Free tax invoice checker · no account
Is this supplier invoice a valid tax invoice?
Type in a few details from the invoice. ClearABN checks them against the ATO’s tax invoice requirements and the Australian Business Register, including whether the supplier was registered for GST on the invoice date.
ClearABN shows Australian Business Register facts and the result of an ABN checksum. It does not provide tax, legal or financial advice. Links go to the ATO and the Australian Business Register so you can read their pages yourself.
What the ATO says a tax invoice must include
For taxable sales of less than A$1,000, the ATO’s tax invoices page says the invoice must include enough information to clearly determine these 7 details:
- Document is intended to be a tax invoice
- Seller's identity
- Seller's Australian business number (ABN)
- Date the invoice was issued
- Brief description of the items sold, including the quantity (if applicable) and the price
- GST amount (if any) payable – this can be shown separately or, if the GST amount is exactly one-eleventh of the total price, as a statement which says ‘Total price includes GST’
- Extent to which each sale on the invoice is a taxable sale
Tax invoices for sales of A$1,000 or more must also show the buyer’s identity or ABN. A tax invoice can be digital, such as an emailed PDF, as long as it has all the required information.
Why check the supplier’s ABN and GST registration
An invoice can look complete and still carry an ABN that was cancelled, or charge GST when the supplier wasn’t registered for GST. The ATO’s When you can claim a GST credit page says to make sure your suppliers are registered for GST, and that you need a tax invoice for purchases over A$82.50. The register keeps the dates, so ClearABN can check the invoice date, not just today.
Checking the GST amount
GST is 10% of the GST-exclusive price, so on a fully taxable invoice it’s one-eleventh of the GST-inclusive total (A$100 on A$1,100). It can be less when some items are GST-free or input-taxed, and the invoice must then show which items are taxable. It can’t be more.
Common questions
What does a tax invoice need to show?
For taxable sales under A$1,000, the ATO lists 7 details: that the document is intended to be a tax invoice, the seller's identity, the seller's ABN, the date it was issued, a brief description of the items with quantity and price, the GST amount (or 'Total price includes GST' when GST is exactly one-eleventh of the total), and the extent each sale is taxable. For sales of A$1,000 or more it must also show the buyer's identity or ABN.
What does this checker look at?
It checks the ABN against the Australian Business Register, including whether it was active and registered for GST on the invoice date, compares the supplier name with the names on the register, checks the GST amount against one-eleventh of the total, applies the A$82.50 and A$1,000 thresholds, and lists any ATO requirements you haven't ticked.
What if the supplier charged GST but wasn't registered for GST?
The ATO says to make sure your suppliers are registered for GST before claiming GST credits, and points to ABN Lookup to check. If the register shows the supplier wasn't registered on the invoice date, raise it with them before you pay or claim.
Do I need a tax invoice for small purchases?
The ATO says you need a tax invoice to claim a GST credit for purchases over A$82.50 (GST inclusive). A supplier must give you a tax invoice within 28 days if you ask, unless the sale is A$82.50 or less.
Is my invoice uploaded or stored?
No. You type in a few details and nothing is uploaded. The only thing sent to ClearABN is the ABN, to look it up on the register.
Is this tax advice?
No. It compares what you entered with the ATO's published requirements and the register. It doesn't decide whether you can claim a GST credit.
More: GST check on an invoice date · ABN lookup · check a whole supplier list · guide to supplier GST checks