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Accounting and invoicing for graphic designers

Logo, flyer, packaging, social media templates and stationery: graphic designers sell drafts in rounds and rights to the finished design. Saldiqo writes quotes with drafts and revision rounds, issues stage invoices and records font licences and software as expenses.

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What comes up for graphic designers

Drafts and rounds

How many drafts and rounds of changes are included is in the quote. Everything beyond costs extra.

Rights and licences

The client gets usage rights, you pay licences for fonts and images.

Many small jobs

Many designers have many small clients with one-off jobs. Every invoice has to be quick.

How Saldiqo helps

  • Quote with scopeDrafts, rounds and rights as lines.
  • Deposit and final invoiceFrom the quote you create the deposit invoice.
  • Record licencesFonts, stock photos and subscriptions as expenses.
  • Match paymentsUpload the bank statement, keep open invoices in view.

Typical invoice lines

Examples that often appear on invoices in this industry. You set the prices yourself.

  • Logo design, three variants
  • Stationery, business card and letterhead
  • A5 flyer, design
  • Additional round of changes by effort
  • Usage rights print and online
  • Font licence re-invoiced as per receipt

Tax and invoicing in the UK

What applies to invoices in the UK, in short. As of October 2026.

VAT
Standard rate 20 %, reduced rate 5 % and zero rate 0 %. Saldiqo calculates each invoice line with the rate you pick.
VAT registration
You must register once your taxable turnover passes £90,000 over any 12 months, or you expect to pass it within the next 30 days. You can deregister below £88,000. Until you are registered, your invoices show no VAT, and Saldiqo adds up your 12-month turnover for you.
What goes on an invoice
If you are VAT registered: your VAT number, the tax point, unit prices and the VAT total in pounds. A limited company shows its registered name on every invoice, and its company number, registered office and part of the UK on letters, order forms and the website.
E-invoicing
There is no mandate today. From April 2029 e-invoicing is planned for all B2B and B2G sales that carry VAT, through Peppol. The exact date and standard are not yet in law, and the government’s roadmap follows with the Budget on 28 October 2026.
VAT returns
VAT returns go to HMRC through Making Tax Digital, usually quarterly, due one month and seven days after the period. Saldiqo shows sales and VAT per rate and exports CSV. It does not submit to HMRC, and for Making Tax Digital you need software recognised by HMRC.
Record keeping
Keep VAT records for 6 years.
Late payment
Statutory interest on late business payments is the Bank Rate (3.75 % in the second half of 2026) plus 8 points, so 11.75 %. On top comes fixed compensation of £40, £70 or £100, depending on the amount owed (under £1,000, from £1,000, from £10,000). Consumers have no statutory interest.
Getting paid
Your sort code and account number are on every invoice. Customers pay by Faster Payments or Bacs, and banks check the account name with Confirmation of Payee. There is no QR standard in the UK.

Frequently asked questions

How do I bill revision rounds?

Included rounds are in the quote, further ones you bill by effort.

Can I show usage rights separately?

Yes. As a separate line with duration and territory.

Do graphic designers in the UK have to charge VAT?

Only once they are VAT registered. Registration is required when taxable turnover passes £90,000 over any 12 months, or is expected to within the next 30 days. Below that you may register voluntarily. If you are not registered, you must not show VAT on your invoices.

Do graphic designers in the UK need e-invoicing?

Not today. A mandate for B2B and B2G sales with VAT is planned from April 2029, and the details were still open as of October 2026. You can keep sending PDF invoices for now.

How long should graphic designers keep invoices?

Keep VAT records for 6 years. You can store receipts digitally in Saldiqo. The legal duty to keep records stays with you.

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Write invoices, match payments, collect receipts and send reminders: free and without a trial period.

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As of October 2026. General information, not legal or tax advice, without guarantee. For your case ask your tax adviser.