German VAT invoices need precise § 14 UStG fields. Everhour keeps billing records connected to project work.
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Use this page when you need to prepare an invoice for work supplied in Germany, especially when VAT, business customer details, or payment timing matter. A standard German VAT invoice must include 10 core fields, including supplier and recipient names and addresses, supplier tax number or VAT ID, issue date, unique invoice number, supply description, supply timing, taxable amounts, VAT rate and amount or an exemption note.
Germany uses Umsatzsteuer/Mehrwertsteuer. The standard VAT rate is 19%, and the reduced rate is 7% for specified categories of supplies. The invoice must show either the Steuernummer issued to the supplier by the tax office or the USt-IdNr. issued by the Federal Central Tax Office. Those identifiers belong near the supplier details, where reviewers and customers expect to find them.
Start with the legal parties, invoice date, unique invoice number, and supplier tax identifier. Add the quantity and type of goods, or the scope and type of service. Include the supply date, or the payment date for advance payments. Split the taxable amount by tax rate or exemption, then show the VAT rate and VAT amount or the exemption note that explains why VAT is absent.
For a service invoice, a line such as "Implementation support, May 2026, 12 hours at €95 per hour" gives the buyer enough detail to connect the charge to the work. A vague line such as "consulting services" invites questions. German tax records also need timing detail, so do not rely on the invoice issue date as a substitute for the actual supply period.
For supplies performed after December 31, 2024, invoices between domestic German entrepreneurs generally fall under mandatory e-invoice rules, while private end consumers are not covered. Since January 1, 2025, a German e-invoice must be issued, transmitted, and received in a structured electronic format that enables electronic processing. A simple PDF is another type of invoice, not an e-invoice.
Issuers may use other invoices through December 31, 2026. Issuers with prior-year turnover up to €800,000 may extend that transition through December 31, 2027. For taxable supplies to another entrepreneur for its business, or to a legal person that is not an entrepreneur, the supplier generally must issue the invoice within six months after performing the supply, except for many exempt transactions under § 4 nos. 8 to 29 UStG.
A one-off invoice tool is enough when you have a single job, a clear VAT treatment, and all customer details ready. It also works for occasional freelancer invoices where the line items are simple and the customer does not need project-level support. Keep a copy of the final invoice and the work records behind it, especially when the bill includes hourly services.
A managed workflow becomes the better choice when tracked time, expenses, approvals, and project reporting all feed the invoice. Everhour can keep billable records inside reports before the invoice is created, so teams can review client, project, member, billable time, cost, and invoice status data instead of rebuilding the billing trail from separate spreadsheets.
This content is for general information only, may not be fully up to date, and is provided without any warranty or liability.
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Check the supplier and recipient full names and addresses, supplier Steuernummer or USt-IdNr., issue date, unique invoice number, supply description, supply date or advance payment date, taxable amount split by tax rate or exemption, VAT rate, VAT amount or exemption note, and any required retention notice for private recipients. Add "Gutschrift" only when the customer issues the invoice as a credit note.
A German invoice does not always use 19% VAT. Germany's Umsatzsteuer/Mehrwertsteuer regime has a 19% standard rate and a 7% reduced rate for specified categories of supplies. Some supplies need an exemption note instead of a VAT amount. The invoice should show the rate or the exemption treatment tied to the specific line or taxable amount.
For supplies performed after December 31, 2024, domestic German B2B invoices generally fall under mandatory e-invoice rules. A valid German e-invoice must use a structured electronic format that enables electronic processing. A simple PDF is treated as another type of invoice. Transition periods allow other invoices through December 31, 2026, or December 31, 2027 for issuers with prior-year turnover up to €800,000.
A German invoice can state foreign-currency amounts, but foreign-currency amounts used to calculate German VAT and deductible input VAT must be converted into euros using the monthly average exchange rates published by the Federal Ministry of Finance. The tax office can permit daily-rate conversion when bank evidence or rate sheets support it.
Payment timing is mainly contractual, so the clearest invoice states the due date or payment period. If no payment time is specified, performance may be demanded immediately. A payment debtor is in default at the latest 30 days after due date and invoice receipt, with default interest of 5 percentage points above the base rate, or 9 percentage points above the base rate when no party is a consumer.
Everhour Reporting lets teams build reports with 45+ columns, filters, grouping, date ranges, and exports in CSV, Excel/XLSX, or PDF. A billing lead can review client, project, member, billable time, cost, profit, and invoice status data before turning tracked work into a client invoice.
Everhour Billing & Invoicing lets users generate invoices from uninvoiced time and expenses. After time is included in an invoice, Everhour marks it as invoiced so it does not appear again in future invoices, which protects the billing record from accidental reuse.
Use Everhour Reporting to review billable time, costs, invoice status, and project data before billing German clients, with exports that support finance handoff and client follow-up.
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