Every job ends the same way: someone has to send the invoice. Do it the same day with a clean, correct invoice and you get paid faster. Leave it until Sunday night, cobble it together in a text message, and you join the queue of tradies waiting on money they’ve already earned.
Here’s a free invoice template built for New Zealand trade businesses, with GST handled correctly and a worked example already filled in so you can see exactly how to use it.
Download the free invoice template
- Word version (.docx): editable, works in Microsoft Word, Google Docs and LibreOffice. Replace the [bracketed] placeholders with your details, save a copy per invoice.
- PDF version: print it or keep it as a reference for what a finished invoice should look like.
No sign-up, no email required. Fill in your business details once, save it as your master copy, and you’re set. Quoting the job rather than billing it? There’s a matching free NZ quote template too.
What legally has to be on an NZ invoice
The rules changed on 1 April 2023. IRD no longer technically requires a document called a “tax invoice”; the law now talks about “taxable supply information”. In practice, keep putting Tax Invoice at the top if you’re GST registered. Your customers, their bookkeepers and every accountant in the country still expect it.
What you must give a GST-registered customer depends on the size of the sale:
- Under $200: keep a record of the sale. Nothing formal has to change hands.
- $200 to $1,000: your business name, your GST number, the date, a description of the work, and the amount, with the GST either shown separately or included with a note saying so.
- Over $1,000: all of the above, plus the customer’s name and at least one way to identify them, such as their address, phone number, email or NZBN.
Most trade jobs land in that last band, which is why the template includes a proper “Bill to” section. Fill it in every time and you’re covered at any job size. Keep copies of everything for seven years; that part hasn’t changed.
Not GST registered? You can’t charge GST and you shouldn’t show a GST number. Change the heading to “Invoice”, delete the GST rows, and keep an eye on turnover: once it passes $60,000 in any 12-month period, registering stops being optional.
A quick note: we’re a marketing agency, not accountants or lawyers. Everything in this article is general information, not tax, legal or financial advice. Rules change, so check the current requirements with IRD or your accountant before relying on them.
How to fill it in: a worked tradie example
The template ships with a hot water cylinder replacement as the example, because a real job makes the layout obvious:
| Line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Labour: replace hot water cylinder, 6 hrs at $95 | $570.00 |
| Materials: 180L cylinder | $1,150.00 |
| Materials: fittings and consumables | $85.00 |
| Subtotal (excl. GST) | $1,805.00 |
| GST (15%) | $270.75 |
| Total due (incl. GST) | $2,075.75 |
Three habits that make this work:
- Split labour and materials. Customers dispute vague totals; they rarely dispute an itemised list. It also keeps your own job costing accurate.
- Number invoices in sequence (0047, 0048, 0049). It’s not a legal requirement, but your accountant will thank you and it makes chasing payment unambiguous.
- Describe the work like the customer would. “Replace hot water cylinder, upstairs bathroom” beats “plumbing works as discussed” every time there’s a query.
Deposits and progress invoices on bigger jobs
Don’t fund a six-week job out of your own pocket. The standard pattern for larger work:
- Deposit invoice before you order materials. Label it “Deposit: [job name]”.
- Progress invoices at agreed stages or monthly. Label each one “Progress claim 1, 2, 3”.
- Final invoice on completion, showing what’s already been billed so the customer can see the full picture.
GST applies to each of these as you go. The tax point is the earlier of sending the invoice or receiving payment, so a deposit carries GST the day it lands, not when the job finishes.
The invoicing mistakes that slow payment down
After years of working with trade businesses, the same handful of mistakes show up everywhere:
- Invoicing late. Every day between finishing the job and sending the invoice is a day added to when you’re paid. Send it the day the job ends, from the van if you can.
- No due date. “Payment due 20th of the month following” or “due within 7 days”, written on the invoice. An invoice without a due date is a suggestion, not a bill.
- Missing payment details. Bank account, account name, and the invoice number as the reference. Make paying you the easiest thing the customer does that day.
- Sending an editable file. Send the PDF, not the Word file. You want a fixed record of what was billed.
- Never following up. Most overdue invoices aren’t disputes, they’re forgetfulness. A polite reminder a few days after the due date recovers most of them.
When a template stops being enough
Straight answer: if you send a handful of invoices a month, this template plus a spreadsheet is genuinely fine. Don’t let anyone sell you software you don’t need yet.
Once you’re juggling ten or more jobs a month, quoting, invoicing and chasing payments by hand starts eating your evenings. That’s the point where accounting software like Xero or MYOB, or job management tools built for trades, pay for themselves. We don’t sell those and don’t take a cut; they’re simply what works.
Here’s the thing though: for most trade businesses, invoicing isn’t the admin that’s actually costing money. The expensive admin is the enquiry that sat unanswered while you were on the tools, and the quote that never got a follow-up. Those are jobs you didn’t win, not payments arriving late. That’s the part we fix: smart websites that reply to every enquiry instantly by email, 24/7, and follow up automatically until you get an answer. You can read how it works on our AI automation page.
Invoice template FAQ
Do I have to write “Tax Invoice” at the top?
Not since 1 April 2023, legally speaking. Practically, yes: if you’re GST registered, keep the heading. It’s what every customer and bookkeeper in NZ recognises, and there’s no advantage to dropping it.
I’m not GST registered. Can I still use this template?
Yes. Change the heading to “Invoice”, delete the GST number line and the GST row, and charge the subtotal only. Once your turnover passes $60,000 in a 12-month period, you must register for GST, and the template works as-is from then on.
What payment terms should I use?
The classic NZ trade convention is “payment due by the 20th of the month following”. For residential customers and smaller jobs, 7 days is normal and gets you paid faster. Either is fine; what matters is that the due date is on the invoice.
Can I invoice before the job is finished?
Yes. Deposits and progress claims are standard on bigger jobs, and any decent customer expects them. Label them clearly and remember GST applies to each invoice as it’s issued, not just the final one.
How long do I need to keep invoices?
Seven years. That applies to invoices you send and invoices you receive. Digital copies are fine, so scan or save everything in one place.
Should I send the Word file or the PDF?
The PDF. It can’t be accidentally (or deliberately) edited, so there’s never a question about what was billed. Keep the Word file as your master copy.
Got the invoicing sorted but not enough jobs to invoice? That’s the better problem to fix. Get a free game plan and we’ll show you where your next jobs are coming from, with real numbers for your trade and area.