A Credit Invoice is required under Dutch law when there's a need to correct, cancel, or adjust a previously issued invoice. This could be due to returned goods, pricing errors, canceled services, or quality issues. The document must comply with Dutch VAT Act (Wet op de omzetbelasting 1968) and EU VAT Directive requirements, containing specific mandatory information such as original invoice references, clear reasoning for the credit, and detailed VAT calculations. Used across all business sectors in the Netherlands, a credit invoice serves as a formal record for both accounting and tax purposes, enabling proper VAT administration and maintaining accurate financial records. It's essential for businesses operating in the Dutch market to understand and correctly implement credit invoice procedures to ensure compliance with local tax authorities and maintain proper business relationships.

1. Invoice Header: Company details including name, address, VAT number, KvK (Chamber of Commerce) number, and date of credit note

2. Customer Information: Full legal name, address, and VAT number (if applicable) of the customer

3. Original Invoice Reference: Original invoice number, date, and any relevant purchase order numbers

4. Credit Note Details: Unique credit note number and date of issuance

5. Reason for Credit: Clear explanation of why the credit note is being issued

6. Financial Information: Itemized list of credited amounts, showing unit prices, quantities, VAT rates, and totals

7. VAT Information: Breakdown of VAT amounts per rate category and total VAT credited

8. Total Credit Amount: Total amount credited including VAT in EUR

9. Payment/Settlement Information: How the credit will be settled (refund or offset against future invoices)