10% added to a price — but when a price already includes GST, the GST component is one eleventh of the total, not 10% of it.
- A$1,000 excluding GST → add 10% → A$1,100 total, A$100 GST
- A$1,100 including GST → divide by 11 → A$100 GST
- A$1,100 including GST → 10% of the total would be A$110 — wrong
Taking 10% of a GST-inclusive figure overstates the GST by 10% every time. Our GST calculator handles both directions.
Invoicing without GST
If you are not registered, your invoice is a plain invoice. Keep it simple and keep GST off it entirely:
- Head it "Invoice" — not "Tax invoice"
- Your name or business name and your ABN
- Invoice number and issue date
- Itemised description of the work or goods
- The total, with no GST line and no 10%
- Payment terms and how to pay
You do not have to explain that you are unregistered, though many sole traders add a short line such as "No GST has been charged — not registered for GST" to save a question from the client's accounts team. Include your ABN even though you are unregistered: without it, business customers may be required to withhold 47% of the payment under PAYG rules.
GST-free supplies are a different thing
"GST-free" and "not registered" are not the same. A registered business can make GST-free supplies — most basic food, most medical and health services, and some education and childcare — where GST applies at 0%.
If every item on the invoice is GST-free, show no GST but keep the "Tax invoice" heading, because you are still registered. If the invoice mixes taxable and GST-free items, it must clearly identify which items include GST and state the total GST payable, so the buyer claims only the correct portion.
Free templates for both
You do not need two different tools — you need the GST toggle set correctly.
- Australian invoice generator — switch GST on or off, download a PDF, no signup
- ABN invoice template — the compliant tax invoice layout
- Sole trader invoice template — built for the under-threshold case
Frequently asked questions
Do I charge GST if I am not registered?
No. You must not charge GST unless you are registered. Registration is compulsory at A$75,000 of GST turnover; below that it is optional. Charging GST while unregistered means refunding it, and your customer cannot claim it.
Can I issue a tax invoice if I am not registered for GST?
No. Only GST-registered businesses issue tax invoices. Issue a plain invoice headed "Invoice", with your ABN and no GST line.
How much GST is included in a GST-inclusive price?
One eleventh of the total. On A$1,100 including GST the GST is A$100. Taking 10% of the inclusive figure gives A$110, which is wrong.
Do I still need an ABN on an invoice with no GST?
Yes. The ABN is separate from GST registration. Without an ABN on the invoice, a business customer may have to withhold 47% of the payment under PAYG withholding rules.
What is the difference between GST-free and not registered for GST?
GST-free is a category of supply — basic food, most medical and health services, some education — taxed at 0% by a registered business. Not registered means you are below the threshold and outside the GST system entirely. A GST-free sale still appears on a tax invoice; an unregistered seller does not issue one.
Do I have to say that I am not registered for GST?
There is no requirement to. Many sole traders add a line such as "No GST has been charged" to pre-empt the question from a client's accounts team, but the absence of a GST line is sufficient.
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