What Should Be on a Dutch Invoice? Required Fields Explained
Dutch tax law requires specific fields on every invoice. Missing one can make your invoice non-compliant. Here's the complete list.
In the Netherlands, invoices are not just receipts, they are legal documents. The Belastingdienst (Dutch tax authority) requires specific information on every invoice. If you're missing a required field, the invoice is technically non-compliant, and your customer may not be able to deduct the VAT.
Required fields on every invoice
- Invoice date: The date the invoice was issued
- Sequential invoice number: Unique, without gaps (e.g., INV-2026-001)
- Your company name and address
- Your KvK number: Chamber of Commerce registration
- Your VAT number (BTW-nummer)
- Customer name and address
- Description of goods or services: What was sold
- Quantity and unit price (excluding VAT)
- VAT rate(s) applied: 21%, 9%, or 0%
- Total VAT amount
- Total amount including VAT
Additional requirements for B2B invoices
When selling to other businesses, you should also include the customer's VAT number. For intra-EU B2B sales with reverse charge VAT, you must explicitly state "VAT reverse charged" on the invoice.
What about simplified invoices?
For amounts under €100, you can use a simplified invoice with fewer fields. However, most store orders exceed this threshold, so it's best practice to always include the full set of fields.
Why this matters for online sellers
When you sell through your own Shopify store, you are the seller of record. Shopify sends an order confirmation, but the invoice has to come from you. This is why automatic invoicing is so valuable: it makes sure every invoice is compliant without you having to think about it.
