Your business
Invoice
No. INV-2026-001
| Description | Qty | Unit price | Amount |
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Subtotal$0.00
Total$0.00
US invoice: sales tax and what to include
A US invoice shows sales tax at the rate of the state and locality, not a federal rate. We found no federal rule listing what an invoice must contain; the IRS treats invoices as supporting records. In practice an invoice shows who bills whom, a number, dates, a description, amounts and terms.
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Amount due$0.00
Sales tax depends on the state and the locality
USA.gov sums it up: most states and municipalities have a sales tax and charge different percentages on different goods, or none at all on others. Texas, for example, imposes 6.25%, and local jurisdictions can add up to 2%, for a combined maximum of 8.25% (Texas Comptroller). California's statewide rate is 7.25%, and district taxes add 0.10% to 2.00% in many areas (CDTFA).
The generator therefore has no table of state rates: enter the rate that applies to the sale in “Tax, discount, shipping, deposit”, where it prints as “Sales tax”. To check an amount first, use the sales tax calculator.
No federal list of required details
We found no federal rule on what an invoice has to contain. The IRS lists invoices among the supporting documents a business keeps; for purchases and expenses, these documents should identify the payee, the amount paid, proof of payment, the date incurred and a description (IRS, What kind of records should I keep). Your state may have its own rules.
What an invoice usually shows
Common practice, not a legal checklist: an invoice number, the invoice date and due date, your name and address, the client's name and address, a description of each item with its quantity and rate, any sales tax, the total, and how to pay, plus the client's purchase order number if any. The checker below treats them as advice, never as missing.
Form W-9 and Form 1099-NEC
A client may ask you for Form W-9, which gives your taxpayer identification number to whoever must file an information return (IRS, About Form W-9): it is a separate form, not part of the invoice. Form 1099-NEC is filed by the payer; for tax years beginning after 2025, the minimum reporting threshold for certain payments is $2,000 (IRS, Instructions for Forms 1099-MISC and 1099-NEC, 12/2026).
Invoicing the federal government
Federal agencies were directed to move to electronic invoicing by the end of fiscal year 2018 (OMB, memorandum M-15-19), and the Treasury's Invoice Processing Platform is free for agencies and their suppliers. Between businesses, we found no federal e-invoicing obligation when we checked on 12 October 2026.
The example
A fictitious Austin print shop bills a café: 200 printed menus at $3.50 and 4 window decals at $45, so $880.00 before tax. With 8.25% entered for the example, the Texas maximum combined rate, sales tax is $72.60 and $952.60 is due. Dates read October 4, 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Can I send an estimate first?
Yes: the estimate page makes a quote with the same details, and “My documents” turns it into an invoice later without retyping.
Can the invoice be in Spanish?
Yes. With the United States selected, a Spanish document uses “Impuesto sobre las ventas” and US formats; the English–Spanish invoice puts both languages on one page.
Is the PDF an electronic invoice?
No, it is a PDF. Suppliers to federal agencies invoice through platforms such as the Treasury's Invoice Processing Platform.
Sources
- USA.gov — « State taxes: “Most states and municipalities have a sales tax and charge different percentages on different goods, or not at all for other items” (updated 11 December 2025) », read on October 12, 2026.
- Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts — « Sales and Use Tax: 6.25% state rate, local jurisdictions up to 2%, maximum combined rate 8.25% », read on October 12, 2026.
- California Department of Tax and Fee Administration — « Sales and Use Tax Rates: statewide rate 7.25%, district taxes from 0.10% to 2.00% », read on October 22, 2026.
- Internal Revenue Service — « What kind of records should I keep: supporting documents, invoices (reviewed or updated 3 August 2026) », read on October 12, 2026.
- Internal Revenue Service — « About Form W-9, Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification (reviewed or updated 27 June 2026) », read on October 12, 2026.
- Internal Revenue Service — « Instructions for Forms 1099-MISC and 1099-NEC (12/2026): $2,000 threshold for tax years beginning after 2025 », read on October 12, 2026.
- Office of Management and Budget — « Memorandum M-15-19, Improving Government Efficiency and Saving Taxpayer Dollars Through Electronic Invoicing », read on October 12, 2026.
- Bureau of the Fiscal Service, U.S. Department of the Treasury — « Invoice Processing Platform (IPP) », read on October 23, 2026.