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Accounting and invoicing for carpentry firms

Roof truss, timber frame, carport, extension: carpentry firms tie large amounts of timber and hours to a job and bill in stages. Saldiqo issues stage invoices on timber order and fitting, runs the final invoice and assigns timber and crane invoices to the job.

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What comes up for carpentry firms

High material value

Structural timber, insulation and fittings make up a large part of the price and have to be pre-financed.

Crane and third-party services

Crane, structural design and scaffolding come from third parties and are often re-invoiced.

Fitting time

Fitting at height, weather and dates make effort hard to predict, so exact time tracking is useful.

How Saldiqo helps

  • Stage invoices on timber order and fittingQuote, stage invoices by section, final invoice.
  • Re-invoice third-party servicesRecord crane, design and scaffolding as expenses and re-invoice them.
  • Time trackingRecord fitting time per job and evaluate it.
  • Cost centre per projectEvaluate material, time and invoices per project.

Typical invoice lines

Examples that often appear on invoices in this industry. You set the prices yourself.

  • Roof truss cutting and raising, flat fee
  • Timber frame wall, square metres
  • Crane use re-invoiced as per receipt
  • Fitting, hour
  • Structural timber as per delivery note
  • Stage invoice 30 % on timber order

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

How do I pre-finance timber purchases?

With a stage invoice on timber order, straight from the quote.

Can I re-invoice crane and design?

Yes. You record the invoice as an expense with the job’s cost centre and re-invoice it as a line.

Do carpentry firms 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 carpentry firms 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 carpentry firms 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.

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As of October 2026. General information, not legal or tax advice, without guarantee. For your case ask your tax adviser.