What is a freight invoice? When is the time for issuing a freight invoice in Vietnam in 2025?

What is a freight invoice?

Currently, the law does not specify what constitutes a freight invoice. However, it can be understood that a freight invoice, also known as a freight invoice, is a type of document confirming the delivery and receipt of goods between the seller and the buyer, simultaneously serving as the basis for payment of transportation fees between parties.

When is the time for issuing a freight invoice in Vietnam in 2025?

Based on Clause 2, Article 9 of Decree 123/2020/ND-CP, regulations on the timing of invoice issuance are as follows:

Time of Invoice Issuance

1. The time of invoice issuance for sale of goods (including sale of state-owned assets, confiscated assets, assets contributed to the state budget, and sale of national reserves) is at the time of transfer of ownership or right of use of goods to the buyer, regardless of whether payment has been received or not.

2. The time of invoice issuance for service provision is at the time the service provision is completed, regardless of whether payment has been received or not. In the event that the service provider collects payment in advance or during service provision, the time of invoice issuance is the time of payment (excluding cases of collecting deposits or advance payments to ensure the performance of service provision contracts such as accounting, auditing, financial consultancy, tax, valuation, technical survey and design, supervisory consultancy, project establishment for construction investment).

3. In cases of multiple deliveries or handovers of service stages, an invoice must be issued for each delivery or handover corresponding to the volume and value of goods or services delivered.

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According to the above regulations, the time for issuing a freight invoice is when the transportation service is completed regardless of whether payment has been received.

In cases where the transportation service provider collects payment in advance or during service provision, the time of invoice issuance is when payment is collected.

What is a freight invoice? When is the time for issuing a freight invoice in Vietnam in 2025?

What are regulations on the names, addresses, and TINs of the seller and buyer displayed on a freight invoice in Vietnam?

According to Clauses 4 and 5, Article 10 of Decree 123/2020/ND-CP, guidance on listing the seller's and buyer's names, addresses, and TINs on a freight invoice is provided as follows:

(i) Name, Address, and TIN of the Seller

The invoice must display the name, address, and TIN of the seller as recorded in the enterprise registration certificate, branch operational registration certificate, household business registration certificate, taxpayer registration certificate, tax identification notification, investment registration certificate, or cooperative registration certificate.

(ii) Name, Address, and TIN of the Buyer

- In cases where the buyer is a business establishment with a TIN, the name, address, and TIN of the buyer on the invoice must be accurately recorded as stated in the enterprise registration certificate, branch operational registration certificate, household business registration certificate, taxpayer registration certificate, tax identification notification, investment registration certificate, or cooperative registration certificate.

In cases where the buyer's name and address are too long, the seller may abbreviate certain common nouns on the invoice, such as: "Ward" to "P"; "District" to "Q", "City" to "TP", "Vietnam" to "VN" or "Joint Stock" to "CP", "Limited Liability" to "TNHH", "industrial zone" to "KCN", "production" to "SX", "Branch" to "CN," etc., but must ensure full house number, street name, ward, commune, district, city, accurately identifying the enterprise's name and address as registered with the business and taxpayer registration.

- In cases where the buyer does not have a TIN, the invoice does not need to display the buyer's TIN.

Certain cases of providing services specifically for consumers who are individuals as stated in Clause 14, Article 10 of Decree 123/2020/ND-CP do not require the invoice to display the buyer's name or address, specifically:

Invoice Content

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14. In certain cases, an electronic invoice does not necessarily include full content

a) An electronic invoice does not necessarily need the buyer's electronic signature (including cases where electronic invoices are issued when selling goods or providing services to foreign customers). If the buyer is a business entity and there is an agreement between the buyer and the seller about the technical conditions for digitally signing, electronic signing of invoices, the electronic invoice will have the digital signature, electronic signature of both seller and buyer as agreed upon by both parties.

b) In cases where the electronic invoice provided by the tax agency for each occurrence does not necessarily contain the digital signature of the seller or buyer.

c) For electronic invoices issued in supermarkets, shopping centers where the buyer is an individual not engaged in business, the invoice does not necessarily include the buyer's name, address, or TIN.

For electronic invoices issued for fuel sales to individuals not engaged in business, mandatory data such as invoice title, invoice code, invoice number, buyer name, address, TIN, buyer's electronic signature, seller’s digital signature, value-added tax rate are not necessary.

d) For electronic invoices that serve as stamps, tickets, cards, the invoice does not necessarily include the seller's digital signature (except for stamps, tickets, cards as electronic invoices coded by the tax agency), buyer-related fields (name, address, TIN), taxes, value-added tax rates. In cases of electronic stamps, tickets, cards with a pre-set denomination, unit of measurement, quantity, and unit price details are not necessary.

đ) For electronic documents related to air transport services issued via websites and e-commerce systems according to international practices for individual non-trading buyers, these are identified as electronic invoices and do not need to include invoice coding, model invoice list, TIN, buyer’s address, seller’s digital signature.

In cases where a business entity or non-business entity purchases air transport services, electronic documents issued for employees of business or non-business entities through international practice websites and e-commerce systems are not identified as electronic invoices. Air transport service businesses must issue comprehensive electronic invoices as regulated for these organizations that utilize air transport services.

e) For invoices pertaining to construction and installation activities; for selling houses with stage-wise payment according to contracts, the invoice does not necessarily include unit of measurement, quantity, or unit price.

g) For the internal transportation slip cum internal transfer, it showcases information relevant to internal dispatch orders, receiver, issuer, shipping and receiving locations, transportation means. Specifically: the buyer's name refers to the goods receiver, buyer's address refers to the receiving warehouse location; the seller's name refers to the issuer, seller's address refers to the shipping warehouse location and transportation means; taxes, tax rates, and total payment amounts are not showcased.

For agency goods delivery notes, the delivery slip showcases information such as economic contracts, transporter, transport means, shipping and receiving warehouse locations, product name, unit of measurement, quantity, unit price, total amount. Specifically: record the contract date, the month and year of the signed economic contract between entities, carrier’s name, transport contract (if any), seller's address as the shipping warehouse location.

h) Interline payment invoices between airlines issued under International Air Transport Association regulations do not necessarily include invoice code, model invoice list, buyer's name, address, TIN, buyer's digital signature, unit, quantity, unit price.

i) Aviation cargo transport invoices issued to agents are issued according to reconciled reports and general lists, and the invoice does not necessarily include unit price.

k) For construction, installation, manufacturing, and product/service supply activities of defense security enterprises serving defense security activities under the regulations of the Government of Vietnam, the invoice does not necessarily include unit of measurement; quantity; unit price; the goods/services section records the supply of goods/services as per the signed contracts between parties.

In cases of providing services to foreign customers visiting Vietnam, information about the buyer’s address may be replaced with the information of the passport or entry/exit document number and nationality of the foreign customer.