A VAT invoice in Italy — a fattura con IVA — does two jobs at once: it requests payment and it proves to the tax authorities the sale was correctly taxed. For freelancers and contractors billing Italian clients, this document is what keeps cash flowing and keeps you compliant with the Agenzia delle Entrate. Get the mandatory fields right and the invoice stands; miss one and it can be rejected for IVA purposes.
What to include
Every valid Italian VAT invoice must carry a set of mandatory details. You need your partita IVA or codice fiscale, the client's IVA number, the SDI destination code, the numero fattura (invoice number), and the IVA shown per line. Leave any of these out and the document is harder to enforce — and, where tax is involved, it can be invalid for IVA.
How the VAT calculation works
Italian B2B and B2A invoices must travel through the FatturaPA e-invoicing system (SDI). Show your codice fiscale or partita IVA and the customer's IVA number. The standard rate is 22% (the rate this template applies), with reduced rates of 10% and 4% for specific goods and services. When you bill a business customer abroad, check whether the reverse-charge or zero-rating rule applies before you finalise the total.
Example line items
Invoice
Italy VAT invoice
- Invoice no.
- INV-2026-014
- Date
- 2026-07-15
From
Your Company
123 Business Rd, Your City
VAT No.: IT12345678901
To
Client Name
Client Company, Client City
| Description | Qty | Rate | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software licence | 5 | €199.00 | €995.00 |
| Onboarding | 1 | €600.00 | €600.00 |
- Subtotal
- €1,595.00
- VAT (22%)
- €350.90
- Total
- €1,945.90
Notes
Issued via FatturaPA. Payment within 30 days.
Example preview — not a real invoice
A typical VAT invoice lists concrete work like this:
- Software licence — 5 × €199
- Onboarding — 1 × €600
Always show the quantity, unit price, and the tax amount per line so the grand total is transparent and easy for your client to verify.
Practical tips
A few habits keep freelancers safe. Use FatturaPA XML for B2B and public administration. Keep e-invoices for 10 years under Italian retention rules. Validate the SDI code before you send, or the invoice never reaches the recipient. Consistent numbering, clear payment terms, and prompt delivery all reduce late payments and build trust.
Done well, an Italian VAT invoice is straightforward paperwork that keeps your business legitimate and paid. Cover the fields above each time and you can invoice with confidence. The invoice generator pre-fills these details so the maths look after themselves.