What needs to be on an invoice is largely determined by law: your company details, your customer's details, a unique invoice number, the invoice date, the delivery date, a description and the VAT. The Tax and Customs Administration requires this information so that your invoice is correct for VAT and your customer can deduct the VAT. In the situations below, you sometimes state more, and sometimes less.
What is an invoice?
An invoice is the document with which you charge your customer for a delivery of goods or a service. It records what you have delivered, for what amount, and when, and forms the basis of your VAT administration.
An invoice is more than a regular bill or receipt: the Tax and Customs Administration sets fixed requirements for an invoice, while a receipt only suffices as proof for small amounts. If you deliver to another entrepreneur, you are obliged to send an invoice.
Mandatory information on an invoice
The mandatory details on an invoice are determined by the Dutch Tax and Customs Administration (Belastingdienst) and are the same for every legal form. If one is missing, your invoice is formally invalid for VAT purposes. This is what should always be included:
Your name and address: your full name or trade name as registered with the KVK (Chamber of Commerce), with a physical address, as a PO box is not sufficient.
Your customer's details: the name and address of the party you are supplying to.
Your VAT identification number: the VAT ID you receive from the Belastingdienst after registering with the KVK, not to be confused with your turnover tax number (omzetbelastingnummer).
Your KVK number: the number under which your company is registered in the trade register.
A unique invoice number: a sequential number that occurs only once; multiple series are allowed.
The invoice date: the day you draw up and send the invoice.
The delivery date: the day you delivered the goods or service.
A description: what you have delivered and in what quantity.
The VAT details: the amount excluding VAT, the VAT rate, the VAT amount in euros and any discounts.
Legally, your account number does not have to be on it, but almost everyone mentions it so that the customer knows where to pay. Use the IBAN of your business account for this, as that keeps your business and private payments neatly separated.
Which dates must be on an invoice?
An invoice must contain two mandatory dates: the invoice date and the delivery date. The invoice date is the day on which you create the invoice; the delivery date is the day on which you made the delivery. These two often do not coincide.
You must send an invoice by the 15th day of the month following delivery at the latest. This is because the invoice date determines the period in which you declare the VAT. The due date, the final payment date for your customer, is not mandatory but prevents discussion about when payment is due.
Additional information on an invoice
In addition to the mandatory details, you often include additional details on an invoice that make payment smoother. The best known are your IBAN, a payment term, a reference, and sometimes a PO number. They are not mandatory, but they save you and your customer subsequent enquiries.
What is a reference on an invoice?
A reference on an invoice is an identifier with which your customer links the payment to the correct invoice. Think of a payment reference, a customer number, or a project code. The customer includes this reference with the transfer, so you can immediately find the payment in your administration.
What is a PO number on an invoice?
A PO number on an invoice is the purchase order number that your customer has provided in advance. Larger companies and the government work with this, because it links your invoice to an approved purchase order. If the number is missing, your invoice will often be left outstanding by those parties until you supply it.
When do you not include VAT on your invoice?
You do not include VAT on your invoice if you use the small businesses scheme (KOR), a VAT exemption, or reverse-charged VAT. Under the KOR, you do not charge VAT and you state on the invoice that you are using the scheme; invoicing is permitted in this case, but is not mandatory.
If you have an exemption, for example for certain healthcare or education services, you also omit the VAT. If the VAT has been reverse-charged to a business customer, you state "VAT reverse-charged" plus your customer's VAT identification number. These rules are independent of your legal form and apply equally to everyone.
The simplified invoice under 100 euros
A simplified invoice is allowed if the total amount is a maximum of 100 euros including VAT. You then omit details that are otherwise mandatory, such as your customer's details and a sequential invoice number.
Your name and address, the date, a description of the delivery, and the VAT amount remain mandatory. A cash register receipt or fuel receipt thus counts as a simplified invoice. This short form is not allowed for deliveries abroad, and a credit invoice may also be a simplified invoice.
Sending an invoice abroad
If you send an invoice abroad, additional details are required. If you supply to a business customer in another EU country, you must state their VAT identification number and the note that the VAT has been reverse-charged.
In the case of an intra-Community supply of goods within the EU, you usually charge 0% VAT and refer to that scheme. The payment itself is sent via international payment using SEPA or SWIFT. Outside the EU, specific export and customs rules apply, and in all cases, the invoice must state which VAT scheme you are applying.
How long do you need to keep an invoice?
You must keep an invoice for at least 7 years. This retention obligation of the Dutch Tax and Customs Administration (Belastingdienst) applies to your entire administration, so for the invoices you send and those you receive. You may store them digitally or on paper, as long as the invoice remains complete and legible. For data on immovable property, such as commercial premises, the period is extended to 10 years.
Create invoices with GoDutch
With GoDutch you can create and send invoices that meet all requirements, including recurring invoices, without a separate invoicing program. Via expense management you can forward receipts and invoices to your personal GoDutch email address, after which they automatically end up in your administration.
On the incoming side, you can have incoming invoices paid automatically: you upload an invoice and GoDutch reads the IBAN, the amount, the description and the reference, so you don't have to retype anything and avoid duplicate payments. Link your account to accounting software such as Exact, Twinfield or Snelstart, and your transactions will run automatically.
Easily open a business account with GoDutch
You can open a business account with GoDutch in 3 minutes, and you will have your IBAN and card within 1 day. You invoice, pay and automate your administration from a single app, with 24/7 help from real people. This way, you spend less time on invoicing and have more time to do business.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about invoices
Is an invoice mandatory?
An invoice is compulsory when you supply to another entrepreneur. You are not always obliged to send an invoice to a private individual, although it is polite and useful for your administration. Even without VAT, for example under the KOR, you are allowed and able to invoice as normal.
Must my VAT number be on the invoice?
Your VAT identification number must be on every invoice on which you charge VAT. Please note: this is the VAT ID, not your turnover tax number. If the VAT is reverse-charged to a business customer, you also include your customer's VAT number on the invoice.
What if a mandatory detail is missing from the invoice?
If mandatory information is missing, your invoice is not valid for the VAT administration. This can cause problems during an audit, and your customer may not be able to deduct the VAT. You can resolve this by sending a corrected invoice or a credit note.
What needs to be on an invoice to a private individual?
An invoice to a private individual contains the same details as a business invoice. You are not always obliged to invoice a private individual, but if you do, the usual invoice requirements apply. If the amount is a maximum of 100 euros including VAT, a simplified invoice is sufficient.
Am I allowed to create an invoice in Word or Excel?
You may create an invoice in Word or Excel as long as it meets the invoice requirements. The disadvantage is that such a file is easy to modify; a PDF or billing software is safer and more professional. The 7-year retention obligation also applies to digital invoices.
How do I correct an error on an invoice?
You correct an error on an invoice with a credit note. On it, you refer to the invoice number of the original invoice and reverse the incorrect amount. After that, you can send a new, correct invoice if necessary. If the incorrect invoice had already been paid, you refund the overpayment or offset it.
