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Invoice format: what it is
A tax invoice is the document a GST-registered seller issues to charge for goods or services; it fixes the taxable value and the CGST, SGST or IGST, and it is what the buyer claims input tax credit on. Tax invoice, bill of supply or plain invoice: which to use.
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Example: a filled invoice format
- The title says what the document is: an invoice.
- A unique number from a continuous series, allocated when you issue it.
- Your name, address and GSTIN.
- Who it is for.
- Each line: description, HSN/SAC, quantity, rate and taxable value.
- GST split by component: CGST and SGST in the same state, IGST across states.
- The total in the document's currency and format.
Worked example: the numbers behind the invoice above
| Item | Qty | Rate | Taxable value | Tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Course scripts, Class 9 science, per lesson | 8 | ₹3,500.00 | ₹28,000.00 | ₹0.00 |
| Quiz bank: 200 questions with answers and explanations | 1 | ₹6,000.00 | ₹6,000.00 | ₹0.00 |
| Subtotal | ₹34,000.00 | ₹0.00 | ||
| Total | ₹34,000.00 | |||
No tax is charged on these lines, so the total equals the value of the supply.
How to fill in the invoice format
- Pick the format that matches your GST status from the table below.
- Fill in your details and the buyer's.
- Add items with quantity and rate, and GST only if you are registered.
- Save it; sign in to number invoices in one series for the financial year.
Which invoice format to use
| Your situation | Document | GST shown |
|---|---|---|
| GST registered, taxable supply | Tax invoice | Yes: CGST and SGST, or IGST |
| Composition scheme | Bill of supply | No |
| Supplying only exempt goods or services | Bill of supply | No |
| Not registered, below the threshold | Invoice or bill | No |
| Export or supply to an SEZ | Tax invoice under LUT, or with IGST | Zero under LUT, or IGST |
| Advance received for services | Receipt voucher | Yes |
| Correcting an issued invoice | Credit note or debit note | Yes |
Invoice format for a business without GST
- Your name or business name, address and contact details
- Your PAN, if clients deduct TDS
- Invoice number and date
- Buyer name and address
- Description, quantity, rate and amount for each item
- Total in figures and words
- Bank details or UPI ID
- No GST lines, and no "Tax invoice" title
Numbering invoices
Use one series per financial year, April to March, with no gaps or repeats. A year prefix, such as 26-27/001, keeps numbers unique when the series restarts. Separate series for separate branches or document types are allowed, as long as each one runs consecutively.
What to put on an invoice, field by field
| Field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Document title | Say exactly what it is: "Tax invoice". The title tells the buyer and the tax authority how to treat it. |
| Number and date | A unique number in a continuous series (at most 16 characters, unique for the financial year) and the issue date. LuckPanda allocates the number when you issue. |
| Your business | Name, address and GSTIN (state code is the first two digits) |
| Customer | Name, address and GSTIN if registered; for unregistered buyers, name, address and state |
| Lines | Description, quantity, unit and rate, with the HSN code for goods or SAC for services. Each line carries its own tax rate. |
| Tax | GST rate per line. Same state: CGST and SGST, half each. Another state or export: IGST. |
| Totals | Taxable value, tax by component and the total, in the document currency. Amounts in words are customary in India. |
| Terms | Due date, bank or payment details and late-payment terms. |
India GST rules for an invoice
- Contents are set by rule 46 of the CGST Rules: supplier name, address and GSTIN; a consecutive serial number of up to 16 characters, unique for the financial year; date; recipient details and GSTIN if registered; HSN or SAC; description, quantity, taxable value; rate and amount of CGST, SGST/UTGST or IGST; place of supply for inter-state supplies; a reverse-charge statement where it applies; and a signature.
- HSN digits: businesses with aggregate turnover up to ₹5 crore show 4 digits on B2B invoices; above ₹5 crore, 6 digits on every invoice.
- Timing: for goods, on or before removal or delivery; for services, within 30 days of supply.
- E-invoicing (an IRN from the Invoice Registration Portal) applies to B2B invoices of businesses whose aggregate turnover crossed ₹5 crore in any year since 2017-18.
- Unregistered or composition sellers do not issue tax invoices: they issue a bill of supply and charge no GST.
Mistakes to avoid
- Editing or deleting an issued invoice instead of issuing a credit note.
- Gaps or duplicates in the number series.
- Charging the wrong tax type (for India: IGST on an intra-state sale, or CGST and SGST across states).
- Leaving out the due date and payment details, which is the commonest reason invoices are paid late.
- Rounding each line's tax differently from the total; LuckPanda computes tax per line and keeps the components adding up.
Invoice vs other sales documents
| Document | When | Asks for payment | Tax document | In the books |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quotation / estimate | Before the order | No | No | No |
| Proforma invoice | After the order, before supply | Advance only | No | No |
| Invoice / tax invoice | On supply | Yes | Yes | Yes: sale and receivable |
| Receipt | When paid | No, confirms payment | No (receipt voucher for advances in India) | Yes: payment |
| Credit note | After an invoice, to reduce it | No, reduces what is owed | Yes | Yes: reverses part of the sale |
Questions people ask
Do I need GST registration to issue an invoice?
No. Any business can invoice, but without registration you cannot charge GST or call the document a tax invoice. Registration is compulsory above ₹40 lakh turnover for goods and ₹20 lakh for services, with lower limits in some special category states, and from the first sale for some businesses, such as inter-state suppliers of goods.
Is a bill the same as an invoice?
In everyday Indian business, yes. Under GST the legal names are "tax invoice" and "bill of supply".
Can I invoice a foreign client in dollars?
Yes. Export invoices can be raised in foreign currency; the export invoice format covers the LUT declaration and zero-rated IGST.