Plumbing invoice template: what to include, with an example
A plumbing invoice template needs five blocks: who you are (business name, contact details, license number where required), who the customer is and where the work was done, what you did, what it cost line by line (labor, parts with quantities, permit and trip fees, tax, total), and how and when to pay. The full field list and a filled example are below. Alvin drafts the invoice from the job record in QuickBooks or your field service app and holds it for your approval before it goes out.
On this page
The plumbing invoice template, field by field
Copy this list into your invoicing software, QuickBooks or a document. Fields marked "where required" depend on your state or city.
| Field | What goes in it |
|---|---|
| Business name and logo | Legal or trade name, address, phone, email |
| License number | Plumbing or contractor license number, where your state or city requires it on invoices and contracts |
| Invoice number and date | A unique number in sequence, the invoice date and the date of service |
| Customer and billing address | The person or company paying, with email and phone |
| Service address | Where the work was done, if different from billing (rentals, property managers) |
| Job description | Two or three plain sentences: the problem found, the work done, the result |
| Trip or diagnostic fee | The charge for coming out and finding the problem, and whether it was credited toward the repair |
| Labor | Each task with its flat price, or hours and hourly rate if billing time and materials |
| Parts and materials | Each part with quantity, description and price. Group small fittings as one line |
| Permit fees | The permit number and the fee, if a permit was pulled |
| Subtotal, tax, total | Subtotal, sales tax shown on its own line, total due |
| Deposits and payments | Anything already paid, and the balance due |
| Terms and due date | "Due on receipt" or "Net 15", the actual due date, and any late fee your contract and state allow |
| Payment link and methods | A link to pay online, plus the other ways you accept payment |
| Warranty note | Your labor warranty period and what it covers. Note that parts carry the manufacturer's warranty |
| Technician and sign-off | Who did the work, and the customer's signature or approval if you collect one |
Invoice content rules, sales tax on labor and parts, and late fees vary by state and city. Check your state licensing board and revenue department, or ask your accountant. This article is general information, not legal or tax advice.
A filled example
Here is how the template looks on a real kind of job. The customer and every number are fictional examples.
Invoice 2041, dated and serviced the same day. Bill to: Mr. Patel, 118 Alder Court. Service address: same. License number shown under the business name.
Job description: Customer reported banging pipes and a dripping outdoor faucet. Tested house pressure at 110 psi. Found a failed pressure reducing valve at the main and a split frost-free hose bib on the back wall. Replaced both. Pressure now 60 psi. No leaks after testing.
Scroll sideways to see every column.
| Item (example) | Qty | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Diagnostic fee | 1 | $89.00 |
| Labor: replace pressure reducing valve at main | 1 | $330.00 |
| Pressure reducing valve, 3/4 inch | 1 | $148.00 |
| Labor: replace frost-free hose bib, rear wall | 1 | $165.00 |
| Frost-free hose bib, 12 inch | 1 | $62.00 |
| Copper fittings and solder | 1 lot | $24.00 |
| City plumbing permit (number on file), at cost | 1 | $45.00 |
| Subtotal | $863.00 | |
| Sales tax, example 8.25% on parts only ($234.00) | $19.31 | |
| Total due | $882.31 |
Terms: Due on receipt. Pay online at the link below, or by check or card. Warranty: One year on labor (example). Parts carry the manufacturer's warranty. Technician: Luis.
Whether tax applies to labor, parts, both or the permit fee depends on your state and sometimes on the type of job. The example taxes parts only to show the layout, not to tell you what your state does.
Flat rate or time and materials on the invoice
The invoice should match how you quoted. If the customer approved a flat price for "replace pressure reducing valve", show that task and its price. Splitting it into hours afterward invites an argument about how long it took.
If you quoted time and materials, show hours, rate and each part. Customers on hourly jobs want to see where the time went, so add a line of description for each visit.
Either way, the price on the invoice should be the price in your book. If the two drift apart, start with how to build flat rate prices.
Common mistakes that delay payment
- Sent to the wrong person. The tenant called, the landlord pays. Confirm the billing contact before the truck leaves.
- No way to pay in the message. An invoice that needs a phone call or a mailed check waits until "later". Put a payment link in the email or text.
- Sent days after the job. The customer is happiest while the water is back on. Send the invoice the same day.
- Vague description. "Plumbing repair, $882" gets questions. A plain description of the problem and the fix gets paid.
- The total does not match the estimate. If extra work was added, name it on its own line and say who approved it.
- No due date. "Net 15" means little to a homeowner. Write the date.
- Missing license or permit number. Property managers and some commercial customers will not process an invoice without them.
Sending it and following up
- Build it from the job record. Pull the tasks, parts and notes the tech already entered. Retyping is where errors come from.
- Check it against the estimate. Same customer, same address, same prices, and any added work explained.
- Send it the same day to the billing contact, with the payment link, by email and by text if the customer agreed to texts.
- Record it in your books so the balance shows in accounts receivable.
- Follow up on a schedule if it goes past due. The timing and wording are in how plumbing companies chase unpaid invoices.
What Alvin handles and what stays with you
| Alvin does | You do |
|---|---|
| Drafts the invoice in QuickBooks or your field service app from the job record and the tech's notes | Review and approve it. No invoice or payment link reaches a customer without a person's approval |
| Checks the draft against the estimate and flags differences in price, address or billing contact | Decide how to handle added work and discounts |
| Remembers each customer's billing contact, terms and how they prefer to be reached | Correct what Alvin knows when a customer changes |
| Runs a scheduled check for unpaid invoices and drafts the reminders | Approve the reminders and take the disputed ones |
| Keeps a receipt for each step: who asked, who approved, what was sent | Stay the merchant of record. Payment goes from the customer to you. Alvin never holds or moves money |
Frequently asked questions
What should a plumbing invoice include?
Your business name, contact details and license number where required, the customer and service address, an invoice number and date, a description of the work, labor and parts as separate lines with quantities, any permit or trip fees, tax, the total, payment terms with a due date, a way to pay and a warranty note.
Do I need my license number on a plumbing invoice?
Some states and cities require a contractor or plumbing license number on contracts, invoices or advertising, and others do not. Check with your state licensing board. Many shops print it on every invoice anyway, because property managers and commercial customers often ask for it.
Should a plumbing invoice separate labor and parts?
Yes in most cases. Separate lines make the bill easier for the customer to follow, and in states that tax parts and labor differently you need the split to calculate tax correctly. On flat rate jobs you can show one price per task and list the main parts under it.
Is there sales tax on plumbing labor?
It depends on the state, and sometimes on whether the job is a repair or new construction. Some states tax parts only, some tax repair labor, and some treat contractors as the end user of materials. Ask your accountant or your state revenue department before you set up your invoice template.
When should a plumber send the invoice?
The same day the work is finished, ideally before the tech leaves or within a few hours. Send it to the person who actually pays, with a payment link. Invoices sent days later get paid later and draw more questions.
Invoices out the day the job closes.
Ask Alvin to draft the invoice from the job, check it against the estimate and queue it for your approval. See what Alvin does for plumbing shops.