Plumbing Invoice Template: 7 Free Formats for Plumbers

A plumbing invoice template is the bill you hand over or email after the job. It lists where you worked, what you found, the labor and parts, any fees, tax, deposits already paid, and the balance due. The 7 templates below cover a time-and-materials service call, a flat-rate repair, an after-hours emergency, drain and sewer work, a bigger job with a deposit, the email that carries the invoice, and a past-due reminder.

The rule that matters most is to write down the work while you are still at the house. An invoice that says what failed and what you replaced gets paid faster than one that only shows a total.

What every plumbing invoice needs

An invoice is the customer's record of the repair and your record of the sale. The IRS lists invoices among the documents that support your gross receipts, next to bank deposit slips and receipt books. So write each one for two readers: the homeowner who pays it and you at tax time.

Part	What to write	Example line
Header	Business name, phone, email, license number, invoice number, date	"Lic. #[Number] · INV-2041"
Bill to and job address	Customer name, billing address, and the address where you worked	"Job at: 18 Birch Ct, rear unit"
Work summary	The problem reported, what you found, what you did	"Found failed T&P valve. Replaced."
Labor and parts	Hours or flat price, then each part with quantity and price	"1/2 in. T&P valve · 1 · [Price]"
Fees and totals	Trip or service call fee, permit fee, tax if required, deposit, balance	"Permit fee (paid for you): [Amount]"
Terms	Due date, payment methods, warranty on labor and parts	"Due on completion. Labor: [X] days."

Put your license number on the header even if your state does not require it on invoices. Some states require it on other paperwork. In California, for example, contractors must include the license number on construction contracts, bids, and advertising. Check your state board's rules for what applies to you.

Number invoices in order and never reuse one. "INV-" plus a running count is enough. When a customer calls about a charge three months later, the number takes you straight to the job.

The six parts that belong on every plumbing invoice before it goes out. Diagram only.

Labor, parts, and sales tax on a plumbing invoice

How you split the bill changes more than how it looks. In some states it decides who pays tax on the parts.

Time and materials. You bill labor by the hour, often with a one-hour minimum, and list each part. Customers see exactly what went into the job. It suits diagnosis-heavy calls where you do not know the fix until you open the wall.

Flat rate. You quote one price for a defined task, like "replace a 40-gallon gas water heater." The customer approves the price before you start. Many shops put the flat price on the invoice as one line and list the main parts under it with no separate price.

Sales tax. The rules differ by state and by the type of property. In Texas, the Comptroller says labor to repair residential real property is not taxable. The same page explains two ways to bill. Under a lump-sum contract, you pay tax on materials when you buy them and do not charge the customer tax. Under a separated contract, you buy incorporated materials with a resale certificate and collect tax on the materials charge only. Repair work on nonresidential property, like an office or a restaurant, is taxable on the total charge. Other states handle this differently, so ask your state revenue department how to set up your invoices.

How the bottom of the bill changes between a lump-sum and a separated invoice under Texas residential repair rules. Amounts are placeholders. Diagram only.

Whatever method you use, keep it consistent with the estimate. If you quoted flat rate, do not switch to hourly on the invoice because the job ran long. If the scope changed, write the change and the time the customer approved it.

When to send each invoice

Situation	Send when	Channel
Service call or small repair	Before you leave the driveway	Printed copy or email from your phone
Flat-rate repair	When the work is tested and done	Email, with a printed copy if asked
After-hours emergency	Same visit, or first thing next morning	Email
Drain or sewer work	Same day, with camera notes	Email
Job with a deposit	Deposit invoice at booking, final invoice at completion	Email
Past due	The day after the due date, then 7 days later	Email first, then a call

A simple billing rhythm for a plumbing job with a deposit. Small repairs skip straight to the final invoice. Diagram only.

1. Time-and-materials service call invoice

When to use it: For a standard repair billed by the hour, like a leaking shutoff, a running toilet, or a garbage disposal swap. This is the invoice most residential plumbers write every day.

INVOICE
[Business name] · [Phone] · [Email]
License #: [Number]
Invoice #: INV-[Number]    Date: [Date]
Due date: [Date or "Due on completion"]

BILL TO
[Customer first name] [Last name]
[Billing address]

JOB ADDRESS
[Address, unit, gate code if any]

WORK SUMMARY
Reported: [What the customer told you]
Found: [What you saw, e.g. "Corroded angle stop
under kitchen sink, slow drip."]
Done: [What you did, e.g. "Replaced angle stop
and supply line. Tested, no leaks."]

LABOR
Tech: [Name]   Arrived: [Time]   Done: [Time]
Qty  Description               Rate      Amount
1    Service call / trip fee   [Rate]    [Amount]
[X]  Labor, per hour           [Rate]    [Amount]

PARTS
Qty  Description               Price     Amount
1    [Part, size, brand]       [Price]   [Amount]
1    [Part, size, brand]       [Price]   [Amount]

Subtotal:                                [Amount]
Sales tax (if required):                 [Amount]
BALANCE DUE:                             [Amount]

PAYMENT
Accepted: [Cash / check / card / Zelle]
Checks payable to: [Business name]

WARRANTY
Labor: [X] days. Parts: per manufacturer.

Thank you for calling [Business name].

How to customize it:

• Write arrival and finish times. Customers question hours far less when the clock times are on the bill.
• Name each part the way the supply house does, with size. "1/2 in. compression angle stop" answers questions that "valve" does not.
• If you waive the trip fee when the customer approves the repair, show the fee and a matching credit line, so the customer sees what they saved.

2. Flat-rate repair invoice

When to use it: For priced tasks from your flat-rate book, such as a water heater swap, a toilet rebuild, or a faucet replacement. The customer approved the price before you started.

INVOICE
[Business name] · [Phone] · [Email]
License #: [Number]
Invoice #: INV-[Number]    Date: [Date]
Due date: [Date]

BILL TO
[Customer first name] [Last name]
[Billing address]
Job address: [Address]

APPROVED REPAIR
Task code: [Code from your price book]
Description: Replace [40-gal gas water heater]
Approved by: [Customer name] at [Time]

Flat-rate price:                         [Amount]

Includes:
- [New 40-gal gas water heater, brand]
- [T&P valve, expansion tank, connectors]
- [Haul-away of old unit]
- [Permit, if required in your area]

ADDITIONAL WORK (approved on site)
[Description]                            [Amount]

Subtotal:                                [Amount]
Sales tax (if required):                 [Amount]
BALANCE DUE:                             [Amount]

PAYMENT
Accepted: [Methods]

WARRANTY
Labor: [X] year. Tank: per manufacturer,
registered under [Customer name] on [Date].

How to customize it:

• Keep the task description word for word from your price book. The customer saw that wording when they said yes.
• List what the flat price includes, without prices for each item. It shows the value and heads off "why so much for one heater?"
• Anything added on site goes under its own heading with a separate amount and the time it was approved.

3. After-hours emergency call invoice

When to use it: For nights, weekends, and holidays, like a burst supply line at 11 p.m. or a backed-up main on a Sunday. The extra rate needs to be clear, because the customer agreed to it in a stressful moment.

EMERGENCY SERVICE INVOICE
[Business name] · [Phone] · [Email]
License #: [Number]
Invoice #: INV-[Number]    Date: [Date]
Due date: [Date]

BILL TO
[Customer first name] [Last name]
[Billing address]
Job address: [Address]

CALL DETAILS
Call received: [Date, time]
Arrived: [Time]   Water off: [Time]
Completed: [Time]
After-hours rate agreed by phone: [Yes, time]

WORK SUMMARY
Found: [e.g. "Split 3/4 in. PEX line in garage
ceiling, water at drywall."]
Done: [e.g. "Shut off main, cut out damaged
section, installed two couplings, restored
water. Tested 15 minutes, no leaks."]

CHARGES
Emergency dispatch fee               [Amount]
After-hours labor, [X] hrs @ [Rate]  [Amount]
Parts: [List]                        [Amount]

Subtotal:                            [Amount]
Sales tax (if required):             [Amount]
BALANCE DUE:                         [Amount]

FOLLOW-UP RECOMMENDED
[e.g. "Drywall repair by others. Check other
PEX runs in unheated garage before winter."]

PAYMENT
Accepted: [Methods]

How to customize it:

• Note the time the customer agreed to the after-hours rate on the phone. It is the line that ends most disputes about the bill.
• Keep the water-off time. Homeowners often pass emergency invoices to their insurer, and the timeline helps.
• Put follow-up work you did not do under its own heading, so nobody thinks it was included.

4. Drain cleaning and sewer camera invoice

When to use it: For clogs, main line stoppages, and camera inspections. Drain work is hard for customers to see, so the findings matter as much as the charges.

INVOICE
[Business name] · [Phone] · [Email]
License #: [Number]
Invoice #: INV-[Number]    Date: [Date]
Due date: [Date]

BILL TO
[Customer first name] [Last name]
[Billing address]
Job address: [Address]

ACCESS POINT
[e.g. "Cleanout at front of house, 3 in."]

WORK SUMMARY
Reported: [e.g. "Basement floor drain backing
up when washer drains."]
Done: [e.g. "Cleared main with cable machine,
roots at 42 ft. Flow restored."]

CAMERA FINDINGS (if inspected)
[e.g. "Root intrusion at joint, 42 ft. Offset
joint at 58 ft. Recording sent by email."]

CHARGES
Main line cleaning, cleanout access  [Amount]
Camera inspection                    [Amount]
[Additional line, if any]            [Amount]

Subtotal:                            [Amount]
Sales tax (if required):             [Amount]
BALANCE DUE:                         [Amount]

RECOMMENDATION
[e.g. "Roots likely to return. Re-check in
[X] months or quote for repair at 42 ft."]

PAYMENT
Accepted: [Methods]

How to customize it:

• Give the distance to each problem in feet. It turns "roots somewhere" into a finding the customer can act on.
• Send the camera recording or screenshots in the same email as the invoice, so the evidence and the bill arrive together.
• If you offer a guarantee on a cleared line, write its length and what voids it, such as flushing wipes.

5. Job invoice with a deposit

When to use it: For bigger jobs where you collect money up front, like a repipe, a water heater upgrade with venting changes, or a sewer line repair. Send the deposit invoice when the customer books, then this final invoice when the work is done.

FINAL INVOICE
[Business name] · [Phone] · [Email]
License #: [Number]
Invoice #: INV-[Number]    Date: [Date]
Estimate #: EST-[Number], approved [Date]
Due date: [Date]

BILL TO
[Customer first name] [Last name]
[Billing address]
Job address: [Address]

SCOPE COMPLETED
[e.g. "Replaced galvanized supply with PEX, main
shutoff to all fixtures. Pressure tested at
[X] psi. Final inspection passed [Date]."]

CHARGES
Labor                                [Amount]
Materials                            [Amount]
Permit fee (paid on your behalf)     [Amount]
Change order #1, approved [Date]     [Amount]

Subtotal:                            [Amount]
Sales tax (if required):             [Amount]
Deposit received [Date]:            -[Amount]
BALANCE DUE:                         [Amount]

PAYMENT
Accepted: [Methods]
Due by: [Date]

WARRANTY
Labor: [X] year from [Date].
Materials: per manufacturer.

How to customize it:

• Show the full job price, then subtract the deposit on its own line with the date. Never fold a deposit into a smaller total.
• Reference the estimate number and approval date. If the customer checks, both documents tell the same story.
• List the permit fee on its own line and say you paid it for the customer, so it does not read as markup. Attach a copy of the permit or the passed inspection if you have it.

6. Invoice email to the customer

When to use it: Every time you send an invoice by email. A short, plain note gets the attachment opened and paid. Send it from your business email so replies reach you.

Subject: Invoice INV-[Number] for [job] at
[street name]

Hi [Customer first name],

Thanks for having us out on [Date]. Your invoice
for [short job description] is attached.

Amount due: [Amount]
Due date: [Date]

You can pay by [method 1] or [method 2]. If you
pay by check, please make it out to
[Business name].

Your [labor warranty] runs through [Date]. If
anything leaks or acts up before then, call me
directly at [Phone].

Thanks again,
[Your name]
[Business name] · [Phone]

How to customize it:

• Put the invoice number and the street in the subject line. Landlords and property managers search their inbox by address.
• Mention the warranty date in the email as well as on the invoice. It is the line customers look for when something drips a month later.
• For a text version, keep it under 160 characters: "Hi [Name], your invoice for today's repair is in your email. [Amount] due [Date]. Thanks, [Business name]."

7. Past-due plumbing invoice reminder

When to use it: The day after the due date passes with no payment. Keep the first one friendly. Send the second a week later, firmer, then call.

Subject: Reminder: invoice INV-[Number] was due
[Date]

Hi [Customer first name],

A quick reminder that invoice INV-[Number] for
the [job] at [street name] was due on [Date].
I have attached it again here.

Amount due: [Amount]

If you have already paid, thank you, and please
reply with the date so I can match it. If
something about the work or the bill is holding
it up, let me know and we can sort it out.

You can pay by [method 1] or [method 2].

Thanks,
[Your name]
[Business name] · [Phone]

--- SECOND REMINDER (7 days later) ---

Subject: Second reminder: INV-[Number], [Amount]
past due

Hi [Customer first name],

Invoice INV-[Number] is now [#] days past due.
Please send payment by [Date]. Per the terms on
your estimate, [late fee policy, if any] applies
after that date.

Please reply or call me at [Phone].

[Your name]

How to customize it:

• Mention a late fee only if it was on the estimate or work order the customer signed.
• Invite the customer to raise a problem with the work. A slow payer is sometimes a customer with a leak they have not reported.
• Keep threats out of writing. Lien and collection rules differ by state, so check your state's rules before you take the next step.

Which invoice to send

Template	Send when	Channel
1. Time-and-materials service call	Before you leave the job	Printed or email
2. Flat-rate repair	When the work is tested and done	Email
3. After-hours emergency	Same visit or next morning	Email
4. Drain and sewer camera	Same day, with recording	Email
5. Job with a deposit	Final invoice at completion	Email
6. Invoice email	With every emailed invoice	Email
7. Past-due reminder	Day after due date, then 7 days later	Email, then a call

Mistakes that slow down plumbing payments

• A total with no work summary. "Plumbing repair: [Amount]" invites a call. Three lines on what you found and fixed answer it first.
• Parts with no names or sizes. Customers compare prices online. A clear part name looks honest, and "misc. parts" looks padded.
• Switching billing methods mid-job. If you quoted flat rate, bill flat rate. Write any added work as its own approved line.
• No due date. "Due on receipt" is easy to put off. A real date gets paid.
• Losing the paper trail. The IRS says to keep records for 3 years in most cases, longer in some situations. Save every invoice, photo, and payment record in one folder per year.

If you are still choosing how to run the office side, compare a few plumbing software options for small shops that handle estimates and invoices. If you are just getting set up, see how to start a plumbing business for licenses and insurance first. And when a job is paid and the customer is happy, that is the right moment to ask for a Google review.

Questions plumbers ask about invoices

What should a plumbing invoice include?

Your business name, contact details, and license number. Then an invoice number and date, the customer's name and billing address, the job address, a short summary of what you found and did, labor and parts with prices, any trip or permit fees, tax if your state requires it, deposits received, the balance due, the due date, how to pay, and your warranty on labor and parts.

Should I list labor and parts separately on a plumbing invoice?

Usually, yes. Customers trust a bill they can check, and separate lines head off "why so much" calls. It can also change your sales tax. In Texas, a separated residential repair bill means tax is collected on materials only, and labor is not taxed. Flat-rate shops can still show one price and list the main parts without prices. Check your state's rules before you choose.

Do plumbers charge sales tax on invoices?

It depends on your state and the property. Texas, for example, does not tax labor to repair residential property but taxes the full charge for repairing nonresidential property like offices and restaurants. Whether you charge tax on parts depends on whether you bill lump-sum or separated. Other states have their own rules, so confirm with your state revenue department.

When should a plumber send the invoice?

Before you leave the job, if you can. For service calls and small repairs, print it or email it from your phone while the customer can still see the work. For bigger jobs, send the final invoice the day the work passes testing or inspection. Commercial customers may set billing dates in their agreement, so follow those.

How do I handle a customer who disputes a plumbing invoice?

Start by asking what part of the bill they question, then answer with what is written on it: arrival and finish times, the parts used, and the approval time for any added work. That is why the work summary matters. If the work itself has a problem, schedule a warranty visit before you discuss money. Check your state's rules before any lien or collection step.

Get the next plumbing call booked

A clear invoice closes out one job. The next step is making the following one easy to book. If you want a site where customers can see your plumbing services and book a visit, you can get a booking site for your plumbing business with Kejoola. Customers can describe the leak, the fixture, or the gate code in the booking notes box. Already have a Google Business listing? Paste your listing link to get a first draft of your site, then finish it with your own services, service area, and photos. For what that site should cover, see what a plumbing website needs.

14-day free trial, no card needed. Online booking starts on the Starter plan.

Sources

• What Kind of Records Should I Keep (IRS)
• How Long Should I Keep Records (IRS)
• Real Property Repair and Remodeling (Texas Comptroller)
• Business and Professions Code 7030.5 (California Legislative Information)