By Lee, founder of leodesign
Short answer: as a freelance designer in Malaysia, send every client two documents before you start: a short contract and an invoice in MYR. Put your DuitNow ID or DuitNow QR and your bank details right on the invoice, ask for a deposit before work begins, and put revisions, copyright transfer and late payment in writing. On e-invoicing: as of Nov 2026, LHDN says taxpayers with annual turnover or revenue below RM3 million are exempt from e-Invoice implementation, with exceptions for businesses tied to larger groups.
Checklist before you start a job
- A signed contract: scope, deliverables, number of revision rounds, timeline, deposit, payment terms, copyright and usage, what happens if the project is cancelled
- A deposit invoice (for example 30–50%) and a separate balance invoice
- Amounts in MYR, with your DuitNow ID (mobile number, MyKad/NRIC, passport or business registration number) and/or DuitNow QR plus your bank account
- A clear due date and what happens when payment is late
- A note on whether e-invoicing applies to you (most solo designers check against the RM3 million threshold below)
Getting paid in Malaysia: DuitNow, DuitNow QR and bank transfer
Most Malaysian clients will pay by online transfer, so make that easy.
DuitNow Transfer. According to PayNet, you can receive money with a DuitNow ID linked to your bank account or eWallet. The ID can be your mobile number, NRIC number, passport number, or a Business Registration Number (BRN) for SSM-registered businesses. Senders don't need to register; you, as the receiver, do a one-time registration through your bank. Each ID can only be linked to one bank account. PayNet's page also says transfers up to RM5,000 cost nothing, and a 50 sen fee applies above that, which many banks may waive (as of Nov 2026).
DuitNow QR. PayNet describes DuitNow QR as one QR that works across participating banks and eWallets: clients scan it, key in the amount and pay. For a freelancer, a DuitNow QR on the invoice is often the fastest way to get the deposit in the same day.
Plain bank transfer. Always include your account name, bank and account number as a fallback. Some corporate clients pay through their own payment runs and won't scan a QR.
Clients in Singapore. The Association of Banks in Singapore says a PayNow user at a participating bank can send money to a DuitNow user in Malaysia by keying in the recipient's registered DuitNow mobile number. It isn't offered by every bank, so check with your client's bank before you rely on it.
Practical tip: put the invoice number in the payment reference field ("INV-024 deposit"). Matching payments to invoices later is much easier.
Contract terms that protect a Malaysian freelance designer
You don't need a 20-page agreement for a logo or packaging job. You do need the few clauses that cause most disputes. Write them in plain English (or Bahasa Malaysia/Chinese if that is what your client reads best) and get them signed before work starts.
Scope and deliverables. List exactly what you will hand over: "1 primary logo, 2 alternate lockups, colour palette, files in AI/PDF/PNG." Anything not listed is extra.
Deposit. A deposit is your filter for serious clients. Many designers ask for 30–50% before starting, and the balance before the final files are released. State that work starts once the deposit has been received.
Revisions. Say how many rounds are included (two or three is common) and how extra rounds are charged, for example per round or per hour. "Unlimited revisions" is how a two-week job turns into a three-month job.
Copyright and usage. Spell out when ownership or a licence passes to the client. A common approach: the client receives the agreed rights to the final artwork only after full payment, and you keep the right to show the work in your portfolio unless you agree otherwise. If the client wants full assignment of copyright, price it in.
Late payment. State the due date (for example 7 or 14 days after invoice) and what happens if it's missed: work pauses, files are held back, and a late fee or interest applies if you've both agreed to one. Keep it reasonable and write the exact amount or rate in the contract so there are no surprises.
Cancellation (kill fee). If the client stops the project halfway, the deposit is usually non-refundable and work done to date is billed.
Signatures and records. Keep a record of who signed, when and which version. A screenshot of "OK proceed" on WhatsApp is better than nothing, but a signed document is much clearer if you ever need it.
You can draft these clauses for free with the design contract generator. It runs in your browser, no sign-up.
What to put on a freelance design invoice in Malaysia
- Your name or business name, contact details, and SSM registration number if you have one
- Client name and company
- Invoice number and date, plus due date
- Line items (for example "Packaging design — 3 SKUs") with quantities and amounts
- Currency: MYR (write "RM" or "MYR" clearly)
- Whether this is the deposit or the balance invoice, and the amount already paid
- Payment instructions: DuitNow ID, DuitNow QR, bank account
- A short note on your payment terms
The free designer invoice generator gives you a clean invoice you can print to PDF. It also runs in your browser, no sign-up.
E-invoicing (LHDN MyInvois): where things stand in Nov 2026
This is general information only, not tax advice. Rules have changed several times, so check LHDN's own pages or ask a tax adviser about your situation.
As of Nov 2026, LHDN's e-Invoice implementation timeline page (last updated 30 August 2026) lists these phases:
- Annual turnover or revenue of more than RM100 million: 1 August 2024
- More than RM25 million and up to RM100 million: 1 January 2025
- More than RM5 million and up to RM25 million: 1 July 2025
- Up to RM5 million: 1 January 2026
The same page says taxpayers with annual turnover or revenue below RM3,000,000 are exempted from e-Invoice implementation. LHDN's e-Invoice FAQ (updated 4 September 2026) says the exemption applies to all categories of taxpayers, including individuals and partnerships. It does not apply where the taxpayer has a non-individual shareholder, holding company, related company or joint venture with turnover or revenue of at least RM3 million. For sole proprietors, the FAQ says turnover from all sole proprietorships registered under the same person counts together. If you later reach RM3 million, the FAQ says implementation starts from 1 January of the second year after the year of assessment in which you crossed it.
For most solo designers, that means you probably aren't required to issue e-Invoices through MyInvois right now. But confirm your own position, especially if your business is part of a larger group. Leostu does not file taxes or submit e-Invoices to MyInvois. It handles your contracts, invoices and payment tracking.
How Leostu fits this workflow
Leostu is an order desk for independent designers. You create an order, and it generates the contract and invoice together. You send your client one link with an access code. They read the contract and sign by hand on their phone, with no account and no app to install, and you get an email when it's signed.
- Your payment details, your money. Invoices show your own payment details and QR codes: bank, DuitNow, PayNow, WeChat Pay, Alipay, PayPal and more. Clients pay you directly. Money never goes through Leostu.
- Deposit and balance tracked separately, with deposit options of 30/40/50/60% or full payment, plus a "who owes you" list.
- Pre-written payment reminders for the deposit, the balance and a thank-you, polite or direct, showing how many days have passed.
- Signing records: signer name, hand-drawn signature, time, IP and a contract fingerprint, with a flag if the contract changes after signing. This is not a CA-certified e-signature, and its legal weight depends on the jurisdiction.
- English and Chinese contracts for the same order, and currency set per order. Stats never mix currencies.
The free plan allows 3 active orders at a time. Pro is $3.75/month billed yearly, with a 14-day trial and no card needed. See pricing.
This page is general information, not legal or tax advice. Rules and fees change, so check the official sources and get professional advice for your situation.