ATO Interpretative Decision

ATO ID 2003/429

Goods and Services Tax

• This document incorporates revisions made since original publication. View its history and amending notices, if applicable.

Issue

Is the unregistered agent that makes a supply on behalf of a supplier that is registered for goods and services tax (GST), issuing a tax invoice that complies with the requirements in subsection 29-70(1) of the A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) Act 1999 (GST Act) when the invoice contains:

•

the price for the supply;

•

the words 'tax invoice' stated prominently;

•

the date of issue of the tax invoice;

•

a brief description of each thing supplied, including for each description the quantity of goods or extent of services supplied;

•

the name of the recipient;

•

the address or Australian Business Number (ABN) of the recipient; and

•

its own name and ABN (instead of the supplier's name and ABN)?

Decision

Yes, the unregistered agent is issuing a tax invoice that complies with the requirements in subsection 29-70(1) of the GST Act when the invoice contains:

•

the price for the supply;

•

the words 'tax invoice' stated prominently;

•

the date of issue of the tax invoice;

•

a brief description of each thing supplied, including for each description the quantity of goods or extent of services supplied;

•

the name of the recipient;

•

the address or ABN of the recipient; and

•

the agent's name and ABN (instead of the supplier's name and ABN).

There is no requirement that the agent be registered or required to be registered for GST.

Facts

The agent is not registered for GST or required to be registered for GST. The agent has an ABN, and acts as an agent for a supplier that is registered for GST. The supplier is not a GST branch.

The agent is not a resident agent acting for a non-resident entity.

The agent makes a supply to a recipient on behalf of the supplier. This supply is a taxable supply under section 9-5 of the GST Act. The total amount, including GST, payable for the supply is $1000 or more.

The agent issues the recipient of the supply with an invoice that contains:

•

the price for the supply;

•

the words 'tax invoice' stated prominently;

•

the date of issue of the tax invoice;

•

a brief description of each thing supplied, including for each description the quantity of goods or extent of services supplied;

•

the name of the recipient; and

•

the address or ABN of the recipient.

However, instead of setting out the supplier's name and ABN where relevant, the invoice sets out the agent's name and ABN.

The invoice is not a recipient created tax invoice.

Reasons for Decision

Under subsection 29-70(1) of the GST Act, a tax invoice for a taxable supply must:

(a)

be issued by the supplier, unless it is a recipient created tax invoice (in which case it must be issued by the recipient); and

(b)

set out the ABN of the entity that issues it; and

(c)

set out the price for the supply; and

(d)

contain such other information as the A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) Regulations 1999 (GST Regulations) specify; and

(e)

be in the approved form.

Subregulation 29-70.01(2) of the GST Regulations specifies the additional information that a tax invoice must contain where the total amount, including the GST payable for the supply to which the tax invoice relates is $1000 or more. These information requirements are:

(a)

the words 'tax invoice' stated prominently;

(b)

the date of issue of the tax invoice;

(c)

the name of the supplier;

(d)

the name of the recipient;

(e)

the address or ABN of the recipient;

(f)

a brief description of each thing supplied; and

(g)

for each description, the quantity of the goods or the extent of the services supplied.

The agent is not the supplier. The agent issues an invoice that relates to a taxable supply where the total amount, including GST, payable for the supply is $1,000 or more. This invoice contains:

•

the price for the supply;

•

the words 'tax invoice' stated prominently;

•

the date of issue of the tax invoice;

•

a brief description of each thing supplied, including for each description the quantity of goods or extent of services supplied;

•

the name of the recipient; and

•

the address or ABN of the recipient.

However, instead of setting out the supplier's name and ABN where relevant, the invoice sets out the agent's name and ABN.

In the absence of any special rules, the invoice cannot be a tax invoice because it does not comply with the requirements in subsection 29-70(1) of the GST Act. However, Division 153 of the GST Act contains special rules about tax invoices and agents.

Paragraph 29-70(1)(a) requires that the supplier issues a tax invoice. Subsection 153-15(1) of the GST Act provides that if a supplier makes a taxable supply through an agent, the obligation to issue a tax invoice relating to the supply is complied with if either the supplier or its agent gives the recipient a tax invoice within 28 days after a request is made. Therefore, the tax invoice that the entity issues satisfies the requirement in paragraph 29-70(1)(a) of the GST Act.

Goods and Services Tax Ruling GSTR 2000/37 explains the rules for agents when issuing tax invoices. Paragraph 64 of GSTR 2000/37 considers that subsection 153-15(1) of the GST Act also varies the requirements set out in paragraphs 29-70(1)(b) (about the issuer's ABN) and 29-70(1)(d) of the GST Act (about information required under the GST regulations).

Paragraph 65 of GSTR 2000/37 provides that where an agent issues a tax invoice, the document is a tax invoice and meets the requirements of subsection 29-70(1) of the GST Act if it sets out:

•

the principal's name and ABN as the supplier and issuer without the agent's name and ABN; or

•

the agent's name and ABN as the supplier and issuer instead of the principal's name and ABN.

The agent issues a tax invoice that sets out its name and ABN instead of the supplier's name and ABN. In accordance with paragraph 65 of GSTR 2000/37, the invoice is a tax invoice that meets the requirements of subsection 29-70(1) of the GST Act.

Neither subsection 29-70(1) of the GST Act or section 153-15 of the GST Act require the agent to be registered for GST in order to issue a valid tax invoice.

Accordingly, the agent is issuing a tax invoice that complies with the requirements in subsection 29-70(1) of the GST Act when it is not registered for GST and the tax invoice contains:

•

the price for the supply;

•

the words 'tax invoice' stated prominently;

•

the date of issue of the tax invoice;

•

a brief description of each thing supplied, including for each description the quantity of goods or extent of services supplied;

•

the name of the recipient;

•

the address or ABN of the recipient; and

•

the agent's name and ABN (instead of the supplier's name and ABN).

Legislative References:
A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) Act 1999
   section 9-5
   subsection 29-70(1)
   paragraph 29-70(1)(a)
   paragraph 29-70(1)(b)
   paragraph 29-70(1)(c)
   paragraph 29-70(1)(d)
   paragraph 29-70(1)(e)
   Division 153
   section 153-15
   subsection 153-15(1)

Related Public Rulings (including Determinations)
GSTR 2000/37

Related ATO Interpretative Decisions
ATO ID 2003/430

Keywords
Goods and services tax
GST invoices
Tax invoices
GST special rules
Acquisitions and supplies by Agents

Business Line:  GST

Date of publication:  6 June 2003

ISSN: 1445-2782