How to invoice as a sole trader
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As a sole trader, your own name goes on the invoice, plus any trading name. Add your details and the customer's, say what the work was, and show the dates and the total. Being a sole trader doesn't decide VAT; being registered does. Check it, send it and keep a copy.
Your own name goes on it
GOV.UK says a sole trader's invoice shows your own name and any business name you use. Trade under a business name and you'll need an address where legal papers can be sent. Don't put "Ltd" after your name unless you really are a limited company.
Full contact details mean the customer can ask a question without wondering who sent it. Make sure the name and address on the invoice are the business that actually did the work. Branding helps people recognise you, but it doesn't replace those details.
Who's paying, and for what?
Give every invoice its own number and keep a list of them. For a business customer, get the billing name, address and any purchase order number before you invoice. The job address and the billing address aren't always the same, and the person who let you in isn't always the one paying.
Describe the finished work and any extras you agreed. Put the supply date, invoice date, charges, any VAT and the total, then the due date and bank reference. The full invoice checklist has the rest of the detail.
A sole trader who isn't VAT registered
Alex Morgan trading as Example Repairs, 1 Example Yard, Exampletown, alex@example.com, invoices Jamie Taylor at the agreed billing address. Invoice EX-0107 is issued 3 November 2026 for a repair done on 2 November 2026.
The description says what the repair was and which materials were used. Charge £350; no VAT because Alex isn't VAT registered; total £350. Payment due 17 November 2026, reference EX-0107. Both Alex's name and the trading name are on it. Plenty of sole traders are VAT registered, so don't read this as the rule.
VAT registered or not?
Sole traders can be VAT registered. If you are, use your registration details and the right VAT treatment, and add the extra details when a full VAT invoice is needed. If you're not allowed to charge VAT, don't add 20% just because the invoice form has a box for it.
A GB or XI number that looks right isn't the same as HMRC checking it. Special schemes, reverse charge, discounts and separate tax points each need handling properly, so don't assume a normal VAT total fits every job.
Send it so they know it's arrived
Attach the PDF, or send it however you agreed. Put the reference, amount and due date in a short message. Something like: “Please find invoice EX-0107 for the repair we agreed. It's £350, due 17 November. Let me know if anything needs explaining.”
If a business's accounts team can't process it, ask what's missing instead of sending the same PDF again. Keep a note of when you sent it and any changes. Sending it isn't the same as being paid, and an "opened" notification doesn't settle anything.
Keep your copy and tick it off when paid
Keep copies of the invoices you send and your other business records. If you're VAT registered, you must keep copies and follow HMRC's record rules. The browser generator gives you a download, but it isn't your filing cabinet. Close the tab and it's gone.
When money comes in, match it to the invoice by reference and amount. In Bojit, mark the invoice paid when the money arrives; the app can't see your bank account and doesn't take the payment. Bojit sends one invoice for the full amount, so keep any deposit or stage payments in your own records.
Sources
- GOV.UK: invoice particulars
- HMRC: VAT Notice 700, invoice particulars and rounding
- GOV.UK: keeping VAT records
General guidance for UK tradespeople, not legal or tax advice. The examples use made-up businesses and prices.
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