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Void Invoice Template

Voiding an invoice means cancelling it so it is no longer payable, while keeping it, and its number, on file with a note of why. It is the right tool for an unpaid invoice raised in error: the wrong client, a duplicate, or an invoice for work that was called off before anything was paid. It is not the same as a credit note. A credit note is a new, numbered document that reduces or cancels an invoice the customer has already received and may have recorded, and under VAT and GST systems it is normally how an issued tax invoice is reversed. The rule of thumb: void what never properly went out or was never relied on; credit what the customer has, and anything that has been paid. Never delete an invoice so its number disappears. This download is an editable HTML record with the original invoice number, dates and lines, plus fields for the date voided, reason, whether it was sent, payments received, the replacement invoice or credit note and who approved the void. Fill it in, print or save it as PDF, and file it in number order.

Draft this invoice
Preview this editable document

Download the HTML file to edit its fields, then print or save as PDF. Totals are entered manually.

What This Template Includes

  • VOID marking and date voided
  • Reason for voiding
  • Sent to the customer? Date and method, or 'not sent'
  • Payments received against it (voiding needs none)
  • Replacement invoice number, if reissued
  • Credit note number, if one was issued instead
  • Voided by and approved by

How to Create Your Void Invoice

  1. 01

    Describe your work

    Type a plain English description of the services you provided, the client, and the amount.

  2. 02

    AI generates your invoice

    InvoiceQuickly's AI drafts the client, line items, dates, and totals for you to review before saving.

  3. 03

    Review, download, and send

    Check every detail, download the PDF, or use Pro to email the PDF directly to your client.

Recommended Payment Terms

A void invoice has no payment terms: the amount due is nil and the customer must not pay it. If the invoice was sent, tell the customer in writing that it is cancelled and which document, if any, replaces it ('INV-0219 is void; please pay INV-0220 instead'). If any payment has already been received, do not void: keep the invoice, issue a credit note for the amount to be reversed, and refund or apply the money as agreed. Payment links or reminders tied to the old invoice should be stopped so the customer is not chased for a cancelled amount.

Need help writing payment terms? Read our guide to invoice payment terms for best practices and templates.

Tax Information

Once a tax invoice has reached a customer, most VAT and GST systems expect it to be reversed with a credit note, not simply marked void. In the UK, HMRC's VAT Notice 700 (paragraph 18.2.1) says that where the original VAT charge must be adjusted, the supplier issues a credit note and keeps a copy, and paragraph 18.2.3 sets out what a valid credit note shows, including the original invoice number and date. Numbering rules also apply to voided documents: UK and EU VAT invoices need a sequential number that uniquely identifies the document, France expects a chronological and continuous sequence, and German guidance does not require a gapless sequence but expects gaps to be explainable. In the United States there is no federal invoice numbering rule, but the IRS expects records that support your gross receipts, so a voided invoice kept on file is part of that record. This is general information, not tax advice; ask your accountant how voided invoices should be handled where you are registered. Last reviewed October 2026.

Industry context (2026)

Whether an invoice can simply be voided depends on how far it has travelled. Invoicing software uses 'void' for an internal status change, but tax rules are written around documents the customer receives. HMRC's VAT guide (Notice 700, paragraphs 18.2.1 and 18.2.3) treats the credit note as the way to adjust a VAT charge on an invoice already issued, and says a valid credit note quotes the original invoice number and date. The EU VAT Directive (Article 226(2)) requires a sequential number, in one or more series, that uniquely identifies each invoice, and France's official business portal describes invoice numbers as based on a chronological and continuous sequence, which makes unexplained gaps more serious there than in Germany, where a gapless sequence is not required. In the US there is no federal invoice numbering rule. Across all of them, the practical standard is the same: every number in your range should be either an issued invoice, a voided invoice kept on file, or another document with a recorded reason.

Worked example

Worked example (hypothetical): two mistakes, two different fixes. First, a US web developer creates INV-0219 for $1,850.00 of quarterly site maintenance but addresses it to the client's sister company. She notices before sending it and before any payment. She voids INV-0219 on 27 October 2026 with the reason 'raised to wrong client entity, not sent', issues INV-0220 for $1,850.00 to the correct company, and adds 'Replaces INV-0219 (void)' to its notes. Her number list now reads INV-0218 issued, INV-0219 void, INV-0220 issued, with nothing missing. Second, a UK VAT-registered consultant emails INV-0331 to a business client on 2 October: £2,000.00 plus VAT £400.00, total £2,400.00, but for the wrong month's work. The client has already received and recorded it, so voiding alone would leave the client holding a VAT invoice with no matching reversal. Instead the consultant issues credit note CN-0332 for £2,000.00 plus VAT £400.00, quoting INV-0331 and its date, and then a new invoice, INV-0333, for the correct month. INV-0331 is not edited or deleted; the credit note cancels it, and the client's books and the consultant's VAT return both show the reversal.

Common mistakes to avoid

Deleting the invoice

A deleted invoice leaves a hole in your sequence that you cannot explain. Void it and keep it, with the date and reason.

Voiding an invoice the customer already holds for VAT

If a VAT-registered customer has received and recorded the invoice, a void on your side does not reverse it on theirs. Issue a credit note that quotes the original.

Voiding a paid or part-paid invoice

Voiding wipes out the amount owed but not the money received, so your records stop agreeing with the bank. Use a credit note and a refund.

Reusing the voided number

Giving INV-0219 to a different invoice creates two documents with one number. The replacement always takes the next number.

Leaving reminders running

Automatic reminders or payment links on a voided invoice will chase the client for money they do not owe. Stop them when you void.

Invoicing Tips

  • 1Void only unpaid invoices. Once money has been received, the reversal is a credit note and, if needed, a refund.
  • 2Keep the voided invoice in your records with its original number. A missing number is harder to explain than a cancelled one.
  • 3Never reuse the voided number for a different invoice. The replacement gets the next number in the series.
  • 4Write the reason in one line ('raised to wrong client entity', 'duplicate of INV-0218') and the date. An auditor's first question is why.
  • 5If the invoice was sent, send the customer a short cancellation notice and the replacement invoice together, so their accounts payable team can close the old one.
  • 6Check your month-end number list: every number should be an issued invoice, a voided invoice on file, or another document type sharing the counter.

Related Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

What does it mean to void an invoice?

Voiding cancels an invoice so it is no longer payable, while keeping the invoice and its number in your records, marked void, with the date and reason. The invoice still exists for audit purposes; it just does not count as money owed.

What is the difference between voiding an invoice and issuing a credit note?

Voiding marks the original invoice as cancelled. A credit note is a separate numbered document that reduces or cancels an invoice the customer has received, and quotes its number and date. Void unpaid invoices raised in error; use a credit note when the customer already holds the invoice for tax purposes or when any payment has been made.

Can I void an invoice that has been paid?

No. A paid or part-paid invoice has a payment history that must stay intact. Issue a credit note for the amount being reversed, then refund the customer or apply the credit to a later invoice.

Can I delete an invoice instead of voiding it?

You should not. Deleting removes the number from your sequence, and UK and EU rules expect each invoice to have a unique sequential number. Keep it, mark it void and record why.

Can I reuse the number of a voided invoice?

No. The number stays used by the voided invoice. The replacement invoice takes the next number, and its notes can say which invoice it replaces.

Do I need to tell the client an invoice is void?

If they received it, yes. Send a short written notice that the invoice is cancelled and must not be paid, with the replacement invoice if there is one. If it was never sent, an internal note is enough.

How does voiding work in InvoiceQuickly?

On any plan, you can void an unpaid invoice from its actions menu. Its status becomes Cancelled, and its number, line items and history are kept; invoices cannot be deleted. Paid or part-paid invoices cannot be voided, and a cancelled invoice cannot take payments or be emailed. On Pro you can issue a credit note against a sent invoice instead. The invoice PDF does not print a VOID mark, so tell the client in writing if they had a copy.