Solar panel invoice template UK (2026): MCS, CIS, VAT and stage payments

Solar panel invoice template UK (2026): MCS, CIS, VAT and stage payments

By InvoiceAdept Editorial · 8 September 2026 · Local preview wrap - not live CMS

A solar panel invoice has to explain what was surveyed, designed, scaffolded, roof-mounted, DC-cabled, inverted, AC-connected, commissioned and handed over - not a vague "solar done" or "panels fitted" line. "Supply and install solar PV as agreed" does not tell a householder whether they got a roof-mounted array with a string inverter, microinverters, a hybrid inverter with battery storage, a ground-mounted array in the garden, scaffolding hire, DNO notification under G98 or G99, or making-good to tiles and flashings. It does not tell a main contractor's QS which plot, purchase order or M&E / renewables package to release. It does not tell a CIS contractor how much is labour and how much is the direct cost of modules, inverter, mounting, DC/AC cabling, isolators and scaffolding you paid for.

Solar PV is power-supply and roof-related construction work, not a brochure for heat pumps and not a full loft conversion or extension build. Mentions of an electrician, scaffolder or heat pump on this page are contrasts and cross-links - the subject here is the solar PV package (roof-mounted or ground-mounted) with the inverter, mounting, cabling, scaffolding and AC connection that make it a working system. Soft landscaping alone belongs elsewhere; keep planting and deck boards out of a solar-only invoice unless they were part of the agreed package.

Who pays matters. Billing a private householder for solar on their own home: normal invoice, no CIS. Billing a main contractor, developer or refurbishment principal for construction operations that include installing solar panels: often CIS. HMRC's CISR14090 is the lead reference: Finance Act 2004 section 74(2)(c) covers installation of systems of power supply (and other building services), and the manual states expressly that the installation of solar panels to provide electricity will be a construction operation within CIS, except where the contract is directly with a private householder. Soften absolute claims - the facts of the contract matter. Roof alterations, flashings and fabric works can also touch CISR14100. Scaffolding erect/dismantle for access often sits under preparatory or finishing analysis (CISR14240); hire-only of scaffold without erect/dismantle labour has its own treatment - see the scaffolder invoice template. Soften if you only supply modules with no install - CISR14220 keeps manufacture/delivery of building components alone outside CIS. Supply-plus-install can pull the whole payment into CIS (CISR14020 / CISR14030). Private householders are not CIS contractors - see the public CIS overview.

VAT is different from many fabric trade pages and closer to the heat pump guide. For qualifying residential (and relevant charitable) installs of solar panels, VAT Notice 708/6 sets a zero rate from 1 May 2023 to 31 March 2027 (then the treatment reverts toward the 5% reduced rate under the notice's framework - check the live notice nearer the time). Soften: the installer must meet the notice conditions; InvoiceAdept does not decide VAT status. Section 2.11 of the notice covers photovoltaic (PV) panels with cabling, control panel and AC/DC inverter, and solar thermal collectors with associated pipework. From 1 February 2024, electrical battery storage and smart diverters can also qualify when installed in residential or relevant charitable buildings. Supply without install is usually standard-rated. Never invent 0% for commercial, hospital or hotel installs that fall outside residential/charitable scope. Never reverse-charge a householder. Domestic reverse charge does not apply to zero-rated supplies.

This guide gives copy-paste fields, a labour/materials split for solar packages (including deposits before ordering modules and inverters), stages from survey/design through scaffold/roof mount, electrical commission and snag/handover, four worked examples and a practical treatment of CIS, VAT Notice 708/6 and domestic reverse charge. Figures are illustrative only, not UK market rates or a price list. InvoiceAdept does not decide CIS or VAT status and does not file CIS300, VAT returns, Making Tax Digital updates or Self Assessment to HMRC. It does not issue MCS certificates, DNO / G98 / G99 notifications, Building Control certificates, EPC paperwork or grant forms.

Related templates: heat pump, electrician, scaffolder, loft conversion, deposit invoice, domestic reverse charge, how to invoice a UK client as a tradesperson and late payment rights. This page focuses on residential and contractor-paid solar PV packages - roof-mounted and ground-mounted arrays, inverters, mounting, scaffolding, DC/AC works and battery/smart-diverter lines where in scope - not a stand-alone electrical rewire or heat pump as the main product.

Rules and links were checked for this guide on 8 September 2026. General information only, not tax, legal, Building Regulations, MCS, DNO, electrical or grant advice. InvoiceAdept is from Tech Me Today Ltd, Companies House 15917255, ICO ZB944663.

In short

Start by identifying who pays you, whether the system is roof-mounted PV, ground-mounted PV or includes battery / smart diverter, whether modules and inverter must be ordered before work starts, whether scaffolding is in your package or a separate scaffold invoice, and whether the contract is supply-only or supply-and-install.

Private householder, own-home solar PV install: no CIS. The householder is not a CIS contractor. CISR14090's solar panels paragraph confirms the householder-direct exception. If VAT-registered and the install qualifies under Notice 708/6 for residential (or relevant charitable) energy-saving materials / solar panels, the zero rate can apply from 1 May 2023 to 31 March 2027 when notice conditions are met - then check the live notice for the post-March 2027 position (framework points back toward 5%). Show survey/design, scaffolding, roof mount / flashings, DC stringing, inverter, AC connection, commission, snag and any MCS / DNO narrative clearly. Do not invent 0% for a commercial warehouse roof outside scope. Never reverse-charge a householder.

Solar package for a CIS contractor: typically within CIS when a contractor pays you for installation of solar panels to provide electricity (CISR14090). Roof fabric / flashings may also engage CISR14100. Scaffold erect/dismantle often sits with preparatory work (CISR14240). Split labour from materials at direct cost (CISR15060 / CISR15090). For modules and inverters purchased complete, materials are usually the purchase cost; labour is the install, roof work, DC/AC cabling and commission.

Manufacture and delivery of modules / inverters only (no install): generally outside CIS (CISR14220). A mixed contract that supplies the kit and includes installation can pull the whole contract into CIS (CISR14020 / CISR14030).

VAT zero rate (Notice 708/6): only when residential/charitable and notice conditions are actually met, for the window to 31 March 2027. PV with cabling, control panel and inverter is in section 2.11; batteries and smart diverters from 1 February 2024 when in scope. Supply-only is usually standard-rated. Never reverse-charge a householder. Domestic reverse charge does not apply to zero-rated supplies.

Take a deposit before ordering modules, inverters or battery storage if your terms require one. Number and invoice that deposit. Then use recognisable stages: survey/design, scaffold / roof mount, electrical install / commission, snag / handover. Keep variations for extra panels, battery add-on or consumer-unit upgrade separate from the agreed package.

Use the invoice generator for a first invoice. InvoiceAdept Free is £0 for five invoices per month. Pro is £7.99 excl VAT and includes WhatsApp send. Pro+ is £12.99 excl VAT and includes CIS. Stripe's own fees apply (UK cards 1.5%+20p), but InvoiceAdept adds no platform fee.

Who this solar panel invoice template is for

This template is for UK solar PV installers, MCS-registered contractors, electrical subcontractors who deliver roof-mounted or ground-mounted solar packages as a defined product, and for builders who include solar in residential packages and need readable invoices for householders, landlords, contractors and housing clients. It covers the paperwork pattern, not a price list and not an MCS, DNO or Building Control document.

• Solar PV installers (roof-mounted and ground-mounted)

• MCS-registered contractors delivering domestic and small commercial packages who still need clear invoice lines

• Electricians billing dedicated circuits, consumer-unit upgrades, AC isolators or generation meters as part of a package (or separately)

• Scaffolders erecting and dismantling access for roof arrays, or solar firms who include scaffold hire in the package

• Roofers making good tiles, flashings and weatherproofing as part of a solar package

• Heat pump installers who add PV or battery as a combined renewables package and need separate clear lines

• Builders and developers who include solar on new plots or loft conversions / roof works

• Subcontractors to main contractors on residential renewables / M&E packages

• Sole traders and limited companies who need CIS and VAT lines that match the payer

If your day job is a stand-alone electrical rewire with no solar brief, a pure heat pump install without PV, or fabric-only loft work, use those related guides and come back here for solar-specific lines (modules, inverter, mounting, scaffolding, DC/AC works, MCS/DNO narrative and Notice 708/6 VAT notes).

How this differs from heat pump, electrician and scaffolder guides

Do not duplicate an entire heat pump or electrician guide here. Mentions of ASHP plant or whole-house rewires are contrasts only - keep them off a solar-only invoice unless they were part of the agreed package.

Three solar jobs, three invoices

These three jobs can use similar kit but need different invoice logic.

A main contractor can be the CIS contractor even when the finished array serves a tenant or homeowner. If the builder engages you, your invoice is to that builder. That contractor-to-subcontractor payment is the one to test. If the householder hires and pays you directly, the householder invoice has no CIS - CISR14090 says so for solar panel installation.

What solar panel work belongs on the invoice

Name the work so a QS, householder or future buyer can see what was actually installed.

Roof-mounted jobs need array location (front / rear / both), approximate kWp, module count and inverter type on the description. Ground-mounted jobs still need array footprint narrative, frame type and cable route to the building. Battery add-ons need capacity (kWh) if quoted. The invoice is not the MCS certificate and not the DNO notification.

What a UK solar panel invoice must include

GOV.UK is narrower than most blogs. You must give a VAT invoice by law when both you and the customer are VAT-registered. If you are not registered, keep numbered records of what you charged - which is also how you get paid.

• A unique identification number

• Your name (or company name), address and contact information

• The customer's name and address

• A clear description of what you are charging for (address, roof/ground mount, approximate kWp, module count, inverter type, stage)

• The date the goods or service were provided (supply date) and the date of the invoice

• The amount being charged, the VAT amount if applicable (including 0% with the right narrative when Notice 708/6 applies), and the total amount owed

Sole trader with a trading name: show your own name and a serviceable address. Limited company: registered name, company number and registered office. The VAT registration threshold is £90,000, not the stale £85,000 figure. For a solar invoice, a clear description is what gets you paid, so name the site address, mount type, approximate system size (kWp), key plant (modules / inverter / battery) and stage (deposit / scaffold-roof / electrical / completion).

CIS lines (UTR, labour, materials, rate, deduction, net payable) belong when a contractor is paying you under the scheme - not on a private householder job. Domestic reverse charge wording belongs only when the VAT reverse-charge tests are actually met between VAT-registered construction businesses on standard-rated supplies - never on a householder bill, and not on zero-rated Notice 708/6 lines. See domestic reverse charge.

Copy-paste solar panel invoice fields

Use these as a checklist when you raise the PDF or app invoice.

For the first invoice habit and field checklist, see how to invoice a client UK tradesperson. For deposits before ordering modules, see the deposit invoice template.

Sole trader versus limited company

Do not invent a Ltd presentation if you are still a sole trader. Do not omit the company number on Ltd invoices when customers and accounts teams expect it.

Labour versus materials for solar CIS

On a householder invoice the split is courtesy and clarity. On a contractor invoice it is the CIS calculation when the work is in scope. Start with the gross, take off VAT, then take off the direct cost of materials you paid for. What is left is broadly the CIS base at 20%, 30% or 0% after verification.

Two habits cost money: one lump "solar £8,000" (CIS on the modules as well if you are under CIS) and stuffing mark-up into materials so CIS looks smaller. Modules and inverters purchased as complete plant are usually materials at purchase cost; labour is the install and commission. Free-issue plant is not your material.

What solar job types to describe

Deposits and stages for multi-day solar jobs

A same-day microinverter swap can be one invoice. A roof array with scaffolding, flashings, inverter and AC connection - or a ground-mount with trenching - is not.

1. Deposit: before you order modules, inverter or battery. Invoice when you take it and state the percentage or fixed sum. See deposit invoice template. 2. Survey / design: roof survey, array layout, electrical notes and scaffolding plan if billed as a stage. 3. Scaffold / roof mount: scaffold up, modules and mounting fixed, weather seals in place, ready for electrical terminate. 4. Electrical install / commission: DC complete, inverter live, AC connected, commissioning checks, monitoring handover. 5. Snag / handover: agreed snags closed, balance less any agreed retention, plus variations approved in writing.

Retention is not a deposit. Deposit is money you take before or during. Retention is money held after completion against snagging. Show full value, retention withheld and release date, then invoice retention when it falls due. A deposit you receive is a VAT tax point for that amount on the day it lands if you are registered - apply the correct rate (including 0% when Notice 708/6 genuinely applies to that supply).

CIS: why solar installs are within the scheme when contractor-paid

For contractor-paid work, start with CISR14090: installation of systems of power supply under FA04/S74(2)(c), and the manual's explicit solar panels paragraph - installation of solar panels to provide electricity is a construction operation within CIS except where the contract is directly with a private householder. Soften absolute claims - the facts of the contract matter.

Key nuances (paraphrased carefully from HMRC manuals):

• Installation of solar panels to provide electricity is typically within CIS when a contractor pays you.

• Householder-direct contracts for solar on their own home are outside CIS under that CISR14090 solar paragraph (and householders are not CIS contractors generally - see CISR12030 / public CIS guide).

• Roof alterations, flashings and fabric works can also engage CISR14100.

• Scaffold erect/dismantle for access often sits under preparatory/finishing analysis (CISR14240); see the scaffolder guide for hire-only nuances.

• For building service systems generally, CISR14090 notes that repair, maintenance, alteration or extension of an existing system is often outside the "installation" framing - soften for pure PV repair call-outs, and reassess if roof fabric or mixed works pull the contract in.

Rates after verification: 20% if registered net, 30% if not verified, 0% with gross payment status. Show UTR, labour, materials, rate, deduction and net payable. That printout is not a CIS300 - the contractor files it. InvoiceAdept does not file CIS300.

Deemed contractors (non-construction businesses) use a construction-spend test of more than £3 million in the 12 months since the first payment - not a £1 million myth. Mainstream construction businesses register when they pay subcontractors for construction work. See GOV.UK CIS.

VAT Notice 708/6: zero rate for qualifying solar installs

This is the section that differs most from ordinary fabric trade pages and aligns with the heat pump guide. Read it slowly.

If you are not VAT-registered, do not charge VAT. If you are registered, check whether the supply is a qualifying install of energy-saving materials / solar panels under VAT Notice 708/6.

Careful framing (always soften - InvoiceAdept does not decide VAT status):

• From 1 May 2023 to 31 March 2027, qualifying residential (and relevant charitable) installs of solar panels can be zero-rated when notice conditions are met.

• After 31 March 2027, the notice framework points back toward the 5% reduced rate - check the live GOV.UK notice nearer the time rather than inventing a permanent 0%.

• Section 2.11 covers photovoltaic (PV) panels with cabling, control panel and AC/DC inverter, and solar thermal collectors with associated pipework and equipment.

• From 1 February 2024, electrical battery storage and smart diverters can also qualify when installed in residential accommodation or buildings intended solely for a relevant charitable purpose.

• Supply of solar equipment without installation is usually standard-rated.

• Never invent 0% for commercial, hospital, hotel or other installs that fall outside residential/charitable scope (Notice 708/6 lists hospitals, prisons, hotels and similar as standard-rated for ESM installs).

• Never reverse-charge a householder.

• Domestic reverse charge does not apply to zero-rated supplies.

Never tell a commercial client their warehouse roof array is "VAT free because solar is zero-rated" without checking scope. Never reverse-charge a private individual.

Supply-only versus supply-and-install

If you quote supply-only and later add install under the same commercial relationship, revisit both CIS and VAT before the next invoice.

Domestic reverse charge note for contractor-paid solar

Domestic reverse charge is a VAT rule between eligible VAT-registered construction businesses. It is not CIS and it is not a householder rule. When it applies to a standard-rated construction supply, you show VAT but the customer accounts for it - you do not collect the VAT as cash on that invoice. Full pattern: domestic reverse charge invoice UK.

Critical for solar: if your residential install is correctly zero-rated under Notice 708/6, domestic reverse charge does not apply to that zero-rated supply. If the customer is a private householder, reverse charge does not apply anyway.

Worked examples A-D

Figures are ILLUSTRATIVE arithmetic only, not quotes, not UK average prices, not grant amounts, and not a price list.

Example A - Householder roof-mounted PV on occupied home (no CIS, Notice 708/6 zero rate)

ILLUSTRATIVE. Assumes VAT-registered installer and a qualifying residential install meeting Notice 708/6 conditions within the 1 May 2023 to 31 March 2027 window.

If the install did not meet notice conditions, VAT would usually be standard-rated - do not force 0%.

Example B - Householder PV with battery, deposit and stages (no CIS)

ILLUSTRATIVE. Householder; stages; VAT shown as 0% only as an illustrative Notice 708/6 assumption for a qualifying residential install (PV + battery from 1 Feb 2024 framing when conditions met).

Example C - Contractor-paid new PV install (verified 20% CIS)

ILLUSTRATIVE only. Verified subcontractor at 20%. Treat figures as VAT-exclusive for clarity. Assumes installation of solar panels to provide electricity (CISR14090 in scope), not a pure repair of an existing system, and not a householder-direct contract.

Do not claim free-issue modules as materials. Do not shrink labour by stuffing mark-up into materials. Soften VAT on the contractor invoice separately - residential qualifying zero rate, commercial standard rate, or reverse charge only where tests are met on standard-rated lines.

Example D - Materials-only delivery (no install)

Mistakes that bounce solar invoices

Late payment: contractor debts are not consumer debts

Checked on 8 September 2026: Bank of England Bank Rate is 3.75% (held 30 July 2026; next MPC decision due 17 September 2026). For eligible business-to-business debts, statutory interest under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts framework is Bank Rate + 8% - currently 11.75% simple interest - plus fixed compensation of £40 / £70 / £100 per late invoice depending on debt size. Use the six-month reference date rule (rate in force on the preceding 31 December or 30 June). This statutory route does not automatically apply to private homeowners. See late payment rights and GOV.UK late commercial payments. InvoiceAdept does not file Money Claim Online or court claims.

How InvoiceAdept fits a solar installer

Operator: Tech Me Today Ltd, Companies House 15917255, ICO ZB944663. Start from the invoice generator or pricing.

FAQ

What should a UK solar panel invoice include?

Legal names and addresses, a unique number, dates, a description that names the site address, mount type (roof/ground), approximate kWp, module count, inverter type and stage, quantities and rates, a due date and a way to pay. Split labour and materials on contractor jobs. VAT only if registered - including 0% with Notice 708/6 narrative when that genuinely applies. UTR and CIS only under a contractor, and only when CIS actually applies.

Do solar installers need a CIS invoice?

Only when a contractor is paying you for construction operations that are in scope. Lead with CISR14090: installation of solar panels to provide electricity is within CIS except where the contract is directly with a private householder. A homeowner job you sold yourself: no CIS.

How do CIS deductions work on modules, inverters and mounting?

CIS is on the labour / CIS base when the work is in scope. Modules, inverters, mounting, cable and isolators you paid for come off as materials at direct cost when evidenced. Rates are 20% verified, 30% unverified, 0% gross payment status. Mark-up is not a material. Free-issue is not your material.

Do I charge 0% VAT on every solar install?

No. Qualifying residential (and relevant charitable) installs can be zero-rated under Notice 708/6 from 1 May 2023 to 31 March 2027 when conditions are met. Supply without install is usually standard-rated. Commercial installs outside scope should not be forced to 0%. InvoiceAdept does not decide VAT status.

Should I take a deposit before ordering panels and the inverter?

If your terms require it, yes - before you order modules, inverters or batteries. Raise a numbered deposit invoice and credit it on later stages. See the deposit invoice template.

Is scaffolding part of the solar invoice or separate?

Either works if clear. Many solar packages include scaffold erect/hire/dismantle as package lines. Others have the scaffolder invoice the client (or you) separately - see the scaffolder invoice template. Do not hide scaffold hire inside materials without a ticket when CIS applies.

Does InvoiceAdept file CIS, VAT or Making Tax Digital to HMRC?

No. It raises the invoice, stores the record and on Pro+ prints CIS lines. It does not file CIS300, VAT returns or MTD quarterly updates. It does not issue MCS certificates, DNO notifications or grant paperwork.

What is the VAT registration threshold?

£90,000. Not £85,000.

What is the deemed CIS contractor construction-spend test?

More than £3 million on construction in the 12 months since the first payment for non-construction businesses - not £1 million. Mainstream construction contractors register when they pay subcontractors for construction work.

Can I reverse-charge a householder for solar?

No. And reverse charge does not apply to zero-rated Notice 708/6 supplies either.

What payment terms should I use?

A practical residential default is 14 days from invoice date with a calendar due date. Commercial jobs follow the PO or contract. Put terms on the quote and the invoice.

Do I need MCS or DNO wording on the invoice?

You can narrate that MCS certification and DNO notification (G98/G99 as applicable) apply where relevant, but the invoice is not the certificate and not the DNO approval. Do not sell the PDF as statutory or network sign-off.

How should I invoice a battery or smart diverter with the solar array?

If battery or smart diverter is in your package, show clear lines (labour and materials). From 1 February 2024, Notice 708/6 can zero-rate qualifying residential/charitable battery and smart-diverter installs when conditions are met - soften and test facts. If another firm invoices the battery separately, do not pretend your PV invoice includes their whole package unless it does.

What if the main contractor free-issues the modules?

Invoice labour (and any materials you actually bought). Do not list free-issue modules as your materials for CIS.

Sole trader or limited company - does the template change?

Yes for the name block (personal name vs registered company name and number). CIS and VAT rules still follow the facts of the job and registration, not the template title.

Can I put ECO4 or grant amounts on the invoice?

Only if a specific grant or scheme contribution is a factual part of how that job is paid, and even then keep invented market-wide grant figures off the page. Do not invent ECO4 or other grant £ amounts as "typical UK averages". Check live scheme rules when you need numbers. The invoice is still not the grant form.

Quote versus invoice on solar packages

A quote is the offer. An invoice is the request for payment for work done or a deposit due. Do not send a quote PDF labelled as an invoice when you want payment - accounts teams and householders need an invoice number, a due date and a tax point.

If the householder asks for a "receipt" after card payment, you can mark the invoice paid or issue a payment receipt - that is not a substitute for keeping the numbered invoice in your records.

MCS, DNO (G98/G99) and EPC - the invoice is not a certificate

Solar jobs often sit alongside MCS certification, DNO notifications (commonly discussed as G98 / G99 depending on system size and connection type), Building Regulations notes and sometimes EPC or energy-scheme paperwork. Soften absolute claims here - scheme rules and network practice change, and grant amounts should be checked on current official publications rather than copied from a blog.

Keep certificates, DNO confirmations and guarantee paperwork as separate attachments - the same habit as attaching an electrical certificate rather than pretending the invoice is the record. Do not invent MCS statistics or current grant figures on this page; check live official sources when you need numbers.

Variations that commonly appear on solar jobs

Price extras in writing before you install them. Then invoice them as coded variations so a dispute on one cable route does not freeze the whole package.

Retention on contractor solar packages

Some main-contractor renewables packages hold a retention percentage until a defects date. If retention applies:

• Show the full stage value, the retention withheld, and the net payable now

• Diary the release date and raise a retention release invoice when due

• Do not call retention a deposit

• Do not assume householder jobs use retention - most do not

How to describe solar plant without sounding like a brochure

You do not need marketing copy. You need identifiers a QS can match to the quote.

Snagging and practical completion on solar installs

Agree what "done" means before you ask for the final balance: system generating, monitoring demonstrated, scaffold down, roof left weather-tight, site left tidy, agreed snags listed. Photograph completion and keep commissioning / electrical records separate from the invoice. If a snag list remains, either hold a small agreed amount against those items or finish them before the final invoice - do not surprise a householder with a full balance while scaffold is still up or a string is offline.

Checklist before you hit send

• Unique invoice number and calendar due date

• Correct legal customer (householder vs contractor Ltd name)

• Site address and PO/plot if commercial

• Mount type, approx kWp, module count, inverter, stage

• Deposit credits shown with prior invoice numbers

• Labour/materials split if CIS applies

• No CIS and no reverse charge on private householders

• CIS tested against CISR14090 (including householder-direct solar exception) when contractor-paid

• VAT treatment matches registration and Notice 708/6 facts (0% only when qualifying)

• No invented 0% on commercial out-of-scope jobs

• Bank details and/or card link

• UTR and CIS block only when required

• MCS / DNO / Building Control narrative not sold as a certificate

• No invented grant £ amounts

• Stripe UK cards 1.5%+20p if using card links; no InvoiceAdept platform fee

More worked detail: CIS materials evidence

When a contractor challenges your materials line, tickets win. Keep merchant or supplier invoices for modules, inverters, mounting, cable and isolators matched to the job address or PO. Round "about £5,000 materials" without evidence is how estimated deductions go against you. Van stock used on the job can sit in materials if you can show what it cost; guessing a round figure is weak. Scaffold hire tickets should sit with hire lines, not be smuggled into materials without paperwork.

More worked detail: householder communication channel

Domestic solar jobs are often sold in WhatsApp or email threads with photos of the roof, loft void and consumer unit. Put the invoice in that same thread and keep the PDF numbered. Contractors still need email to accounts with the PO. Do not rely on a verbal "pay when the grant comes through" after a five-figure kit order - grant timing is not your invoice due date unless your written terms say so. Cross-link heat pump when the same client is also buying an ASHP package - raise separate clear invoices or clearly coded package lines so one dispute does not freeze both.

About this guide

Written by InvoiceAdept Editorial for UK solar PV installers, MCS-registered contractors, electricians, scaffolders and renewables subcontractors. Last reviewed 8 September 2026 against GOV.UK CIS pages (including CISR14090 as the lead solar / power-supply reference with its explicit householder-direct solar exception, plus CISR14100 for roof fabric context, CISR14240 for preparatory scaffold works, CISR14220, CISR14020/14030, CISR15060/15090, and CISR12030 on who is not a contractor), VAT Notice 708/6 (zero rate for qualifying residential/charitable solar panel installs from 1 May 2023 to 31 March 2027, including section 2.11 PV wording and batteries/smart diverters from 1 February 2024), VAT registration thresholds (£90,000), and Bank of England Bank Rate (3.75%, held 30 July 2026, next MPC 17 September 2026).

InvoiceAdept is invoicing software from Tech Me Today Ltd, Companies House 15917255, ICO ZB944663. Free: five invoices/month. Pro: £7.99 excl VAT. Pro+: £12.99 excl VAT with CIS lines. Stripe UK card fees apply (UK cards 1.5%+20p); InvoiceAdept adds no platform fee. InvoiceAdept does not decide CIS or VAT status and does not file CIS300, VAT returns, Making Tax Digital updates or Self Assessment. It does not issue MCS certificates, DNO / G98 / G99 notifications, Building Control certificates, EPC paperwork or grant forms.

Figures in examples are illustrative only. Grant amounts and MCS statistics are not invented here - check current official sources. This is general information, not tax, legal, Building Regulations, MCS, DNO, electrical or grant advice.