How to Invoice as a Freelancer in Canada

If you're self-employed in Canada, an invoice is more than a payment request — it's part of your financial record for tax season. A clear, consistent invoice gets you paid faster and gives you (and the CRA, if they ever ask) a paper trail of what you charged and when.

What every invoice needs

At minimum, a Canadian freelancer invoice should include:

• Your name or business name, and contact information
• Your client's name and contact information
• An invoice number (sequential, so nothing gets skipped or duplicated)
• The invoice date and payment due date
• A description of the work or goods provided, with quantity and rate
• The subtotal, any GST/HST/PST charged, and the total amount due
• Your GST/HST number, if you're registered to collect it

GST/HST: charge it or don't, but be consistent

Whether you charge sales tax depends on your registration status and your province — see our GST/HST on invoices guide for the full breakdown. The short version: if you're registered for a GST/HST number, you must charge it on taxable supplies and show it as a separate line on the invoice, not folded into your rate.

Getting paid on time

Set clear payment terms (e.g., "due within 15 days") and put them on every invoice. Vague terms like "payment expected soon" tend to get deprioritized. If you invoice the same client repeatedly, keeping your invoice numbering and format consistent also makes it easier for their accounts-payable team to process you quickly.

Building each invoice by hand in a word processor is where most of the above gets skipped under deadline pressure — a sequential invoice number, correct tax lines, and consistent formatting are exactly what a template automates.