Accounting and invoicing for locksmiths
Door opening, lock changes, burglary protection and access systems: locksmiths work in emergencies and often bill at once on site. Saldiqo writes the invoice with travel, labour and material on the phone, records accessories and vehicles and shows business customers with maintenance contracts.
What comes up for locksmiths
Invoice on site
Payment is often immediate. The invoice has to be transparent: travel, labour, material and surcharges separately.
Night and weekend surcharges
Emergency surcharges belong as their own line on the invoice so that the customer can follow them.
Business and property management customers
Maintenance contracts and collective invoices for properties belong as well.
How Saldiqo helps
- Invoice from the phoneTravel, labour, material and surcharges as lines.
- Business customers with payment termsContact with payment term and reminder.
- Record materialLocks, cylinders and accessories by phone photo.
- Maintenance as a recurring invoiceYearly inspection on schedule.
Typical invoice lines
Examples that often appear on invoices in this industry. You set the prices yourself.
- Door opening, travel within town
- Labour, hours
- Night and weekend surcharge
- Cylinder replacement, material as per receipt
- Maintenance of locking system, yearly
- Burglary protection retrofit, flat fee
Tax and invoicing in Malta
What applies to invoices in Malta, in short. As of October 2026.
- VAT
- Rates 18 %, 12 %, 7 % and 5 %. Malta has no zero rate in law. Exports, EU supplies, food and medicines are exempt with credit, which lets you reclaim input VAT. Exempt without credit does not.
- Article 11 small undertakings
- With up to €35,000 of domestic turnover a year you can be exempt under Article 11. The status ends on the day the limit is passed, and you still register with the VAT department. Saldiqo adds the exemption note and leaves VAT off.
- Tax invoice or fiscal receipt
- A tax invoice is issued only when the customer gives you a VAT number. Otherwise a fiscal receipt from an approved system is required. Saldiqo writes invoices. It is not a fiscal receipt system, and a Saldiqo PDF does not replace a fiscal receipt.
- Invoice timing
- Issue the invoice by the 15th of the following month, or when payment arrives if that comes first. Simplified invoices are allowed up to €100.
- E-invoicing
- There is no mandate. Public bodies accept e-invoices through Peppol (EN 16931). The tax authority plans e-invoicing and real-time reporting but has set no dates, and EU rules apply from 1 July 2030.
- VAT returns
- Returns are due by the 15th day of the second month after the period, with 7 extra days when you file and pay electronically. Article 11 businesses file a yearly declaration by 15 February. Saldiqo does not file returns.
- Record keeping
- VAT records for 6 years, income tax records for 9 years and company records for 10 years. Plan for 10 years.
- Late payment
- Interest on late business payments is 10.40 %, plus €40 compensation between businesses.
- Languages
- Use Saldiqo in English or Maltese and send invoices in either language.
Frequently asked questions
Can I write the invoice on site?
Yes. Saldiqo runs in the browser on your phone, and the invoice goes by email or as a PDF.
How do I show surcharges?
As a separate line with a clear name.
Do locksmiths in Malta have to charge VAT?
If you are registered under Article 10, yes. Small undertakings under Article 11 with domestic turnover of up to €35,000 a year are exempt from charging VAT, but the status ends on the day the limit is passed.
Do locksmiths in Malta need a fiscal receipt?
Sales to consumers need a fiscal receipt from an approved fiscal receipt system, and Article 11 businesses use one for all sales. Saldiqo is not such a system. It covers tax invoices to customers who give you their VAT number.
How long should locksmiths keep invoices?
VAT records for 6 years, income tax records for 9 years and company records for 10 years, so plan for 10 years. You can store receipts digitally in Saldiqo. The legal duty to keep records stays with you.
Try Saldiqo for free
Write invoices, match payments, collect receipts and send reminders: free and without a trial period.
Start for freeThis page for other countries
Related niches
More industries
As of October 2026. General information, not legal or tax advice, without guarantee. For your case ask your tax adviser.