What to Include on a US Invoice

1. The word “Invoice” at the top.
2. A unique invoice number.
3. Your business name, address and contact details.
4. The client's name and billing address.
5. The invoice date.
6. The due date or payment terms, ideally both.
7. Each product or service, with quantity, rate and line amount.
8. Subtotal, any discounts, sales tax, and the total due.
9. How to pay you.

There's no federal sales tax in the US. Most states charge one, and many cities and counties add their own; Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon have no statewide sales tax. Many services aren't taxed while most physical goods are, but the rules differ by state. If you charge sales tax, show the rate and the amount on their own line, separate from your prices. If you don't, leave it off rather than showing 0% on every invoice.

• The client's purchase order (PO) number. Larger companies may not pay an invoice without it.
• The dates or period the work covers, for retainers and ongoing work.
• A project name or job address, so the right department approves it.
• Your late-fee terms, if you've agreed on them. See late fees on invoices.
• A short thank-you note. It costs nothing and keeps the tone friendly.

• Your Social Security number. If a client needs your tax ID, they'll ask for a Form W-9; an EIN from the IRS keeps your SSN private.
• Full card or bank account numbers belonging to the client.
• Internal notes and costs you wouldn't want the client to see.
• Vague lines like “Misc.” or “Services.” Say what the work was.

• Is the number new, and are the dates right?
• Do the line amounts add up to the total?
• Is the client's name spelled the way their accounts team expects?
• Does it say how to pay, with every detail the client needs?

New to invoicing? Start with how to write an invoice.