Getting a VAT invoice for your subscription

Last updated: 12 June 2026

The short version: Drover is sold through the Apple App Store and Google Play, so the store — not Drover Ltd — is the seller, and the VAT invoice comes from them. It takes a couple of minutes to request. And because the subscription costs well under £250 including VAT, HMRC's simplified-invoice rules apply: the invoice doesn't need your farm's business name on it to be valid for reclaiming the VAT.

Why the invoice comes from Apple or Google, not us

When you subscribe inside the app, the payment is taken by the Apple App Store or Google Play — they are the seller of record, they charge the VAT, and they account for it to HMRC. Drover Ltd never takes your payment, so we can't issue a VAT invoice for it. The store can, and does.

If you subscribed on an iPhone or iPad (App Store)

Open your Apple purchase history. Easiest route: go to reportaproblem.apple.com and sign in with the Apple Account you subscribed with, or on the device go to Settings → your name → Purchase History.
Find the Drover subscription charge and note the date and order ID.
Request a VAT invoice for that order from Apple. Apple emails a receipt for every charge; if the email receipt doesn't show what your accountant needs, ask Apple Support (billing) for a VAT invoice for the order — give them the order ID. The invoice shows the VAT amount and Apple's VAT registration details.

If you subscribed on an Android phone (Google Play)

Go to pay.google.com and sign in with the Google account you subscribed with.
Open Activity (or Subscriptions & services) and find the Drover charge.
Open the transaction — the receipt/invoice for it, showing the VAT, is available there to view or download.

"But it hasn't got the farm's name on it"

It doesn't need it. Store receipts are issued against your personal Apple or Google account, so they won't carry your farm business's name — and for a purchase this size, that's fine. HMRC's rules allow a simplified VAT invoice for supplies of £250 or less including VAT. A simplified invoice needs the seller's name, address and VAT number, the date, a description of what was supplied, the VAT rate and the total including VAT — but not the customer's name or address. Drover's subscription (£120 a year plus VAT, so £144 including VAT) is comfortably under the £250 line, so the store's invoice qualifies and your farm can reclaim the input VAT through its VAT return in the normal way.

HMRC's guidance on simplified invoices is on gov.uk (VAT invoices).

Practical tips

The subscription renews once a year, so this is a once-a-year, two-minute job. Forward the invoice to your accountant or drop it in the farm records folder when the renewal email arrives.
Keep the invoice with your VAT records like any other purchase invoice (HMRC expects you to keep VAT records for 6 years).
If your accountant wants something the store won't provide, email us at james@getdrover.co.uk and we'll help you chase it.

This page is practical help, not tax advice — if in doubt, ask your accountant.