The UK Revenues and Customs office has officially published the revises rules on electronic invoicing. This new notice cancels and replaces Notice 700/63 that stems from 7 years ago: June 2007.

The new notice has been updated to reflect the European changes in invoicing regulations of 2013. The new notice also contains revised content to reflect the technological advances since the previous version. However these changes remain technology neutral.

Check it our here and here (PDF)

The contents of the notice are:

1. Introduction
1.1 What is this notice about?

2. Issuing electronic VAT invoices
2.1 What is electronic invoicing?
2.2 What are the benefits of electronic invoicing?
2.3 Do I have to raise my VAT invoices electronically?
2.4 Can I use both paper and electronic VAT invoicing at the same time?
2.5 Must I tell you that I am intending to issue invoices electronically?

3. Contents of electronic invoices
3.1 What information must my electronic invoices contain?
3.2 Information required on a tax invoice
3.3 What about batches of invoices?
3.4 What about credit notes?
3.5 Must all the amounts on my invoices be expressed in sterling?

4. Conditions for electronic transmission
4.1 When may I invoice electronically?
4.2 What is an advanced electronic signature?
4.3 What is EDI?
4.4 What are business controls which create a reliable audit trail between an invoice and a supply of goods or services?
4.5 What other systems can I use?
4.6 What if I’m not sure whether my system is VAT-compliant?
4.7 What formats can I use for electronic invoicing?
4.8 Controls over the transmission of invoices
4.9 Protecting the authenticity and integrity of invoices
4.10 What internal controls must I maintain?
4.11 What if I make supplies to another Member State?
4.12 Cross border electronic invoicing
4.13 Where to find further information
4.14 Transmission of electronic invoices and credit notes to/from countries which are not EU Member States

5. Conditions for electronic storage
5.1 Protecting the authenticity, integrity and legibility of stored invoices
5.2 Controls on the storage of electronic invoices
5.3 Can I scan paper invoices to be stored electronically?
5.4 How long must I store electronic invoices?
5.5 Can I store my electronic invoices in another EU Member State?
5.6 Can I store my electronic invoices outside the European Union?

6. Access to electronic systems
6.1 What access must I allow you to my systems?

7. Receiving electronic invoices
7.1 How must I store electronic invoices I receive?
7.2 Must I accept electronic invoices from my suppliers?
7.3 What if I receive supplies from another Member State?
7.4 UK specific requirements of electronic invoices and credit notes relating to supplies to UK businesses by non-UK businesses.

8. Electronic invoices issued by customers or third parties
8.1 Can my customer issue an electronic invoice on my behalf?
8.2 What if I use a third party to issue my electronic sales invoices?

9. Inability to meet the e-invoicing conditions
9.1 What if I can’t meet the conditions?
9.2 What if I fail to meet the conditions?