What to Include on an Invoice: Free 17-Point Checklist

Short answer: An invoice should include, in the order it reads down the page, your business name and contact details, the client’s name and billing address, a unique invoice number, the issue date and the due date, itemized lines showing quantity and rate, the subtotal, any tax, the total due in the correct currency, and payment instructions. The due date is the field freelancers forget most often, and an invoice with no deadline is the most common reason payment arrives late.

An invoice is only useful if it contains everything the client needs to pay you without asking questions. A vague invoice creates back-and-forth emails and delays your money. This checklist works for freelancers and small businesses in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the EU, with notes on regional differences like VAT. If you would rather start from a filled-in example than a blank page, the freelance invoice template and example shows the same fields in position.

What do you put on an invoice?

You put up to 17 things on an invoice, and all but the logo and the closing note are expected: who is billing, who is paying, a unique number, two dates, the itemized work, the arithmetic and how to pay. Use this checklist for every invoice you send. If you can check all of these boxes, your invoice is professional and complete.

• The word “Invoice” clearly at the top
• Your business name (legal or trading name)
• Your contact details (email, phone, address)
• Your logo (optional, but looks professional)
• Client’s name and company
• Client’s billing address
• A unique invoice number (e.g., INV-0007)
• Invoice date (the date you issue it)
• Due date (or terms like “Net 30”)
• Itemized list of services or products
• Quantity, rate, and line total for each item
• Subtotal (before tax)
• Tax (sales tax, GST, or VAT, if applicable)
• Total amount due (in the correct currency)
• Payment methods (bank transfer, check, PayPal, etc.)
• Payment terms and any late-fee policy
• A thank-you or short note (optional, builds goodwill)

Why does each invoice field matter?

Every field on the checklist solves a specific problem. Here is what each one does.

Field	What it prevents
Invoice number	Lost or duplicated payments; messy records
Invoice and due dates	Confusion about when payment is expected
Itemized services	Disputes over what the charge covers
Rates and quantities	Arguments about how the total was calculated
Subtotal and tax	Errors in the amount owed and tax reporting
Total in correct currency	Underpayment or currency mix-ups
Payment methods	Delays because the client does not know how to pay
Payment terms	Late payment because no deadline was set

The due date is the field most often left off, and it is worth writing as an actual calendar date rather than only as terms like “Net 30.” A client who has to work the deadline out for themselves generally does not.

One thing that does not belong on an invoice is a confirmation that money has arrived. That is a receipt’s job, and the difference between an invoice and a receipt matters at tax time, because the two documents prove different things about the same transaction.

What details identify you and your client?

The top of the invoice must make it obvious who is billing whom. Include your business name, address, email, and phone. If you have a business tax identifier, list it where appropriate for your region.

For the client, include the company name, the specific billing contact if you know it, and the billing address. Sending an invoice to the wrong person or department is a common cause of delay, so confirm the correct recipient before you send.

Regional identifier notes:

• United States: You may include your EIN or note that a Form W-9 was provided; a client who pays you more than the IRS reporting threshold in a year may send you a Form 1099-NEC, and your invoices are how you check that figure.
• United Kingdom: A sole trader includes their name and business address; VAT-registered businesses must include a VAT number.
• EU: VAT-registered sellers include their VAT identification number, and cross-border B2B invoices may fall under reverse-charge rules.

How should services be itemized on an invoice?

Itemizing means listing each piece of work separately with its own line. This transparency prevents disputes and makes the total easy to verify.

For each line item, include:

1. A clear description of the work (e.g., “Homepage copywriting, 800 words”).
2. The quantity or hours.
3. The rate (hourly rate or fixed price).
4. The line total for that item.

Separate different types of work. If you charged an hourly rate for research and a fixed fee for design, list them as two lines. This makes your invoice easy to read and signals professionalism.

How do taxes and totals appear on an invoice?

After the line items, show the math clearly so there is no ambiguity about the amount due.

• Subtotal: the sum of all line items before tax.
• Tax: any sales tax, GST, or VAT that applies, shown as its own line with the rate.
• Total due: the final amount, in the correct currency.

VAT note for the UK and EU: A proper VAT invoice must show the VAT rate applied, the VAT amount, and your VAT registration number. This lets VAT-registered clients reclaim the tax. Sole traders and small businesses below the VAT threshold do not charge VAT and should not add a VAT line.

US sales tax note: Whether you charge sales tax on services depends on the state. Many states do not tax professional services, but some do. Check your state’s rules or ask a tax professional.

What payment details should be on an invoice?

Make it effortless for the client to pay. List the payment methods you accept and include the exact details for each.

• Bank transfer: account name, account number, and routing/sort code or IBAN.
• Check: who to make it payable to and where to send it.
• Online options: PayPal address or other services you use.

Also restate your payment terms (for example, “Payment due within 14 days”) and any late-payment policy. Being explicit here is one of the most effective ways to get paid on time. When an invoice is already overdue, a complete document also makes the follow-up easier: there is nothing for the client to query, so getting clients to pay becomes a scheduling problem rather than an argument.

What is an invoice listing?

An invoice listing is a running list of every invoice you have issued, one row per invoice, kept alongside the invoices themselves. It is different from the itemized lines on a single invoice: the line items say what one client is paying for, while the listing shows your whole year at a glance.

A useful listing needs only seven columns: invoice number, issue date, client, amount, due date, date paid and status. Kept up to date, it does three jobs. It shows gaps or duplicates in your numbering before a client’s accounts team does. It tells you who owes you money and how late they are. And at tax time it is the income record you reconcile against bank deposits and any 1099 forms clients send. A spreadsheet works; so does any invoicing app that lists invoices by status.

Build a complete invoice in under a minute with Keel

Remembering every field on this checklist is easier when your invoicing tool does it for you. Keel: Invoice Maker & Receipts by Ilura Technology builds a professional, complete invoice in under a minute, saves your business details so you never forget a field, exports a clean PDF you can send via the share sheet, and tracks what is still outstanding.

Keel keeps your data private: no bank connection, no cloud, and no account, so everything stays encrypted on your iPhone. It is free with unlimited invoices, receipts and mileage. One honest note: Keel does not process online card payments in-app; it produces professional invoices and displays the payment options you choose.

Download Keel on the App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/keel-invoice-maker-receipts/id6786659713

Frequently asked questions

What are the 5 most important things to put on an invoice? The amount due, a clear due date, payment instructions, a unique invoice number and an itemized description of the work. The first three tell the client exactly what to pay, by when, and how; the number is how both sides refer to the bill afterwards; and the description is what the person approving it checks against the job. If something has to be cut to fit the page, cut the logo, not the due date: an invoice with no deadline sits in the accounts payable queue until someone chases it.

What information is legally required on an invoice in the US? There is no single federal list of required invoice fields in the US. In practice the requirements come from your records and your state: the IRS expects business records that show the amount, the date, who paid and what for, and a state where you collect sales tax may set rules for how tax appears. The UK and EU are stricter and publish mandatory fields, especially for VAT invoices. The checklist above covers all of these.

How do I write a simple invoice? Put the word “Invoice” at the top, then your details and the client’s, a new invoice number, today’s date and a calendar due date. List each piece of work on its own line with quantity, rate and amount, add the total and any tax, and finish with how to pay. The freelance invoice template and example shows a filled-in version you can copy.

What are common invoicing mistakes? Leaving off the due date, sending to the wrong person or department, describing the work too vaguely to approve, reusing or skipping invoice numbers, and adding a tax line you are not registered to charge. Each one gives the client a reason to set the invoice aside. A second invoice sent as a reminder is another, because it can be paid twice or rejected as a duplicate; resend the original instead.

Do I need an invoice number on every invoice? Yes. A unique invoice number keeps your records organized, prevents duplicate payments, and is expected for tax and accounting purposes. Sequential numbering like INV-0001 is the simplest system. Never reuse a number, and never renumber an invoice you have already sent. If you need to cancel one, issue a credit note against it and carry on with the next number in the sequence, since many accounts payable systems reject a second invoice that arrives under a number they have already processed.

Should I put payment terms on an invoice? Yes. Stating terms such as “Net 15” or “Due on receipt” sets a clear deadline. Invoices without terms are far more likely to be paid late because the client has no set date. Put the terms in two places: as a dated line near the total, and as a sentence beside the payment details, so neither the person approving the invoice nor the person paying it has to guess. If you intend to charge a late fee, agree it in the contract first, because a percentage printed only on the invoice is much harder to enforce.

Do freelancers need to add tax to invoices? It depends on your location and registration status. US freelancers may or may not charge sales tax depending on the state and service; UK and EU freelancers charge VAT only if they are VAT-registered. If you are not registered, leave the tax line off the invoice entirely. Adding one anyway is the expensive mistake, because collecting tax you have no authority to collect creates a liability you then have to unwind, usually by reissuing every affected invoice.

Can I send an invoice as a PDF? Yes, and PDF is the recommended format. It looks identical on every device, cannot be edited by accident, and is accepted by virtually all clients and accounting systems. Attach the file to the email rather than sending a download link, because some corporate mail systems block or strip links, and name it something searchable such as INV-0007-ClientName.pdf. Keep your own copy of everything you send, since the invoice is the record your accountant will ask for at year end.

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This article is general information, not tax advice. Consult a qualified tax professional.