Accounting and invoicing for music schools
One-to-one lessons, group courses, instrument rental, concerts and teachers’ fees: a music school has many pupils with fixed monthly fees and freelance teachers paid by the hour. Saldiqo creates the fees as a series, records fees and sheet music and bills concerts and rental.
What comes up for music schools
Fixed fees
One-to-one lessons are billed monthly. The amount stays the same, apart from holidays.
Freelance teachers
Teachers get a fee by the hour. The billing has to match the pupils’ fees.
Rental and concerts
Instruments are rented out, concerts and recitals organised.
How Saldiqo helps
- Recurring invoice per pupilMonthly fee on schedule.
- Record feesTeachers’ invoices with a cost centre per subject.
- Rental as a seriesMonthly rental fee on schedule.
- Concerts by invoiceEntry or fee as lines.
Typical invoice lines
Examples that often appear on invoices in this industry. You set the prices yourself.
- Piano one-to-one, November, 4 lessons
- Guitar group course, quarter
- Instrument rental, month
- Sheet music re-invoiced as per receipt
- Concert fee
- Credit note: cancelled lesson
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 bill fees for many pupils automatically?
Yes. A recurring invoice per pupil creates the invoice on a fixed date.
How do I handle cancelled lessons?
With a credit note or a credit in the next invoice.
Do music schools 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 music schools 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 music schools 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.
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.