What is the current South African VAT rate?

The standard VAT rate in South Africa is 15%. Certain supplies such as exports, basic foodstuffs, and fuel are zero-rated at 0%, and some are exempt entirely. The builder applies 15% by default and 0% when you mark a supply zero-rated.

What must a SARS tax invoice contain?

SARS requires the words "Tax Invoice", the supplier's name, address and VAT number, a serialised invoice number, the date, a description of goods or services, the quantity, the value, the VAT rate and amount, and the total. The builder produces each of these fields.

Do I need the customer's VAT number?

For a full tax invoice where the consideration exceeds R5,000, SARS requires the recipient's name, address, and VAT registration number. For smaller amounts an abridged invoice is allowed. The builder includes an optional recipient VAT field for B2B invoices.

How is VAT calculated on a R10,000 invoice?

VAT is the value excluding VAT multiplied by 15%. So R10,000 excluding VAT adds R1,500 VAT for a total of R11,500 including VAT. The builder shows all three figures separately, which is the breakdown SARS expects.

Is my data stored or uploaded?

No. The builder runs entirely in your browser and the calculations happen on your device. Nothing you enter is sent to a server, so your client and pricing information stays private.

South African VAT Invoice Builder

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A SARS-ready VAT invoice with the 15% breakdown handled

A South African tax invoice must show your VAT registration number, the correct VAT treatment, ZAR amounts, and a clear split between the value excluding VAT, the VAT itself, and the total. This builder gathers each field SARS expects, applies the 15 percent standard rate (or 0 percent for zero-rated supplies), and outputs a clean tax invoice ready to send or file.

How it works

Each line item is quantity multiplied by the price excluding VAT, summed into the total excluding VAT. VAT is that total multiplied by the applicable rate — 15 percent for standard supplies, or 0 percent when you mark the supply zero-rated, such as for exports or basic foodstuffs. The total including VAT is the sum of the two, all in ZAR. The invoice prints your VAT registration number, the invoice number and date, the value excluding VAT, the VAT rate and amount, and the total including VAT — the breakdown SARS requires on a tax invoice. An optional recipient VAT field covers full tax invoices for B2B supplies above the R5,000 threshold.

Tips and example

Use a unique, serialised invoice number and include your VAT registration number on every tax invoice — an invoice missing it is not valid for input-tax claims by your customer. For amounts over R5,000, capture the recipient’s name, address, and VAT number to issue a full tax invoice. A supply of R10,000 excluding VAT adds R1,500 at 15 percent for R11,500 including VAT. For exports or other zero-rated supplies, tick the zero-rated box so VAT is charged at 0 percent while you still issue a proper tax invoice.