Contractor Invoice Template
This contractor invoice template separates labour, materials and change orders so a client can see exactly what they are paying for. Add your line items and download a PDF in about 60 seconds — no signup.
Contractor invoice example: labour, materials and an approved extra
Fictional USD example, excluding tax to show the arithmetic. Use your actual registration details, tax treatment, contract and payment instructions.
Cedar Field Services — Invoice INV-205
Bill to: Example Property Services
Job: installation at Example Site, project Q-201
Issued: 8 September 2026 · Due: 15 September 2026 (illustrative agreed terms)
| Description | Quantity × rate | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Installation labour under Q-201 | 8 hours × $100 | $800 |
| Agreed base materials | 1 × $400 | $400 |
| CO-01: extra fitting work, approved 8 September | 2 hours × $100 | $200 |
| Invoice subtotal before applicable tax | $1,400 |
Payment instructions: add your verified business account details and ask the client to use INV-205 as the reference. Tax must be determined before sending.
What the annotations mean
- Q-201: links the invoice to the accepted base scope.
- Separate quantities and rates: let the customer check labour and materials.
- CO-01: identifies the extra work and its approval. Keep the written approval with the job record.
- Due date: repeats the terms agreed before work started.
If a deposit has already been paid
If this single $1,400 invoice has a recorded $200 payment, its outstanding balance before any applicable tax is $1,200. If the $200 was instead charged on a separate deposit invoice, the new remaining-scope invoice should charge $1,200 before applicable tax: total project billing is still $1,400. Do not issue two invoices that both charge the full job value.
See the deposit and final-invoice examples, payment-schedule guide and approved change-order workflow.
Product screenshot; the worked example above uses separate fictional figures.
Prepare your next job with InvoiceSonic invoicing for contractors, or follow the Australian contractor invoice guide for an AUD tax-invoice example.
Common services billed with this template
Typical use cases for the contractor invoice template:
- ✓ General contracting and construction
- ✓ Plumbing, electrical and HVAC
- ✓ Carpentry, drywall and framing
- ✓ Roofing, siding and concrete
- ✓ Painting, tiling and finishing work
Typical line items
Fields you'll usually include on this invoice:
- ✓ Labour hours and rate, per trade or per phase
- ✓ Materials, listed separately from labour
- ✓ Equipment and plant hire
- ✓ Change orders, each referencing the date it was approved
- ✓ Earlier invoice references and payments received, shown separately from new charges
- ✓ Balance due and payment terms
Invoicing Tips
- ✓ Reference the change-order number and approval date on each variation line, and retain the approval record
- ✓ Distinguish earlier charges from payments received; do not bill the same deposit or stage twice
- ✓ For longer jobs, agree eligible billing stages and deadlines before starting work
- ✓ Keep your license number on the invoice if your state requires it on billing documents
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- ✓ Rolling change orders into the main labour line, so the client sees only a total that grew
- ✓ Billing the full contract value and separately noting the deposit somewhere else
- ✓ Waiting until the job is finished to invoice a multi-month project
- ✓ Describing work only as per contract, with no stage, work detail or approval reference
Frequently Asked Questions
What should be on a contractor invoice?
Your business details and license number where required, the client and job address, an invoice number and date, labour and materials as separate lines, any approved change orders with their dates, earlier billing and recorded payments clearly identified, and the balance due with payment terms.
How do I invoice for a change order?
Put it on its own line, describe the change in plain words, and reference the date the client approved it. Never fold it into an existing labour line — a change the client cannot identify is a change they will question.
Should contractors invoice progressively?
Progress invoices can suit longer jobs when agreed milestones or measured work make billing clear. Follow the contract and applicable payment rules; not every project uses the same schedule.
Related Invoice Templates
Build an invoice now with our free online invoice maker — professional PDF, local tax fields and no signup required.
Prepare the right invoice for this stage
Choose the agreed charging basis: completed hours and materials, a fixed fee or a milestone. Match the descriptions to the approved work and make the current amount due clear.
Do not deduct an unpaid deposit request as though it were cash received. Keep the original invoice reference when following up an outstanding stage.
Useful billing guides
Your next step
A free account includes 3 saved invoices, 1 tracked send and 1 automatic reminder per month. Pro adds recurring invoice preparation and higher usage limits. Review each generated invoice before sending; payments must be confirmed and recorded.