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 Ireland
What applies to invoices in Ireland, in short. As of October 2026.
- VAT
- Standard rate 23 %, reduced rates 13.5 % and 9 %, 4.8 % for livestock, and 0 %. Since 1 July 2026 a 9 % rate applies to restaurants, catering, hot takeaway food and hairdressing, excluding alcohol and soft drinks.
- VAT registration
- Registration is required above €42,500 a year for services and above €85,000 for goods, if at least 90 % of turnover comes from goods. Saldiqo leaves VAT off your invoices while you are below the threshold and shows how much room is left.
- What goes on an invoice
- Registered businesses show their VAT number. Sole traders and partnerships providing services show their tax reference number, or their full name and address, on invoices and receipts of €7 or more (section 885 TCA). Companies show their name, CRO number and registered office, and directors’ details on letters, order forms and the website.
- Invoice timing
- Issue a VAT invoice within 15 days after the end of the month in which the supply took place.
- E-invoicing
- From 1 November 2028 every business must be able to receive e-invoices. Issuing is phased in: first for suppliers to large corporates, from November 2029 for businesses trading B2B within the EU, and from 1 July 2030 under the EU VAT in the Digital Age rules. A PDF does not count as an e-invoice, and the technical specifications are not yet published.
- VAT returns
- VAT3 returns are filed every two months through ROS, by the 19th of the following month, or the 23rd when you file online through ROS. Saldiqo does not file returns, your accountant or ROS does.
- Record keeping
- Keep records for 6 years, longer while a review is open.
- Late payment
- Interest on late business payments is the ECB main refinancing rate (2.40 % in the second half of 2026) plus 8 points, so 10.40 %, plus fixed compensation of €40, €70 or €100 depending on the amount owed.
- Getting paid
- IBAN and BIC are on every invoice, plus a SEPA QR code (EPC) for banking apps that can read it.
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 Ireland have to charge VAT?
Once they are registered, yes. Registration is required from the sale that takes turnover over €42,500 a year for services or €85,000 for goods, where at least 90 % of turnover comes from goods. Below those limits Saldiqo leaves VAT off your invoices.
Do locksmiths in Ireland need e-invoicing?
Not yet. From 1 November 2028 every business must be able to receive e-invoices. The duty to issue them phases in from the same date for suppliers to large corporates and later for more businesses. PDF invoices do not count as e-invoices.
How long should locksmiths keep invoices?
Keep records for 6 years, longer while a review is open. 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.