In this article, Welex, leading law and accountant firm in Marbella, will explain the key concepts to know how correctly issue your invoices in Spain.

 

During our decades of years of experience, we have seen almost about everything regarding issuance of invoices in Spain. In this blog, we wish to emphasize the contents you need to take into account for a Spanish invoice to comply with the legal requirements. We will provide you with the general information, which kind of invoices there are and some issues that you most probably have asked yourself questions about.

What is an invoice in Spain and who is obliged to issue them?

An invoice is a receipt that must reflect all the information regarding a sale.

To be even more clear, let’s say that if a company or natural person (the supplier) sells a product or service to another company or person (client), the law sets out that you must draw up a document that reflects such operation, including all details involved, the description of the service or product that has been rendered or sold, the breakdown of the taxes involved and the total sum of the invoice.

As we well know, there are different types of invoices, although the most common ones are:

  • The ordinary invoice: the most common one and the one that is almost always used. This is known in Spain as a full or normal invoice.
  • Summarizing invoice: includes a group of invoices of a certain period of time.
  • Simplified: we all know this one as the ‘ticket’. It is less detailed than the ordinary invoice.
  • Rectifying invoice: Only to correct errors in the invoices that had already been issued.

 

General information that an invoice must contain

In the introduction of this blog, we have told you already that certain information is obligatory for an invoice to be issued according to the law in Spain. Nevertheless, let’s go through this with more detailed information.

A correct example of an ordinary invoice must have the following information:

  • A correct serial number for invoices in Spain: You might have different serial numbers, for example if you have more than one establishment. Therefore, it is important this is specified in the invoice.
  • Number of an invoice in Spain: Within each series of invoices, the invoices that are being issued must show a number that must always be correlative with the date of the invoice. There must never be any gap in the numbers, for example you can’t go from number five to number eight.
  • The date of each invoice in Spain: You must indicate the date of issuance of each invoice.
  • We must also reflect the date on which the operation was carried out in case of being different than the date of issuance.
  • Than you must indicate the data of the seller: such as Name, Surname, Company name, TIN (tax identification number) and fiscal domicile.
  • It is also necessary to indicate the data of the client: the information is the same information as for the case of the seller.
  • A description of the operation in which it is clearly indicated which product has been sold or service rendered, as well as the price per unit, the amount, and it its case, if there is any discount or offer on the agreed price.
  • Percentage and Breakdown of VAT in Spain: if in one and the same invoice, there are different types of VAT to be applied, this must be indicated in the invoice.
  • It might be the case that the operation is exempt from VAT, said information must be detailed in the invoice, with a reference to the provisions corresponding to the European Directive 2006/112/CE of November 28th.
  • If the person who is issuing the invoice is a natural person, he/she must also include the retention corresponding to the IRPF (Income tax for Natural Persons).

In any case, our law firm has a team of experts who will help you with the invoicing of your business, as well as the issuance of the corresponding invoices. Welex, your expert accountant in Marbella, Malaga, Spain.