How to invoice in the United States
The US has no VAT — sales tax is set by state and locality, and often doesn't apply to services. A US invoice is simpler than a European one: here's what to include, on US Letter paper, in dollars.
| United States at a glance | Detail |
|---|---|
| Currency | USD ($) |
| Standard Sales Tax | 0% |
| Tax ID | EIN |
| Paper size | US Letter |
| Typical terms | Net 30 |
| E-invoicing | Not mandated |
Tax ID format: an EIN — two digits, a hyphen and seven digits, e.g. 12-3456789 (optional on invoices).
What US invoices must include
- The word “Invoice” and a unique invoice number
- The issue date and the payment due date
- Your business name, address and contact details
- The client's name and billing address
- A clear description, quantity and rate for each line
- Sales Tax shown separately, only where it applies
- The total amount due, in US dollars
- How to pay — bank/ACH details or accepted methods
- Sales tax only where it applies to your goods or services and state
- Your EIN is optional on invoices but often included for B2B
Sales Tax & reverse charge
For cross-border work, the right wording matters. Invoice Forever offers ready-made US Sales Tax notes such as:
- Sales tax not applicable
- Tax exempt — resale certificate on file
E-invoicing in the United States
There is no VAT and no federal e-invoicing mandate in the US. A professional PDF is standard. A voluntary interoperability network (the DBNAlliance, a Peppol-style exchange) went live in 2024 but is not required.
Invoice Forever can export a structured EN 16931 / Peppol BIS (UBL) e-invoice alongside the PDF (beta) — the format most of these mandates are built on. You still send it via your own access point, and some countries require their own national format.
Verified 23 July 2026 against the source. E-invoicing rules are changing quickly, so always confirm the current position with the IRS and your state tax authority before you rely on it. This page is general guidance, not tax advice.
Payment terms in the United States
Net-30 is the common US B2B term, with Net-15 and Due on Receipt also widely used. There's no federal statutory late-payment interest, so state any late fee in your terms.
Questions about invoicing in the United States
No. The US uses sales tax, set by each state and locality, which frequently does not apply to services. Check your state's rules.
US Letter (8.5 × 11 in). Invoice Forever sets Letter automatically when you pick the United States, so the PDF prints correctly.
It's not required, but many businesses include an EIN on B2B invoices. Sole proprietors may use an SSN or EIN for tax reporting.
Make an invoice for the United States, free.
USD and 0% Sales Tax already set, on US Letter paper. No signup, no watermark.
Make an invoice for the United States