What is a Petty Cash Voucher
A petty cash voucher is a document that allows an employee of a small business to withdraw small, nominal sums of money for various purposes. This may be for office supplies or other incidentals. It is best to attach the receipt to the voucher to keep track of the expenditure.
A petty cash voucher template contains the following information:
- Type of transaction (e.g., “Office Supplies”)
- Date of transaction
- Description of goods or services purchased
- Amounts spent on each item/service provided
- Signature
In this article, we have created a petty cash voucher template and a petty cash log, both of which are free to download. The templates are easy to use and have full instructions. The petty cash log is a helpful tool for keeping track of your expenditures and ensuring that all expenses are recorded.
What is the Maximum Amount of Money that can be Withdrawn using a Petty Cash Voucher?
A business will set a limit to the amount that can be withdrawn from petty cash as part of its procedures. The amount will vary from business to business. More businesses are now moving away from using cash and issuing staff with a debit or payment card. There are many banks offering free accounts and cards.
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What is Petty Cash?
A petty cash system allows businesses to pay for small, everyday expenses. This system involves setting aside a small amount of money from the company’s bank account to cover costs such as coffee, postage, or stationery.
Free Petty Cash Voucher Template
The voucher has been set up as four vouchers per template; you may print them out and fill them in by hand or complete them on the computer screen. If you complete them by hand, delete the zeros before printing.
Petty cash vouchers are small, as most businesses keep them in a tin with the cash.
Information Required for Petty Cash Vouchers
The following details are required for each voucher:
- Date – This is the date the cash was withdrawn.
- Voucher Number – If you have a few cash transactions, using a numerical sequence may make it easier to track them.
- Description – Give a complete description of the money’s intended purpose.
- Approved By – If you need someone, such as a manager, to authorise payments, they can sign here.
- Cash Received – This can be either the signature or the name of the person taking the cash.
Below is an example of a completed voucher.
If you give a cash advance to an employee, complete the voucher as follows: Enter the total amount given. Enter the change as a minus figure. The total is then calculated as the amount spent.
The example above shows a cash advance of 50.00, change of 14.52 and a total amount spent of 35.48.
It is essential to obtain and attach any receipts related to the petty cash transaction to the back of the receipt and file them together.
When complete, the vouchers can be filed, generally in date order. If you are using them in Excel, you can set up a file on your computer or in the cloud.
Licence Agreement
By downloading our free templates, you agree to our licence agreement, allowing you to use the templates for your own personal or business use only. You may not share, distribute, or resell the templates to anyone else in any way.
Petty Cash Log
We also offer a free petty cash log template. It allows you to record all the income and expenditure for petty cash and check it balances.
Each voucher is recorded as an expense on the register. At the end of the month, the income and expenditure are calculated, and the balance should be the same as the amount in the petty cash box.
The figures are entered into the accounting software to ensure that accurate records are kept.
Petty Cash Voucher Pad
An alternative to using our template is to purchase a petty cash voucher pad from a stationery shop or an online retailer. The pad should contain at least 100 vouchers and be bound.
Petty Cash Voucher FAQ
What is a petty cash voucher used for?
A petty cash voucher is used to record small cash payments made from the petty cash fund, such as postage, stationery, or minor refreshments. Each voucher records the date, the amount paid, and the purpose, and is signed by the person receiving the cash. Vouchers allow you to account for every payment out of the fund.
How do I reconcile a petty cash fund?
To reconcile petty cash, add up all the vouchers paid out since the last top-up and subtract that total from your opening balance. The result should equal the cash physically remaining in the tin or box. If there is a difference, check each voucher against the cash to find the discrepancy. Top up the fund back to the float amount when it runs low.
What is a petty cash float?
A petty cash float is a fixed amount of cash set aside to cover small everyday business expenses without needing to write a cheque or process a bank transfer. A typical float for a small business might be between £50 and £200. When the float runs low, it is topped back up to the original amount.
Do I need receipts as well as petty cash vouchers?
Yes. Best practice is to attach the original receipt to the petty cash voucher for every payment. The receipt is evidence of the expense, and the voucher records the authorisation. HMRC expects you to retain receipts to support any expense claim on your tax return.
Petty Cash Voucher Conclusion
Download the free Petty Cash Voucher templates and use them as a starting point to build your own petty cash system.
We also offer a free petty cash log template to help you track all transactions and improve accountability. Read our petty cash guide if you need more advice on setting up a comprehensive petty cash management system.
Last updated: March 2026
