Credit note template for South Africa (VAT)

What’s on the south africa vat credit note

Extra fields on this template: Original invoice, Invoice date, VAT no., Customer VAT no..

Example prices in South African rand. Replace them with your own; in the generator, any currency works.

What SARS requires on a credit note

Section 21 of the VAT Act says a credit note must show:

• the words “credit note” in a prominent place;
• your name, address and VAT registration number;
• the customer’s name and address, and their VAT number if they are a vendor;
• the date it was issued;
• the amount of the adjustment and the VAT on it, or a statement that VAT is included and at what rate;
• a brief explanation of the reason;
• enough information to identify the original supply, such as the tax invoice number and date.

When to issue one

Issue a credit note when the price of a supply changes after the tax invoice: goods returned, a supply cancelled, the price reduced by agreement, or an overcharge corrected. Only one credit note may be issued for each adjustment; if the customer loses it, mark the replacement “copy”.

Before you rely on it

This page summarizes the rules as published by SARS; it isn’t tax advice, and the rules change. Check the current guidance, or ask your accountant, before you issue credit notes in volume. If your business is required to issue electronic invoices through a government system, credit notes usually have to go through that system too, and a PDF made here doesn’t replace it.