A self-employed individual's invoice must adhere to specific rules, and omitting even a single item can render it contestable. This free template contains them all; all you have to do is fill in your information.
Download it in the format that suits you, Word, Excel, PDF or Google Docs, and use it as many times as necessary.
The administration describes five blocks of information. They are all necessary, and the model includes them in order.
Your name, preceded or immediately followed by the words "entrepreneur individuel" or the initials "EI". This information is mandatory since the reform of the sole proprietorship status. Add your business name if you have one, your business address, your telephone number, your email address, your website if applicable, and your SIRET number.
Two additional details depending on your business activity. If you are a merchant, provide your RCS number followed by the city where you are registered. If you are a craftsperson, provide your registration number and your department of registration.
Its name or company name, and its address. For a business client, the exact company name matters: this is what will appear in their accounting.
The date of issue, and a number. This number must follow a continuous chronological sequencewithout gaps or duplicates. A common format combines the year, month, and month number, for example 20260901 then 20260902.
The precise description of the products sold or services performed, the quantity, the unit price, the total price excluding taxes, the date of execution of the sale or service, the date of payment and the total amount excluding taxes.
Then, depending on your VAT situation, either the amount of VAT due if you are liable, or the exact amount. “VAT not applicable, art. 293 B of the CGI » if you are subject to the basic franchise.
You can also specify the late payment penalty rate and the date from which it applies, as well as any discount conditions for early payment. If you do not offer any discounts, the entry "None" is acceptable.
If you carry out a craft activity for which insurance is mandatory, such as ten-year guarantee for building craftsmen or professional liability insurance, you must mention your insurer or guarantor, as well as the geographical coverage of the contract.
As long as you are subject to the basic VAT exemption scheme, you do not charge VAT and you cannot reclaim it. Your invoice shows amounts excluding VAT only, and bears the statement "VAT not applicable, art. 293 B of the French General Tax Code".
Two precautions are worth reiterating. The first is to use the exact wording: an approximate reformulation will diminish its validity. The second is to monitor your thresholds, as exceeding them will trigger a change in your invoicing during the year. From this point onward, your invoices must show the VAT rate and amount, and the 293 B reference will no longer be required.
Two habits pose a problem during an audit: starting from 1 each year without a prefix, and skipping a number when an invoice is cancelled.
The sequence must be continuous. An invoice issued in error is not deleted; it is canceled by a credit note that uses its references. The invoice number remains valid, and the chronology remains legible.
Starting from 1 on January 1st is possible provided a year prefix is used, for example 2026-001. What matters is that no number is missing within the same series.
The reform also concerns self-employed individuals, and its timetable takes place in two stages.
Since September 1, 2026All businesses, including the smallest, must be able to to receive their invoices in electronic form as soon as their supplier is required to issue them in this format.
Effective September 1, 2027the obligation toissue Its electronic invoicing will extend to small and medium-sized enterprises as well as micro-enterprises.
In practical terms, a Word or Excel template remains perfectly valid for issuing invoices today. It will no longer be valid when the obligation to issue electronic invoices applies to you, because an electronic invoice, as defined by the reform, is a structured file transmitted via an approved platform, and not a document formatted and then exported as a PDF.
Two resources for anticipating: the simulator It tells you in a few questions what applies to your situation and on what date, and the article dedicated to Peppol explains the network through which these invoices will circulate.
Forget about the "EI" designation. It has been mandatory since the reform of the status of individual entrepreneur, and its absence is the most common omission on the invoices that we see circulating.
Confusing the date of issue with the date of execution. Both must be included. The first is the one where you create the document, the second is the one where the service was performed or the sale concluded.
Invoicing without a SIRET number. An invoice without a SIRET number is incomplete, and a business customer can legitimately refuse it.
Write a tax-inclusive amount in the base amount. If you don't charge VAT, there is no total including tax. Displaying a total including tax equal to the total excluding tax creates confusion for the customer and their accountant.
Do not keep your receipts. A copy of each invoice issued must be kept, and this obligation does not depend on your turnover or your tax status.
The file is structured into four zones, in the order a client reads them.
The header It includes your full contact details, the abbreviation "EI", your SIRET number and, depending on your activity, your RCS number or your number in the trade directory. You fill it in once, and it won't change after that.
The client block receives the company name and address of the recipient, as well as the date of issue and invoice number.
The table of lines accommodates the designation, quantity, unit price and total excluding tax, one line per product or service.
The footer includes the total, the VAT amount applicable to your situation, the payment terms, late payment penalties and discount, as well as insurance information when required.
Three tips drawn from what wastes the time of freelancers.
Create a basic version for yourself. Fill in the header and footer once, then save this file as your template. Every new invoice will be based on this copy, eliminating the risk of forgetting any information.
Keep a record of your numbers. A simple tab or sheet listing number, date, client, and amount prevents duplicates and gaps in the sequence. This is also what you will be asked for in the event of an audit.
Send as a PDF, never as an editable file. A Word or Excel document sent as is can be altered after transmission, intentionally or unintentionally. Exporting to PDF freezes the content and facilitates archiving on both sides.
As volume increases, the current model reaches its limits: manual numbering becomes difficult to maintain, reminders get lost, and payment tracking relies on memory. It's time to switch to a tool that numbers, archives, and sends reminders for you.
Can I invoice without being registered? No. The SIRET number is a mandatory entry, and it implies prior registration.
Should I invoice a private individual the same way I invoice a professional? The mandatory information is the same. The difference lies in the delivery of the document, which is automatic for a professional and conditional on the amount or the request for an individual.
What should I do if I made a mistake on an invoice that has already been sent? You issue a credit note that cancels all or part of the first one, using its references, and then you issue a new, correct invoice. An invoice that has already been sent cannot be modified.
Is this model suitable if I exceed the franchise threshold? Yes, you simply need to replace the reference 293 B with the VAT lines, rate and amount. The rest of the structure remains unchanged.
Is this model suitable for a craftsman? Yes, by adding the number in the trade directory, the department of registration and, if your activity requires it, professional insurance information.
