Finance
GST cheat sheet for Aussie tradies
When to charge it. What needs to be on the invoice. When the ATO is going to come asking. The bare minimum you need to know about GST as a tradie.
Tulbelt Team··4 min read
If your business turns over $75,000 or more in a 12-month period, you must register for GST. Below that, it's optional — but most tradies who deal with builders or commercial customers register anyway because their customers want to claim GST credits.
What has to be on a tax invoice
- The words 'Tax invoice'
- Your business name and ABN
- Date of issue
- Description of services and amount
- GST amount and total
- Customer name and address (for invoices over $1,000)
Tulbelt invoices include all of this by default. None of it is optional, and missing fields are the most common reason customers refuse to pay or accountants kick invoices back.
This article is general information, not tax advice. If you're not sure how your situation applies, talk to your accountant — they cost a lot less than getting it wrong.