Quick summary

The basics every invoice needs

Regardless of how a service bills, weekly, monthly, per term, a professional invoice should include the service's name and contact details, a unique invoice number and issue date, the child's name, the billing period it covers, an itemised breakdown of charges, the total amount due, and clear payment terms including the due date. Missing any of these tends to generate a follow-up query, which is more admin work than including it upfront.

Separate the subsidy from the fee

Where a child's place is partly subsidised through NCS or ECCE, showing the gross fee, the subsidy amount applied, and the net amount actually due as three distinct lines, rather than a single already-netted total, gives parents a much clearer picture of what they're paying versus what's being funded. It also makes the invoice self-explanatory if a parent later needs to check their own NCS award against what they were charged.

Itemise extras clearly

Core fees, meals, camps, late collection charges, or any other add-on should appear as separate line items instead of being folded into a single figure. A parent who can see exactly what a charge relates to is far less likely to query it, and a service that itemises consistently has a much easier time explaining a bill if a question does come up.

VAT status

Most Irish childcare services regulated under the Child Care Act 1991 qualify for VAT exemption on their childcare fees, whether run on a non-profit or for-profit basis, but the specifics depend on individual circumstances, so it's worth confirming your own service's VAT position with Revenue or an accountant rather than assuming it automatically applies.

If VAT exemption does apply, it's still worth stating this clearly on the invoice (e.g. "VAT exempt under the Child Care Act 1991") instead of leaving VAT unexplained. This avoids any ambiguity for parents who may query it.

How Tot Tracker helps

Tot Tracker's fee and payment tracking generates itemised invoices that separate gross fees, applied subsidies and net amounts due automatically, reducing manual invoice preparation and the billing queries that come from unclear totals.

Frequently asked questions

Most childcare services regulated under the Child Care Act 1991 qualify for VAT exemption, whether run on a non-profit or for-profit basis. Confirm your own service's VAT status with Revenue or an accountant, since exemption depends on specific circumstances.
Yes, showing the gross fee, the subsidy applied, and the net amount due separately gives parents a clear picture of what they're actually paying versus what's being funded, and reduces confusion or queries about the total.
The service's name and contact details, an invoice number and date, the child's name, the billing period, an itemised breakdown of charges, the total due, and clear payment terms including the due date.
Specific enough that a parent can see exactly what they're being charged for, core fees, any extras like meals or camps, and any credits or subsidies, rather than a single lump-sum figure that leaves them guessing.