A statement of account is a summary of everything that happened on one client’s account over a period: the balance they started with, the invoices you issued, the payments and credits you received, and what they owe at the end. An invoice asks for payment for one job. A statement shows the whole position. Clients with several invoices a month, and their bookkeepers, settle from the statement.
What a statement of account includes
- Your business name, contact details and logo
- The client’s name and contact details
- The statement date, the period it covers, and an “as at” date for the closing balance
- The opening balance brought forward from the previous period
- One line per invoice issued in the period: date, number, amount, and whether it is paid or outstanding
- One line per payment received and per credit note issued
- The closing balance: what the client owes now
- Optionally, an ageing summary: current, 30, 60, 90 days and older
- Your banking details or a link to pay online
Statements are not tax invoices and SARS does not regulate their layout. They cannot be used to claim input VAT. The individual tax invoices do that.
A worked example
Here is a statement for a Johannesburg design studio’s retainer client, covering August 2026.
STATEMENT OF ACCOUNT
From: Studio Blake (Pty) Ltd, 8 Bree Street, Cape Town 8001 To: Sunrise Retail (Pty) Ltd, 45 Main Road, Johannesburg 2000 Period: 1 to 31 August 2026. Balance as at: 31 August 2026
| Date | Reference | Description | Debit | Credit | Balance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Aug | Opening balance brought forward | R11,500.00 | |||
| 5 Aug | PAY-0231 | Payment received, EFT, ref INV-0098 | R11,500.00 | R0.00 | |
| 8 Aug | INV-0104 | Monthly retainer, August 2026 | R9,200.00 | R9,200.00 | |
| 19 Aug | INV-0107 | Landing page, product launch | R6,900.00 | R16,100.00 | |
| 22 Aug | CN-0012 | Credit note, hours not used on INV-0104 | R1,150.00 | R14,950.00 | |
| 31 Aug | Closing balance | R14,950.00 |
Ageing: current R14,950.00. 30 days R0.00. 60 days and older R0.00.
Pay by EFT to First National Bank, account 62123456789, branch 250655, reference SUNRISE, or pay online at the link below.
Two things make this easy to settle. The client can see that the opening balance was paid and only two new invoices and one credit are open, and the reference column tells their bookkeeper which document each line belongs to.
When to send a statement of account
Monthly, for clients with several invoices. Send it at month-end, when accounts payable teams run their payments. One statement replaces three or four separate reminders.
When a client has more than one overdue invoice. “You have three outstanding invoices totalling R18,750, statement attached” reads better and gets paid faster than three chasers.
At the end of a project. A closing statement confirms everything is settled, or shows exactly what is not.
Whenever a bookkeeper asks. Corporate clients reconcile supplier accounts monthly and will request a statement. Having one ready, or a portal they can pull it from, takes you out of that loop.
Statement of account vs invoice
| Invoice | Statement of account | |
|---|---|---|
| Covers | One transaction | Every transaction in a period |
| Purpose | Requests payment | Summarises the account position |
| Regulated by SARS | Yes, tax invoice requirements | No |
| Supports an input VAT claim | Yes | No |
| Starts the late-fee clock | Yes, from its due date | No |
| Sent | When the work is done | Periodically or on request |
Not the same as a SARS statement of account
If you searched for “statement of account from SARS”, that is your own tax account, not a client document. SARS issues a statement of account on eFiling showing assessments, payments, penalties and interest for income tax, VAT or PAYE, and the balance you owe or are due. Request it under the relevant tax type on eFiling, or through the SARS MobiApp. The rest of this article is about the statements you send to your clients.
Quick answer
What is a statement of account in South Africa?
A statement of account in South Africa is a document a supplier sends a client summarising every transaction on that client’s account over a period: the opening balance brought forward, each invoice issued with its date, number and amount, each payment and credit note received, and the closing balance the client owes as at the statement date. It often adds an ageing summary showing how much is current and how much is 30, 60 or 90 days overdue. A statement is not a tax invoice, is not regulated by SARS and cannot be used to claim input VAT; the individual tax invoices do that. Businesses send statements monthly to clients with several invoices, when a client has more than one overdue invoice, at the end of a project, and when a bookkeeper asks. A statement of account from SARS is a different document showing the balance of your own tax account on eFiling. Rebill produces a client statement for any period, with your logo and an as-at date, on its free plan, and clients can pull their own from the client portal.
How to send a statement of account
Keep it to one row per transaction, a running balance, a clear closing figure and one way to pay. Send it as a PDF by email, or by WhatsApp for clients you already talk to there.
In Rebill, statements are on every plan including free:
- Open the client and choose Statement.
- Pick the period, or use the current financial year. The balance brought forward is calculated for you.
- The PDF carries your logo and an as-at date. Email it, share it on WhatsApp, or let the client fetch it themselves from their client portal.
Payments recorded against invoices, credits carried over from the payment ledger, and credit notes all appear on the statement in the right order, so the closing balance matches what the client actually owes. See statements in Rebill.
Frequently asked questions
Does a statement of account replace an invoice?
No. A statement is a summary. Your clients still need each individual tax invoice to claim input VAT, and a statement cannot stand in for an invoice with SARS. Send an invoice per transaction and use statements to show the account position.
What is the difference between a statement of account and a SARS statement of account?
A client statement of account is a document you send a customer listing their invoices, payments and balance. A SARS statement of account is issued to you on eFiling and shows the balance of your own tax account, including assessments, payments, penalties and interest, for a given tax type.
Should I include paid invoices on a statement?
For a full account history, yes, with each payment shown against it so the running balance makes sense. For a quick outstanding-only view, list only unpaid invoices. Rebill's statement shows both the transactions in the period and the closing balance.
Can I charge a late fee based on a statement?
No. Late fees run from the due date on each invoice, not from the statement date. A statement is the place to show the fee that has already accrued on an overdue invoice.
How often should I send statements to clients?
Monthly, around month-end, is the norm for South African businesses with clients who pay in batches. Clients with one or two invoices a month rarely need one; the invoices are enough.
Are client statements free in Rebill?
Yes. Client statements for any period, with the balance brought forward, your logo and an as-at date, are included on the free plan. The client portal, where clients can view and download their own statement, is also free.