Free template
In Australia, a carpenter’s tax invoice needs "Tax invoice", your business name, ABN, the date, the work and the GST, plus the customer’s name or ABN on jobs of A$1,000 or more. Many carpenters work for builders as well as homeowners, which brings RCTIs, the taxable payments annual report and progress claims into it. The free carpenter invoice template below does the GST maths, and this page covers working for builders.
Tax invoice
Your business name
| Description | Qty | Unit price | GST | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour only: wall and roof framing (site address) | 38 hours | – | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Hang internal doors including hardware | 8 doors | – | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Fix skirting and architraves | 140 lineal metres | – | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Supply: timber and fixings | 1 lot | – | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Progress claim: stage 2 of 3, lock-up carpentry | 1 stage | – | $0.00 | $0.00 |
In the print window, choose Save as PDF to keep a copy.
Karya Falak turns the job into a tax invoice with your ABN, PayID and bank details, and syncs it to Xero or QuickBooks.
Start a 14-day trialSay which it is at the top of the invoice. For labour only, show the hours or the agreed price per stage. For supply and fix, show the labour and the materials as separate lines. The builder reports what they pay you in their taxable payments annual report, and when an invoice mixes labour and materials, they report the total, so keep both on the same invoice rather than splitting them oddly.
Builders who pay you must lodge a taxable payments annual report by 28 August each year, so they will want your name, ABN and address on file. Some pay by recipient-created tax invoice (RCTI): the builder writes the tax invoice under a written agreement, and you don’t issue your own for that work. Both of you must be registered for GST, and the RCTI must show both ABNs. Tell the builder if your GST registration ends.
On bigger jobs, invoice at each stage: frame, lock-up, fit-off. Name the stage, reference the contract or quote, and list what was paid before. Every state has security of payment laws for construction work that give subcontractors a fast route to get paid. In NSW, for example, the builder has 10 business days to respond to a payment claim, and "pay when paid" clauses are banned. The rules differ elsewhere, so check your state’s.
For a homeowner, take the deposit off the final invoice and name the deposit invoice by number. Approved variations go on their own lines with the date they were agreed. If the work is residential building work, your state may require variations in writing.
Without your ABN on the invoice, a builder may have to withhold 47% of the payment. Keep invoices, RCTIs and receipts for five years. If you are on the accruals basis for GST, the GST on an invoice is due at BAS time even if the builder hasn’t paid yet. See GST for tradies.
In Karya Falak one job can hold several invoices, so each stage can have its own. The invoice for the accepted quote takes the deposit off automatically, but it doesn’t take off stage invoices you raised yourself, so list those on the final claim. Payments recorded in Xero or QuickBooks come back and mark the invoice paid. See invoicing. Rules checked 30 October 2026 against ato.gov.au, business.gov.au, ACCC and state regulator guidance. General information only, not tax or legal advice. Ask your accountant, BAS agent or state regulator about your own situation.
No. Under a written RCTI agreement the builder issues the tax invoice for that work, and you keep a copy.
Yes, if you are registered for GST. Labour is taxable like materials.
The stage, what the claim is for, the contract or quote it relates to, the amount, and the GST. Check your state’s security of payment rules for anything extra they need.
Checked against these pages. Prices and rules change, so check the source before you decide.
Start a 14-day trial and keep the deposit, each stage and the balance on one job.