A business has an obligation to provide proof of transaction to consumers for goods or services valued at $75 (excluding GST) or more. Businesses are also required to provide a receipt for any transaction under $75 within seven days, if the consumer asks for one.
What is proof of transaction?
Proof of transaction is a document that states the:
- supplier of the goods or services
- supplier’s ABN, if they have one
- supplier’s ACN, if they have one but do not have an ABN
- date of the supply
- goods or services supplied to the consumer, and
- price of the goods or services.
Examples of proof of transaction are:
- GST tax invoice
- cash register receipt
- credit card or debit card statement
- handwritten receipt
- lay-by agreement, or
- confirmation or receipt number provided for a telephone or internet transaction.
Itemised bill
If a consumer asks for an itemised bill, you must give the consumer the itemised bill, without charge, within seven days of the request. It must be expressed in plain language, legible and clear.
A consumer can ask a supplier for an itemised bill that shows:
- how the price was calculated
- the number of labour hours and the hourly rate (if relevant), and
- a list of the materials used and the amount charged for
- them (if relevant).
This request must be made within 30 days of:
- the services are supplied, or
- the consumer receives a bill or account from the supplier for the supply of the services.
The maximum civil penalties for failing to provide consumers with a proof of transaction, or not providing it within the required time, is $15,000 for a body corporate and $3,000 for an individual.