# Create a credit note

Issue a credit note to adjust the amount of a finalized invoice. For a `status=open` invoice, a credit note reduces its `amount_due`. For a `status=paid` invoice, a credit note does not affect its `amount_due`. Instead, it can result in any combination of the following:

- Refund: create a new refund (using `refund_amount`) or link an existing refund (using `refund`).
- Customer balance credit: credit the customer’s balance (using `credit_amount`) which will be automatically applied to their next invoice when it’s finalized.
- Outside of Stripe credit: record the amount that is or will be credited outside of Stripe (using `out_of_band_amount`).

For post-payment credit notes the sum of the refund, credit and outside of Stripe amounts must equal the credit note total.

You may issue multiple credit notes for an invoice. Each credit note will increment the invoice’s `pre_payment_credit_notes_amount` or `post_payment_credit_notes_amount` depending on its `status` at the time of credit note creation.

## Returns

Returns a credit note object if the call succeeded.

## Parameters

- `invoice` (string, required)
  ID of the invoice.

- `amount` (integer, optional)
  The integer amount in cents representing the total amount of the credit note.

- `credit_amount` (integer, optional)
  The integer amount in cents representing the amount to credit the customer’s balance, which will be automatically applied to their next invoice.

- `effective_at` (timestamp, optional)
  The date when this credit note is in effect. Same as `created` unless overwritten. When defined, this value replaces the system-generated ‘Date of issue’ printed on the credit note PDF.

- `email_type` (enum, optional)
  Type of email to send to the customer, one of `credit_note` or `none` and the default is `credit_note`.
Possible enum values:
  - `credit_note`
    credit note email

  - `none`
    no email

- `lines` (array of objects, optional)
  Line items that make up the credit note.

  - `lines.type` (enum, required)
    Type of the credit note line item, one of `invoice_line_item` or `custom_line_item`
Possible enum values:
    - `custom_line_item`
    - `invoice_line_item`

  - `lines.amount` (integer, optional)
    The line item amount to credit. Only valid when `type` is `invoice_line_item`. If invoice is set up with `automatic_tax[enabled]=true`, this amount is tax exclusive

  - `lines.description` (string, optional)
    The description of the credit note line item. Only valid when the `type` is `custom_line_item`.

  - `lines.invoice_line_item` (string, optional)
    The invoice line item to credit. Only valid when the `type` is `invoice_line_item`.

  - `lines.quantity` (integer, optional)
    The line item quantity to credit.

  - `lines.tax_amounts` (array of objects, optional)
    A list of up to 10 tax amounts for the credit note line item. Cannot be mixed with `tax_rates`.

    - `lines.tax_amounts.amount` (integer, required)
      The amount, in cents, of the tax.

    - `lines.tax_amounts.tax_rate` (string, required)
      The id of the tax rate for this tax amount. The tax rate must have been automatically created by Stripe.

    - `lines.tax_amounts.taxable_amount` (integer, required)
      The amount on which tax is calculated, in cents.

  - `lines.tax_rates` (array of strings, optional)
    The tax rates which apply to the credit note line item. Only valid when the `type` is `custom_line_item` and cannot be mixed with `tax_amounts`.

  - `lines.unit_amount` (integer, optional)
    The integer unit amount in cents of the credit note line item. This `unit_amount` will be multiplied by the quantity to get the full amount to credit for this line item. Only valid when `type` is `custom_line_item`.

  - `lines.unit_amount_decimal` (string, optional)
    Same as `unit_amount`, but accepts a decimal value in cents with at most 12 decimal places. Only one of `unit_amount` and `unit_amount_decimal` can be set.

- `memo` (string, optional)
  The credit note’s memo appears on the credit note PDF.

- `metadata` (object, optional)
  Set of [key-value pairs](https://docs.stripe.com/docs/api/metadata.md) that you can attach to an object. This can be useful for storing additional information about the object in a structured format. Individual keys can be unset by posting an empty value to them. All keys can be unset by posting an empty value to `metadata`.

- `out_of_band_amount` (integer, optional)
  The integer amount in cents representing the amount that is credited outside of Stripe.

- `reason` (enum, optional)
  Reason for issuing this credit note, one of `duplicate`, `fraudulent`, `order_change`, or `product_unsatisfactory`
Possible enum values:
  - `duplicate`
  - `fraudulent`
  - `order_change`
  - `product_unsatisfactory`

- `refund_amount` (integer, optional)
  The integer amount in cents representing the amount to refund. If set, a refund will be created for the charge associated with the invoice.

- `refunds` (array of objects, optional)
  Refunds to link to this credit note.

  - `refunds.amount_refunded` (integer, optional)
    Amount of the refund that applies to this credit note, in cents. Defaults to the entire refund amount.

  - `refunds.refund` (string, optional)
    ID of an existing refund to link this credit note to.

- `shipping_cost` (object, optional)
  When shipping_cost contains the shipping_rate from the invoice, the shipping_cost is included in the credit note.

  - `shipping_cost.shipping_rate` (string, required if shipping cost should be included for credit note)
    The ID of the shipping rate to use for this order.

```curl
curl https://api.stripe.com/v1/credit_notes \
  -u "<<YOUR_SECRET_KEY>>" \
  -H "Stripe-Version: 2025-03-31.basil" \
  -d invoice=in_1MxvRkLkdIwHu7ixABNtI99m
```

### Response

```json
{
  "id": "cn_1MxvRqLkdIwHu7ixY0xbUcxk",
  "object": "credit_note",
  "amount": 1099,
  "amount_shipping": 0,
  "created": 1681750958,
  "currency": "usd",
  "customer": "cus_NjLgPhUokHubJC",
  "customer_balance_transaction": null,
  "discount_amount": 0,
  "discount_amounts": [],
  "invoice": "in_1MxvRkLkdIwHu7ixABNtI99m",
  "lines": {
    "object": "list",
    "data": [
      {
        "id": "cnli_1MxvRqLkdIwHu7ixFpdhBFQf",
        "object": "credit_note_line_item",
        "amount": 1099,
        "description": "T-shirt",
        "discount_amount": 0,
        "discount_amounts": [],
        "invoice_line_item": "il_1MxvRlLkdIwHu7ixnkbntxUV",
        "livemode": false,
        "quantity": 1,
        "tax_rates": [],
        "taxes": [],
        "type": "invoice_line_item",
        "unit_amount": 1099,
        "unit_amount_decimal": "1099"
      }
    ],
    "has_more": false,
    "url": "/v1/credit_notes/cn_1MxvRqLkdIwHu7ixY0xbUcxk/lines"
  },
  "livemode": false,
  "memo": null,
  "metadata": {},
  "number": "C9E0C52C-0036-CN-01",
  "out_of_band_amount": null,
  "pdf": "https://pay.stripe.com/credit_notes/acct_1M2JTkLkdIwHu7ix/test_YWNjdF8xTTJKVGtMa2RJd0h1N2l4LF9Oak9FOUtQNFlPdk52UXhFd2Z4SU45alpEd21kd0Y4LDcyMjkxNzU50200cROQsSK2/pdf?s=ap",
  "reason": null,
  "refunds": [],
  "shipping_cost": null,
  "status": "issued",
  "subtotal": 1099,
  "subtotal_excluding_tax": 1099,
  "total": 1099,
  "total_excluding_tax": 1099,
  "total_taxes": [],
  "type": "pre_payment",
  "voided_at": null
}
```