Invoice template for New Zealand sole traders not registered for GST

What to put on an invoice without GST

• Your business name

  Add your business name to the invoice, as in business.govt.nz's step-by-step guide and template. [1]

• Your customer's name and address

  The name and address of the customer you are invoicing. [1]

• An invoice number

  Number your invoices starting at 1, such as INV001, or use a unique code, which might start with your business name. [1]

• The date and a due date

  The date you are sending the invoice, and the date it is due. [1]

• What you did

  A description of the goods or services provided, which can include the date you did the work, the quantity, your rate and how many hours you worked. [1]

• The amount and how to pay

  The amount payable and your payment details, for example your bank account. Add the buyer's reference, such as a purchase order number, when they ask for one. [1]

• No GST on top of your prices

  Adding GST to your prices is one of the two situations in which Inland Revenue says you must register for GST. [2]

Rules worth knowing

Make this invoice in Clodou

• Set your workspace's tax country to New Zealand, remove GST from your default taxes in Settings ("New quotes and invoices will carry no tax") and leave the GST number empty. Invoices then print no GST line and no GST number, under the title "INVOICE".
• Your NZBN can print under your address: put it in Settings as the second tax number, with the label "NZBN", as in the sample above.
• Write one message, such as "Invoice Southern Lights Tours for the website redesign at NZ$1,800 and 4 hours of extra layouts at NZ$85, and note that no GST is charged". Clodou finds or creates the client, numbers the invoice (INV-0001, INV-0002…) and puts the note on it. If a price is missing, it asks instead of guessing.
• When you register for GST, add GST at 15% to your default taxes and your GST number in Settings. New invoices then carry GST and are titled TAX INVOICE; invoices already made keep the taxes they were created with.
• Turn a quote into an invoice in one step, invoice your unbilled time, let monthly retainers draft their invoices, and record part payments with the balance left. Clodou shows an approval card before it emails a client or records a payment, and records it creates can be undone for 10 minutes.

Just ask

What Clodou does not do

• Clodou does not check compliance. This page lists what Inland Revenue and business.govt.nz describe and how Clodou prints it; check your invoices with your accountant or tax agent.
• Clodou does not track your turnover or tell you when you reach NZ$60,000.
• No default invoice note: say "no GST charged" in your message, or ask Clodou to add it to a draft.
• No GST returns and no filing with Inland Revenue. Clodou is not bookkeeping software: no ledger, no bank feeds, no payroll.
• No eInvoicing (Peppol): Clodou sends PDF invoices by email, after your approval.
• No card processing, client portal or e-signature. On Solo and Team, the PDF prints your own payment link.

Questions

Can I send an invoice without a GST number in New Zealand?

Yes. If you are not registered for GST you have no GST number to show, and you add no GST to your prices: adding GST is one of the reasons Inland Revenue says you must register. Show your business name, the customer's name and address, an invoice number, the dates, what you did, the amount and how to pay.

When do I have to register for GST?

When your turnover from a taxable activity was at least NZ$60,000 in the last 12 months or you expect it to be in the next 12 months, or when you add GST to your prices. Below NZ$60,000 registering is your choice.

Should I put my NZBN on my invoices?

business.govt.nz's invoice template has a place for it, and you need one to receive eInvoices. It is free to get. In Clodou, put it in Settings as the second tax number with the label NZBN and it prints under your address.

What changes when I register for GST?

You charge GST, usually 15%, to your customers, file GST returns, pay the GST you owe and keep GST records. What a GST invoice must show is on our New Zealand invoice page. In Clodou, add GST at 15% to your default taxes and your GST number in Settings.

How much does Clodou cost?

The Free plan includes up to 5 clients and 20 AI actions a month, with no separate cap on quotes and invoices (making them in the chat uses AI actions). Solo is US$29 a month or US$290 a year per workspace, and Team, with 5 seats, is US$79 a month or US$790 a year. Prices are in US dollars. Every new workspace starts with a 14-day trial of Team, no card needed.

Sources

1. business.govt.nz: How to prepare an invoice
2. Inland Revenue: Registering for GST
3. business.govt.nz: GST
4. business.govt.nz: Tax basics for sole traders

Last checked on November 10, 2026. This page explains the rules; it is not tax or legal advice. Check your invoices with your accountant or tax adviser.