Free invoice template by trade — 43 copy-paste invoice examples
A clear invoice gets paid faster, and the fastest ones look boring: a number, a date, plain line items, the amount due, the due date, and one easy way to pay. This page gives you a free plain-text invoice template to paste into an email or document, versions for one-visit jobs, deposits, monthly service, hourly work, change orders, sales tax, trip fees, credit memos, property managers, and year-end statements, invoice line items for fifteen trades — cleaners, handypeople, painters, landscapers, tutors, pet sitters, contractors, plumbers and electricians, detailers, snow removal, photographers, mobile mechanics, window cleaners, movers, and bookkeepers — plus payment terms, late-fee wording, and footer notes. No account, no download, nothing to buy.
Sample wording only, not legal or tax advice. Rules for sales tax on services, late fees and interest caps, and invoice requirements vary by state and country — check with your state or a tax professional before relying on any of it.
The word “Invoice” and a unique invoice number. The number is what you and the client both say when something goes wrong: “invoice #2026-114,” not “the fence one.”
Your business details — name, phone, email, and any license or registration number your trade has to show — and the client’s name plus the job address if it differs from billing.
Three dates: the invoice date, the date(s) of service, and the due date written as an actual calendar date.
Line items in words a client recognizes, each with quantity, rate, and amount. Separate labor, materials, trip or disposal fees, and anything optional or added later.
Subtotal, then adjustments — discounts, tax where it applies, and any deposit already paid (with its date) — ending in one bold amount due.
How to pay: a link or handle they can use from their phone in under a minute. Every extra step costs you days.
Terms: due date, and late-fee wording only if you told them about it before the work started.
A reference back to the estimate or change orders, so the client can match what they approved to what they’re paying. Start from the estimate template and the invoice almost writes itself.
Invoice vs estimate vs receipt
They look alike and get mixed up all the time, but each one does a different job. An estimate (or quote) comes before the work and says what it will probably cost. An invoice comes after the work, or at a milestone, and asks for payment of a specific amount by a specific date. A receipt comes after payment and confirms the money arrived. One job often has all three, and they should share the same reference numbers.
The most common mix-up is an invoice that is really a receipt: “Paid — thank you” stamped on something the client hasn’t paid yet, or an invoice with no due date so it reads like a record rather than a request. If you want the client to pay, the document must say Amount due, Due by, and How to pay. Once they pay, send a short confirmation — wording is on Payment received confirmation.
Invoice numbers and dates
Use a simple sequence you can keep forever: year plus a running number (2026-001, 2026-002…) works for almost every solo business. It sorts correctly, never repeats, and tells you at a glance how many jobs you billed this year.
Don’t restart or reuse numbers. If you void an invoice, keep the number and mark it void, then issue the correction as a new number (or the same number with “-R1”). Your bookkeeper and your client will both thank you.
For recurring clients, a month-and-name number like 2026-10-RIVERA is fine, as long as it is still unique.
Write the due date as a date, not just “Net 14.” Many clients don’t know what “Net” means, and even those who do won’t count the days.
Send the invoice the day the work is done (or the first business day of the month for recurring work). Invoices sent a week late tend to be paid a week late too, plus the client remembers the work less clearly.
Mistakes that slow payment
A total with no parts. A single line reading “Work completed — $1,825” invites a phone call. The same total split into five lines usually gets paid without a question.
Surprise lines. Anything the client didn’t approve — extra hours, a disposal fee, a change — should never first appear on the invoice. Get it approved in writing when it happens (see Extra work found) and show the approval date on the line.
Missing the deposit. If they paid a deposit and it isn’t shown, they will assume you’re billing them twice.
Hard-to-pay. “Mail a check to my PO box” loses to “tap this link.” Offer at least one instant method.
Wrong name or address. Business clients may need the exact company name and a PO number to pay at all. Ask before you invoice.
Late fees nobody agreed to. A late fee added without prior notice usually costs more goodwill than it collects. Put it on the estimate and booking confirmation first.
No follow-up plan. Decide your reminder rhythm now — a friendly nudge a day after the due date, a second at a week — and use Overdue invoice reminders so you never have to write them angry.
A worked example
Sam, a solo handyperson, finishes four small jobs at Alex’s house on Tuesday afternoon. Before driving away she opens her saved invoice template, changes the client, pastes the four tasks from her estimate as line items (TV mount $240, faucet $145, drywall patches $160, door adjustments $120), adds a $62 materials line from her receipts, and sets the due date as next Tuesday — Net 7.
Because one door needed a new hinge that wasn’t on the estimate, she had texted Alex a photo at noon and got “yes, go ahead” — so the $18 hinge goes on its own line marked “approved by text Oct 28.” The invoice email subject reads “Invoice #2026-118 — $745 due Nov 4.” Alex pays by the card link that evening. Sam sends a one-line payment-received text with a review link, and the whole job — estimate, change, invoice, receipt — is in one email thread if anyone ever asks.
Invoice templates to copy
Start with the full template, or pick the version that fits how you bill. Replace bracketed text; delete lines you don’t need.
Free invoice template (plain text)
Paste into an email, a doc, or your notes app. Fill in the brackets once, save it as your starter, and change only the client and line items each time.
INVOICE
From: [Your business name]
[Your name] · [Phone] · [Email]
[Business address or city, state]
License / registration #: [only if your trade requires one]
Bill to: [Client name]
[Billing address or email]
Job / service address: [if different]
Invoice #: [2026-112]
Invoice date: [Oct 28, 2026]
Service date(s): [Oct 24–27, 2026]
Due date: [Nov 11, 2026 — Net 14]
Ref: [Estimate #2026-041 / PO # if the client gave one]
DESCRIPTION OF WORK
[One or two plain sentences: what you did, where.]
LINE ITEMS
1. [Service or material] — [qty] × $[rate] = $[amount]
2. [Service or material] — [qty] × $[rate] = $[amount]
3. [Service or material] — [qty] × $[rate] = $[amount]
Subtotal: $[ ]
Discount: −$[ ] (if any)
Tax: $[ ] (only if it applies to your service in your state)
Deposit received [date]: −$[ ]
AMOUNT DUE: $[ ]
HOW TO PAY
[Card link] · [Zelle / Venmo: @handle] · [Bank transfer details on request] · Check payable to [Business name]
TERMS
Payment due by [due date]. [Late-fee line, if you use one.]
Thank you for your business!
[Your name]
Simple invoice text for a one-visit job
For small jobs where a full document feels heavy. Still has a number, a date, the amount, and how to pay.
Invoice #2026-113 — [Business name]
Oct 28: Gutter cleaning, front and back, downspouts flushed — $165
Total due: $165 by Nov 4
Pay: [card link] or Zelle to [phone/email]
Thanks, Alex!
Invoice with a deposit applied
The deposit must show as a line, with its date, or the client will think they’re being charged twice.
INVOICE #2026-114
Bill to: Jordan Lee · 22 Pine Ct
Service: Back fence repair + stain (Estimate #2026-041, Option B)
1. Replace 6 pickets and 1 rail, reset leaning post — $420
2. Clean and stain 60 ft fence run — $760
Subtotal: $1,180
Deposit received Oct 10 (card): −$350
BALANCE DUE: $830 — due on completion (Oct 28)
Pay by card: [link] · Zelle: [handle]
Thank you!
Monthly / recurring service invoice
Cleaners, pet sitters, lawn care, tutors: one invoice per month listing each visit by date.
INVOICE #2026-10-RIVERA
Bill to: Sam Rivera
Billing period: October 1–31, 2026
Service: Weekly home cleaning, 3 bed / 2 bath
Oct 3 — Standard clean — $140
Oct 10 — Standard clean — $140
Oct 17 — Standard clean + inside fridge — $175
Oct 24 — Standard clean — $140
Oct 31 — Standard clean — $140
Total due: $735 by Nov 7
Autopay clients: your card on file will be charged Nov 1 — nothing to do.
Questions about any visit? Just reply to this email.
Hourly / time-and-materials invoice
Show dates, hours, the rate, and materials with receipts — that’s what makes an hourly bill easy to approve.
INVOICE #2026-115
Bill to: Alex Morgan · 14 Oak St
Work: Troubleshoot and repair garage door opener; replace sensor wiring
Labor
Oct 27 — 1.5 hrs × $95 = $142.50
Oct 28 — 1.0 hr × $95 = $95.00
Materials (receipts attached)
Safety sensor pair — $48.00
Low-voltage wire, 50 ft, staples — $16.40
Materials handling (10%) — $6.44
TOTAL DUE: $308.34 — Net 7 (by Nov 4)
Within the $450 not-to-exceed we agreed on.
Final invoice after a change order
List the approved extra as its own line with the date it was approved. Never fold it silently into the total.
FINAL INVOICE #2026-116
Bill to: Jordan Lee · Bathroom subfloor + toilet reset
Original estimate (#2026-052): $1,400
Change order #1 — sister damaged joist, approved by text Oct 22: $380
Change order #2 — client-requested new wax ring and supply line: $45
Subtotal: $1,825
Deposit received Oct 15: −$400
BALANCE DUE: $1,425 — due within 7 days (by Nov 4)
Photos of the joist repair are in the email above.
Invoice email to send with the template
The short message that carries the invoice. Subject line has the number and the amount so it’s easy to find later.
Subject: Invoice #2026-114 — $830 due Oct 28 — [Business name]
Hi Jordan,
Thanks again — the fence looks great. Your invoice is below (and attached as a PDF).
Balance due: $830 (your $350 deposit is already taken off)
Due: on completion, today
Pay by card: [link] · Zelle: [handle]
If anything on it doesn’t look right, just reply and I’ll fix it the same day.
[Your name]
[Business] · [Phone]
Invoice line items by trade
Realistic invoice line items to adapt. Prices are examples only — use your own rates, units, and local costs.
House cleaner
Price by visit or by task. List add-ons separately so the client sees why this month’s total differs.
Invoice — Rivera home, Oct 24
1. Deep clean, 3 bed / 2 bath (first visit) — $260
2. Inside oven — $45
3. Inside fridge — $40
4. Interior windows, 12 panes — $60
5. Supplies — included
Total: $405 · Due on receipt
Handyman / handyperson
One line per task, with a short trip/materials line. Clients like to see which jobs cost what.
Rooms, coats, and paint as separate lines. If the client supplied paint, say so — it explains a lower total.
Invoice — Living room + hallway, Oct 21–23
1. Prep: fill, sand, caulk, protect floors — $280
2. Walls, 2 coats eggshell (approx. 520 sq ft) — $1,040
3. Trim and 3 doors, 2 coats semi-gloss — $420
4. Paint: client-supplied (no charge)
5. Supplies: tape, plastic, caulk, rollers — $45
Subtotal: $1,785 · Deposit Oct 12: −$500
Balance due: $1,285 · Net 7
Landscaper / lawn care
Visits by date for recurring service; volume and disposal for cleanups.
Invoice — Oct 2026 lawn service + fall cleanup
Weekly mow, edge, blow — Oct 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 — 5 × $55 = $275
Fall leaf cleanup, front and back — $260
Cut back perennials and grasses — $140
Green waste haul-away and disposal (2 loads) — $110
Total: $785 · Due Nov 10
Tutor / lesson teacher
Sessions by date and length. Note any late-cancel charge as its own line and point to the policy.
Invoice — Tutoring for Maya, October 2026
Oct 6 — Algebra, 60 min — $70
Oct 13 — Algebra, 60 min — $70
Oct 20 — Test prep, 90 min — $105
Oct 27 — Late cancellation (under 24 hrs, per policy) — $35
Total: $280 · Due Nov 5 · Zelle or card
Pet sitter / dog walker
Visits and walks by date; extras like medication or holiday rates spelled out.
Invoice — Luna & Buddy, Oct 17–21
Overnight stays, 4 nights × $85 = $340
Midday walk, 3 × $25 = $75
Medication (insulin, twice daily) — 4 days × $5 = $20
Holiday/weekend rate: n/a
Key pickup and return — included
Total: $435 · Due on return (Oct 21)
General contractor / remodel
Progress billing: what’s been done, what’s been billed before, and what’s left. Keep the change orders visible.
Progress Invoice #3 — Kitchen remodel, 18 Elm St
Contract total: $38,500
Change orders to date: +$1,240 (CO #1 outlet relocation, CO #2 upgraded hinges)
Revised contract: $39,740
This invoice — cabinets installed, countertop template done (40% milestone): $15,896
Previously billed: $11,922 (deposit + rough-in milestones)
Remaining after this invoice: $11,922
Amount due: $15,896 · Net 10
Plumber or electrician
Service call, diagnosis, parts, and labor. Permit fees on their own line.
Invoice — Service call Oct 28
1. Service call and diagnosis — $89
2. Replace kitchen sink drain assembly and P-trap — $165
3. Replace 2 angle stops and supply lines — $140
4. Parts (drain kit, stops, lines) — $58
5. Permit fee: n/a
Total: $452 · Due on receipt
Mobile detailer or pressure washer
Package plus add-ons, with vehicle or surface identified.
Invoice — 2021 Honda CR-V, Oct 28
1. Full detail package (interior + exterior) — $220
2. Pet hair removal add-on — $40
3. Headlight restoration — $60
4. Travel fee (outside 15-mile area) — $20
Total: $340 · Paid by card on site — thank you!
Writing line items clients don’t question
Good line items describe what the client got, not what you did internally. “Replace bathroom faucet (client-supplied)” is clear; “Labor — 1.25 hrs plumbing” forces the client to work out what that bought. Use the same task names as your estimate so the two documents match line by line.
Pick one unit per line — per visit, per room, per square foot, per hour — and show the math (5 × $55 = $275). For recurring work, list each visit by date: it answers “did you come on the 17th?” before anyone asks. And if a line is free or included, show it anyway with “included” or “no charge”: clients notice what you didn’t charge for.
Payment terms wording
Plain payment terms to put under the total. Use the same terms on your estimate, booking confirmation, and invoice.
Due on receipt
Best for one-visit jobs and new clients. Clear, but give a practical day so “on receipt” doesn’t become “someday.”
Payment is due on receipt. I’d appreciate payment within 3 days, by [date].
Net 7 / Net 14 / Net 30
“Net 14” means the full amount is due 14 days after the invoice date. Write the actual date too — most clients don’t count days.
Terms: Net 14. Payment of the full amount is due by November 11, 2026.
Deposit and balance
When you took a deposit, repeat the split on the final invoice.
A $350 deposit was received on Oct 10. The remaining balance of $830 is due on completion of the work.
Progress / milestone payments
For multi-week jobs, the schedule belongs on every progress invoice.
Payment schedule: 25% deposit to book · 35% when rough-in is complete · 30% when cabinets are installed · 10% at final walk-through. Each payment is due within 10 days of the milestone invoice.
Accepted payment methods
List every way they can pay and anything that costs extra. Check your payment processor’s rules before adding a card surcharge.
Accepted: card (link above), Zelle to [email], Venmo @[handle], or check payable to [Business name]. Cash accepted in person only — I’ll text a receipt.
Early-payment discount
Optional. Works best for larger invoices and business clients.
Pay in full by November 4 and take 2% off ($16.60). Otherwise the full $830 is due by November 11.
Partial payment received
Show what came in and what remains, so the next reminder isn’t a surprise.
Payment received Oct 30: $400. Remaining balance: $430, due by November 11. Thank you!
Late-fee wording
Late fees only work when the client agreed to them before the work. Rules on late fees and interest differ by state — this is sample wording, not legal advice; check your state’s limits.
Late-fee line for the invoice
Short, specific, and stated before the work — ideally in your estimate or service agreement as well.
A late fee of $25 applies to balances not paid within 10 days after the due date.
Percentage late fee
Some businesses charge a monthly percentage instead of a flat fee. Many states cap the rate; check yours.
Balances unpaid 30 days after the due date are subject to a late charge of 1.5% per month on the unpaid amount, or the maximum allowed by law, whichever is lower.
Grace period wording
A few days of grace keeps a slow but honest client from feeling punished.
Payments received within 5 days of the due date are not charged a late fee. After that, a $20 late fee is added to the balance.
Late fee has been added — message
Calm and factual. Restate the original due date, the fee, and the new total.
Hi Alex — a quick note on invoice #2026-115. It was due Nov 4, and per the terms on the invoice a $25 late fee has now been added. New balance: $333.34. You can pay here: [link]. If something is holding it up, reply and let me know — happy to talk.
Waiving the late fee once
Good clients have bad months. Waiving it once, in writing, keeps the relationship and the rule.
Thanks for the payment, Jordan. Since this is the first time, I’ve waived the $25 late fee — your balance is now $0. Going forward the late fee on the invoice will apply. Appreciate you!
Should a small service business charge late fees?
For most solo operators, a late fee is more useful as a sentence than as money. Stating it on the estimate and invoice moves your bill up the client’s pile; actually charging it matters mostly for repeat late payers. Keep it modest (a flat $15–$35 or a small monthly percentage is common for small jobs), give a short grace period, and decide in advance when you’ll waive it.
Before you rely on one, check your state’s rules — some limit late fees or interest, require the term to be agreed in writing beforehand, or treat certain consumer charges differently. If an invoice is going badly overdue, a payment plan or a final notice letter often recovers more than a growing fee. The payment reminder letter sequence (friendly, firm, final) and the payment plan agreement letter use the same 1.5% example as above. None of this is legal or tax advice.
Invoice notes and footers
One line at the bottom that does a job: thanks, a review ask, a guarantee, or a records note.
Thank-you note at the bottom of the invoice
One human line makes an invoice feel like it came from a person.
Thank you for trusting me with your home. If you were happy with the work, I’d be grateful for a Google review: [link].
Warranty or guarantee note
Puts your workmanship promise where the client will find it later.
Workmanship guaranteed for 12 months from the service date. If anything I installed fails, text me at [phone] and I’ll come back at no charge for labor.
Tax and record-keeping note
Useful for clients who expense your service. Keep it factual — this is not tax advice.
Keep this invoice for your records. [Business name] EIN / tax ID available on request for business clients. Sales tax shown only where it applies.
Year-end invoicing and tax-season notes for 2026
Send every open invoice before Christmas. Clients pay slower the last two weeks of December, and many solo businesses count income in the year it’s received (cash basis). An invoice sent Dec 29 is usually 2027 money.
Business clients will ask for your W-9. A business that pays you $2,000 or more for services in 2026 generally has to send you a Form 1099-NEC (the threshold rose from $600 for payments made after 2025). Have a filled-in W-9 ready to attach so your January payments aren’t held up.
Payment apps and card processors report too. Card payments are reported on Form 1099-K with no minimum. Payment apps and marketplaces must report when you pass $20,000 and 200 transactions in a year, and some states use lower thresholds. All of it is taxable income whether or not you get a form.
Send a statement of account to regulars in early January: every invoice and payment for the year on one page. It answers “what did we pay you in 2026?” before anyone asks. A layout is in More invoice situations and the receipt version is on the receipt template page.
Start a new number series on January 1 if you use year-based numbers (2027-001), and never reuse a number. See invoice numbers and dates.
None of this is tax advice. Rules depend on your setup and state; a tax preparer can confirm what applies to you. The federal numbers above are from IRS guidance for 2026.
INVOICE #2026-121
Bill to: Alex Morgan · 14 Oak St
Labor: Replace kitchen faucet and supply lines, 1.5 hours × $85 — $127.50
Materials: Faucet $164.00 · Supply lines $18.00 — $182.00
Sales tax on materials (8.25%) — $15.02
Total due: $324.52 · Due on receipt
Tax applied to materials only, per [state] rules for this service.
Invoice with a trip fee and after-hours rate
Explain extra lines in the line itself.
INVOICE #2026-122
Bill to: Jordan Lee · 22 Pine Ct
Service date: Sat Nov 7, 7:40 pm (after-hours call)
1. After-hours service call (outside 8–6 Mon–Fri) — $150
2. Labor, 1 hour × $95 — $95
3. Trip fee (outside the 15-mile service area, 24 miles) — $35
4. Parts: GFCI outlet — $28
Total: $308 · Due by Nov 14
Invoice with a discount or referral credit
Show the full price, then the credit.
INVOICE #2026-123
Bill to: Sam Rivera
Biweekly cleaning, Nov 3 and Nov 17 — 2 × $155 = $310
Referral credit (thank you for referring the Parks!) — −$25
Total due: $285 · Due Nov 24
Showing the full price keeps your regular rate clear for next month.
Corrected invoice / credit memo
Void the wrong one; don’t quietly edit it.
CREDIT MEMO #CM-2026-004 — applies to Invoice #2026-118
Reason: invoice #2026-118 charged 4 hours; the job took 3.
Credit: 1 hour × $85 = $85.00
Corrected balance on #2026-118: $340.00 − $85.00 = $255.00
If you already paid $340, I’ll refund $85 to your original payment method within 3 business days, or keep it as a credit on your next visit, whichever you prefer.
Property manager invoice with PO and unit
Everything their accounts payable team checks.
INVOICE #2026-124
Bill to: [Property management company] · Attn: Accounts Payable
Property: Maple Court Apartments · Unit 4C
PO #: [PO number] · Work order #: [number] · Requested by: [manager name]
Completed: Nov 6, 2026
1. Turnover paint, 2 bed / 1 bath, walls — $1,150
2. Replace 2 closet doors (prehung, hollow core) — $390
Total: $1,540 · Terms: Net 30 (due Dec 6, 2026)
Before/after photos attached. W-9 and certificate of insurance on file with your office.
Year-end statement of account
One page of the whole year for a regular client.
STATEMENT OF ACCOUNT — 2026
Client: Sam Rivera · Statement date: Jan 4, 2027
Invoices: 24 biweekly cleanings, Jan–Dec 2026 — $3,720.00
Add-on services (oven, fridge, windows) — $215.00
Payments received: 25 payments — $3,935.00
Balance as of Dec 31, 2026: $0.00
Thank you for a great year. If you need individual invoices or receipts for any month, reply and I’ll send them.
More invoice line items by trade
Snow removal, photography, mobile mechanics, window cleaning, movers, and bookkeeping.
Snow removal (per push, seasonal)
Storm dates and trigger depth on the invoice.
Invoice — Snow removal, December 2026
Service: driveway + front walk, plowing at 2" or more
Dec 3 storm (4") — 1 push — $65
Dec 14 storm (9") — 2 pushes — $130
Dec 15 — ice melt, walk and steps — $25
Total: $220 · Due Jan 10
Seasonal contract clients: this month is covered by your flat rate; ice melt is billed as an extra.
Photographer
Session, deliverables, and usage on separate lines.
Invoice — Family session, Nov 8, 2026
1. 60-minute session, 1 location — $350
2. Edited digital gallery, 40 images, personal-use license — included
3. Additional edited images, 10 × $15 — $150
4. Rush gallery delivery (5 days instead of 14) — $75
Retainer paid Oct 20 — −$100
Balance due: $475 · Gallery released when paid
Mobile mechanic
Diagnosis, labor time, and parts with part numbers.
Invoice — 2018 Toyota Camry, Nov 2, 2026 (at your driveway)
1. Mobile diagnostic (credited toward repair) — $95 / −$95
2. Front brake pads and rotors, labor 1.8 hours × $110 — $198
3. Parts: front pads [part #], 2 rotors [part #] — $186
4. Brake fluid top-off and road test — $15
Total: $399 · Parts warranty 12 months / 12,000 miles; labor 90 days
Window cleaner
Panes, screens, and add-ons.
Invoice — Window cleaning, 41 Birch Rd, Oct 30
1. Exterior windows, 28 panes — $196
2. Interior windows, 28 panes — $140
3. Screens cleaned (22) — $66
4. Hard-water treatment, sliding door — $35
Total: $437 · Due on receipt
Spring clean reminder: I’ll text you in April.
Movers
Hours, crew, and minimums the client agreed to.
Invoice — Local move, Nov 14, 2026
Crew: 3 movers + 20 ft truck · Rate: $175/hour · 3-hour minimum
Start 8:00 am · Finish 12:45 pm · Billed time 4.75 hours — $831.25
Travel time (one round trip from our yard) — $87.50
Mattress bags (2) and TV box (1) — $45
Deposit paid Nov 2 — −$150
Balance due: $813.75 · Paid at the end of the move by card or Zelle
Bookkeeper or virtual assistant (monthly retainer)
Retainer, hours used, and overage.
Invoice — Bookkeeping, November 2026
Monthly retainer (up to 10 hours) — $450
Hours used in November: 12.5
Additional hours, 2.5 × $48 — $120
Year-end 1099 preparation for your 3 contractors (one-time) — $90
Total: $660 · Due Dec 10 · Unused retainer hours do not roll over
Common questions
Is this invoice template really free?
Yes. Copy it, paste it into your email, Google Docs, Word, or notes app, and save your filled-in version as your own. There’s no account, download, or watermark.
Do I need invoicing software?
Not to start. A plain-text invoice in an email body, with a payment link, gets paid just as fast for most solo businesses. Software starts to pay off when you have many recurring clients, want automatic reminders, or need card-on-file autopay.
Should I charge sales tax on my invoice?
It depends on your state and your service — some states tax certain services or only the materials, others don’t tax most services. Show tax as its own line when it applies and ask your state tax agency or an accountant if you’re unsure. This page isn’t tax advice.
What payment terms should I use?
Due on receipt (with a practical date) for one-time residential jobs, Net 7–14 for repeat clients, and a deposit plus balance or milestone schedule for larger projects. Business clients often expect Net 30; build that into your cash planning.
How do I correct an invoice I already sent?
Don’t edit and resend silently. Issue a corrected invoice with the same number plus “-R1” (or a new number), and say what changed in one line. Wording is in Send a corrected invoice.
My helper or sub invoices me. What should our agreement say?
Write down the rate, the invoice cycle (after each job or every two weeks), how fast you pay, and that they handle their own taxes and insurance. Our independent contractor agreement template has a full sample plus invoicing and 1099 tax clauses.
What’s the difference between a credit memo and a refund?
A credit memo reduces what a client owes on an invoice you already sent (wrong hours, a discount you forgot). A refund sends money back after they paid. If they already paid, the credit memo explains the refund. Refund wording is on Refund message to customer.
Do I need to send anything for 1099s?
You don’t send clients a 1099. Business clients who paid you $2,000+ in 2026 may send you one in January, and they’ll usually ask for a W-9 first. If you pay helpers, you may need to send them a 1099-NEC; see the 1099 tax clause. Not tax advice.
How to use this template
Copy the full invoice template once, fill in everything that never changes — business name, contact details, payment methods, your standard terms and footer — and save it as “Invoice starter.” For each job, duplicate it, update the number and dates, paste the line items from your estimate, and send.
If you send PDFs, paste the text into a document with your logo and export it, but keep the key lines (amount due, due date, how to pay) in the email body too. Many clients read invoices on a phone and never open the attachment. The message to send alongside it is on Invoice email template.
More billing & getting paid templates
The other free documents in the same group. Every business document on the site is listed on the home page.