Make a SARS-ready invoice in South Africa
Issue a tax invoice with gapless numbering, 15% VAT for vendors and an address check over R5 000, then let the client pay by card or EFT from the same page.
Short answer
A South African tax invoice must say "Tax Invoice", "VAT Invoice" or "Invoice" and show your name, address and VAT number, a serial number and date, a description of the work, and the value, VAT and total. Over R5 000 it must also show the client's name, address and, if they are a vendor, VAT number, plus the quantity. Issue it within 21 days of the supply.
A South African invoice has to carry more than a total: a unique number with no gaps, both parties' details, and "Tax Invoice" with 15% VAT and a VAT number if you are registered. Get a field wrong and a client can hold up the payment.
ZELF builds the invoice from your business profile so those fields are always present. It numbers documents in sequence, shows VAT correctly, and turns the client's unbilled jobs into line items, so nothing you did this month gets left off.
How to issue a SARS-ready tax invoice
- 1 Add your business details once: trading name, address, banking details and, if you are registered, your VAT number.
- 2 Start a quote or invoice from the client's Zelf. Their details fill in and Add client jobs pulls in work you have not billed.
- 3 Check the total and the VAT line, then issue it. The client gets the PDF and a link to view and pay.
- 4 Record EFT payments in one click, or let card payments mark the invoice paid on their own. Reminders go out before and after the due date.
Which invoice you need, by situation
VAT vendor
A tax invoice with your VAT number, 15% VAT as its own line and the total easy to find.
Non-VAT freelancer
An invoice that is still complete and SARS-ready, with no VAT line to confuse the client.
Over R5 000
ZELF asks for the customer's address before you issue, because a full tax invoice needs it.
Frequently asked questions
Are ZELF invoices valid for SARS?
They carry the fields SARS expects: a unique sequential number with no gaps, both parties' details, and for VAT vendors "Tax Invoice", the VAT number and 15% VAT shown separately.
What makes an invoice a "Tax Invoice"?
Only a VAT vendor can issue one. It must carry the words "Tax Invoice", "VAT Invoice" or "Invoice", your VAT number, and the value, VAT and total. The client's name, address and VAT number are only required on a full tax invoice, which applies over R5 000. ZELF prints "Tax Invoice" with 15% VAT once you add a VAT number to your business details.
Do I need an invoice for very small amounts?
Under the VAT Act, a supply of R50 or less needs no tax invoice, but you must still give a document such as a till slip. Between R50 and R5 000 an abridged tax invoice is enough, without the client's details.
Does ZELF take a cut of the payment?
No. Card payments go through your own Yoco account. ZELF charges one credit to issue an invoice and nothing on the money you collect.
Sources
Invoices
Quote the job, invoice the client, get paid by card or EFT.
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