It’s not “which one I prefer”, it’s “which one applies”

A simplified invoice (what we colloquially call a receipt) isn’t a “more convenient” version of a full invoice that you can freely choose: the invoicing regulations set out the specific cases where a simplified invoice can be issued instead of a full one.

When you can issue a simplified invoice

As a general rule, you can issue a simplified invoice when the amount doesn’t exceed a limit set by the regulations (currently around €400 including VAT, though it’s worth confirming the current figure). There are also higher special limits for certain sectors (such as door-to-door or market-stall sales) where the rules allow a higher threshold. Outside these cases, a full invoice is required.

What each one contains

  • Simplified invoice: number and date, your details as the issuer (tax ID, name), a description of the transaction, the VAT rate applied (or a note that the price already includes it), and the total amount. It doesn’t, in principle, need the recipient’s identifying details.
  • Full invoice: on top of all the above, it includes the recipient’s full identifying details (name/company name, tax ID, address), and breaks out the taxable base and the VAT amount separately, not just the total.

Why this isn’t a minor detail if you’re the one receiving the invoice

If you’re a business owner or self-employed and want to deduct the input VAT on a purchase, you need a full invoice (or a simplified one to which your identifying details as the recipient have been added, which the rules allow in certain cases if the issuer records it). A plain receipt, without your details, usually isn’t enough to justify a VAT deduction to the tax office.

Cases where a full invoice is always required

Certain transactions require a full invoice regardless of the amount: intra-EU supplies of goods, exports, and generally whenever the recipient is a business or professional who needs it for their own accounting and VAT deduction. If you sell mainly to other businesses, it’s good practice to always issue a full invoice by default, rather than relying on the client to ask for one afterwards.

If you’re unsure which type of invoice to issue day to day

A recurring mistake in day-to-day invoicing creates VAT deduction problems that only surface months later, when a quarter is reviewed. We’ll help you get this set up correctly from the start in your invoicing software. Write to us at contacto@asesoriamadal.es.