How to create a German invoice in English as a freelancer

1Register as self-employed

Submit the Fragebogen zur steuerlichen Erfassung to your local Finanzamt (online via ELSTER). Freiberufler (designers, writers, consultants, engineers and similar) need nothing else; Gewerbetreibende also register at the Gewerbeamt.

2Get your Steuernummer

The Finanzamt issues it after processing your registration, usually within a few weeks. Every invoice needs it, or your VAT ID.

3Kleinunternehmer or VAT-registered?

You can use the Kleinunternehmer rule (§19 UStG) and charge no VAT if your revenue was at most €25,000 last year and stays at most €100,000 this year (net). The Kleinunternehmer guide explains the limits. If you charge VAT, you file VAT returns monthly, quarterly or yearly depending on how much VAT you pay, see the Umsatzsteuervoranmeldung guide.

PDF is the standard

Send invoices as PDF. Unlike Word or Excel files, PDFs are not easily altered afterwards, which matters for GoBD compliance. Kleinunternehmer do not have to send e-invoices; see the e-invoicing guide for the rules for everyone else.

Keep copies for 8 years

GoBD, Germany's bookkeeping principles, require unalterable copies of all invoices for 8 years, retrievable within a reasonable time.

Sequential, unique numbering

Invoice numbers must be unique and follow a sequence. Gaps are not forbidden, but many unexplained gaps raise questions in an audit. To fix a mistake, issue a cancellation invoice (Stornorechnung) and a new invoice; never just edit the old one.

Can I write my invoice in English in Germany?

Yes. German law does not require invoices to be in German. An English invoice is valid as long as it contains all mandatory details under § 14 UStG: both names and addresses, your Steuernummer or VAT ID, the invoice date and a unique invoice number, the service and the date it was provided, the net amount, and the VAT or the reason no VAT is charged.

Does a German invoice need German text?

No. Only the content is prescribed, not the language. The Finanzamt can ask for a German translation during an audit, which is one reason many freelancers keep the standard German labels or the §19 note in German. RechnungsJet uses an English form and prints the invoice with standard German labels, plus your own service description in whatever language you type it.

What is the English wording for the §19 UStG note?

RechnungsJet prints the note in German: "Gemäß §19 UStG wird keine Umsatzsteuer berechnet." In English that means "In accordance with §19 UStG, no VAT is charged." The law does not prescribe exact words, only that the invoice points out the Kleinunternehmer exemption, so an English version is also acceptable.

Do I need to show VAT on an English invoice to a German client?

Yes, if you are VAT-registered: the language does not change the VAT rules. Show the net amount, the rate (usually 19%, 7% for some services) and the VAT amount. If you are a Kleinunternehmer, show no VAT and add the §19 note instead.

Can I invoice a client outside Germany in English?

Yes. For a business client in another EU country, you usually charge no German VAT and add the reverse charge note with both VAT IDs. For a business client outside the EU, no German VAT applies. The reverse charge guide explains both cases.

Do I need a Steuernummer before I can invoice?

Every invoice needs your Steuernummer or your VAT ID. After you register as self-employed with the Fragebogen zur steuerlichen Erfassung, the Finanzamt issues the Steuernummer, usually within a few weeks.

How long must I keep invoices in Germany?

8 years (§ 14b UStG, since 2025; it was 10 years before). Digital copies are fine if they cannot be altered and you can produce them in an audit.