Free contractor invoice template with every field, a filled-in construction invoice example, payment terms wording, change orders and how to follow up.
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A good contractor invoice template does one thing: it makes paying you the easiest decision your customer makes that week. Most invoices that sit for 60 days are not ignored by crooks. They sit because the invoice was vague, the change order was never written down, or the payment instructions said "call the office."
I ran three restoration companies for more than 14 years, and I have collected a lot of receivables. The invoices that got paid on time all had the same bones. This guide gives you those bones as a free, copyable construction invoice template, a filled-in example for a remodel job, the exact payment terms wording I would use, how to handle deposits, progress billing and change orders, and the follow-up schedule that turns a sent invoice into a deposited check. If you want the bigger picture of how billing fits into cash flow, start with our contractor's guide to construction accounts receivable.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
An invoice for contractor work is not a retail receipt. It has to tie back to a contract, show what was done at a specific property, account for money already collected, and hold up later if you ever need to file a lien or go to small claims.
So a solid general contractor invoice template has four jobs: identify the job beyond any doubt, explain the money line by line, reconcile deposits and earlier payments, and make paying as close to one click as you can get.
Copy the layout below into QuickBooks, your field software, Word or Google Docs. Every field is there for a reason, which is explained in the next section. Delete the lines you do not use on a given job, but do not delete the fields.
CONTRACTOR INVOICE TEMPLATE
[Company legal name] · [DBA if any]
[Street address, city, state, ZIP] · [Phone] · [Billing email]
Contractor license #: [number and state] · Website: [URL]
| Invoice # | [Unique number, never reused] |
| Invoice date | [Date sent] |
| Due date | [Exact date] ([terms, e.g. Net 15]) |
| Invoice type | [Deposit / Progress [#] of [#] / Final / Change order / T&M] |
| Job / PO # | [Your job number and the customer's PO, if any] |
| Contract reference | [Contract or estimate # and date signed] |
| Bill to | [Customer name, billing address, AP contact, email, phone] |
| Job site | [Property address, if different from billing] |
| Work period | [Start date to end date for this billing] |
| Scope summary | [One or two plain sentences on what was done] |
| Description | Qty | Unit | Rate | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labor: [trade or phase] | [ ] | hrs | [ ] | [ ] |
| Materials: [item, spec] | [ ] | ea / sq ft / lf | [ ] | [ ] |
| Equipment: [rental or owned] | [ ] | day | [ ] | [ ] |
| Subcontractor: [trade, company] | 1 | lump sum | [ ] | [ ] |
| Permits, dumpster, disposal fees | [ ] | ea | [ ] | [ ] |
| Change order CO-[#]: [description, date signed] | 1 | lump sum | [ ] | [ ] |
| Subtotal | [ ] |
| Sales tax ([rate], if applicable in your state) | [ ] |
| Less deposit applied | ([ ]) |
| Less retainage held ([%], if your contract has it) | ([ ]) |
| Amount due this invoice | [ ] |
Contract summary: Original contract [ ] · Approved change orders [ ] · Revised contract [ ] · Billed to date [ ] · Paid to date [ ] · Remaining contract balance [ ]
How to pay: [Payment link] · ACH: [bank details or "on request by phone"] · Check payable to [legal name], mailed to [address] · Card accepted [fee policy, if any]
Terms: [Payment terms wording, see below]
Questions about this invoice: [Name], [direct phone], [email]
Attachments: [signed change orders, photos, lien waiver, permit sign-off, as needed]
Here is why each part of the construction invoice template earns its spot. When an invoice stalls, it is almost always because one of these was missing.
| Field | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Legal name and license number | The name on the invoice should match the name on the contract, your bank account and any lien you might file. Some states require the license number on contracts and bids, so carry it onto invoices too. |
| Unique invoice number | Every reminder, payment and dispute points back to it. Never reuse a number, even after voiding. |
| Exact due date | Customers pay to dates, not to terms. It also starts your aging clock and any late fee your contract allows. |
| Job address and job/PO number | Property managers and commercial AP teams match invoices to POs. No PO, no payment, on many accounts. |
| Contract reference | Ties the bill to what the customer agreed to and signed. This is your best defense against "I never approved that." |
| Itemized lines | A single "Remodel: $21,515" line invites a phone call. Labor, materials and changes on separate lines answer the questions before they get asked. |
| Deposits, retainage and prior payments | If the customer has to do math to check your balance, they will put it off. Do the math for them. |
| Payment link and methods | The shortest path from "I should pay this" to paid. Homeowners will often pay from their phone the same day. |
Tip: License display rules vary by state. California, for example, requires licensed contractors to include their license number on construction contracts, subcontracts, calls for bid and advertising (California Business and Professions Code section 7030.5). Florida has a similar requirement in Florida Statutes section 489.119. Check your own state licensing board, and put the number on your invoice template so you never have to think about it.
Here is the same template filled in for a final invoice on a kitchen and mudroom remodel. This is an example: the company, customer and amounts are made up. Notice how the contract summary answers the customer's first question ("is this right?") without a phone call.
EXAMPLE INVOICE
Bluestone Builders LLC
1180 Mill Creek Road, Springfield, ST 00000 · (555) 018-4471 · billing@bluestone-example.com
Contractor license #: GC-000000 (example)
Invoice #1047 · Final invoice (3 of 3)
Invoice date: October 31, 2026 · Due: November 10, 2026 (Net 10)
Job #: BB-2614 · Contract: Estimate E-2614, signed August 4, 2026
Bill to: Karen and Tom Whitfield, 88 Larkspur Lane, Springfield, ST 00000
Work period: October 1 to October 29, 2026. Scope: cabinet install, countertops, trim, final electrical and punch list. Final walkthrough completed October 29.
| Description | Amount |
|---|---|
| Contract milestone 3: substantial completion and punch list (35% of $48,600.00) | $17,010.00 |
| CO-1: under-cabinet lighting and added pantry circuit (signed September 22) | $1,850.00 |
| CO-2: upgrade from laminate to quartz countertops (signed October 6) | $2,400.00 |
| T&M extra: install owner-supplied range hood, 3 hrs at $85.00 (approved by text October 20) | $255.00 |
| Amount due this invoice | $21,515.00 |
Contract summary: Original contract $48,600.00 · Approved change orders $4,250.00 · Approved extras $255.00 · Revised total $53,105.00 · Paid to date $31,590.00 (deposit $9,720.00 on August 4, milestone 2 $21,870.00 on September 30) · Balance due $21,515.00
Sales tax: Not billed separately. Materials tax paid at purchase per contract.
How to pay: [Pay invoice 1047] by card or bank transfer, or check payable to Bluestone Builders LLC.
Terms: Payment due November 10, 2026. Per section 7 of your contract, balances unpaid 30 days after the due date accrue a late charge of 1.5% per month.
Questions: Dana Ruiz, office manager, (555) 018-4471 ext. 2. Attached: signed CO-1 and CO-2, completion photos, final electrical inspection card.
Example company, customer, license number and amounts are made up for illustration. Late charges must be in your signed contract and allowed under your state's law.
Send the deposit as its own invoice, marked "Deposit," on the day the contract is signed. On every later invoice, show the deposit as applied so the customer sees it working for them. Some states cap residential deposits, so look up your state's home improvement rules before you set a percentage. California, for example, limits the down payment on home improvement contracts (Business and Professions Code section 7159). Do not guess at a number for your state; check the statute or your licensing board.
On a residential job, progress billing usually follows milestones written into the contract: demo complete, rough-in passed, drywall, final. Bill each milestone the day it is reached and name it on the invoice. Commercial jobs often use a pay application with a schedule of values instead of a simple invoice, and the owner or GC may hold retainage. If that is your world, the format changes but the rules do not: reference the contract, show billed to date and paid to date, and attach what the payer needs. Our construction invoice collection email templates include follow-ups written for pay apps and retainage release.
Every change goes on its own line with a change order number and the date the customer signed it. Bill it on the next invoice, not at the end of the job, when the customer has forgotten asking for it. If the customer approved a change by text, save the text and reference it, the way the example invoice does for the range hood. A change you cannot document is a discount you have not admitted to yet.
Fixed-price work bills by milestone or percent complete. Time and materials (T&M) work should show hours, rates, materials and markup clearly enough to check against the daily log. If one job has both, keep them in separate sections.
Payment terms belong in the contract first and on the invoice second. The invoice reminds the customer of what they already agreed to. For more on choosing terms that actually get followed, read our guide to payment terms.
COPY AND EDIT
Standard: "Payment is due by [date] ([Net 15]). Pay online at [payment link], or by check payable to [legal name]."
Deposit: "This deposit of [amount] ([%] of the contract price) is due on signing and will be applied to your final invoice. Work will be scheduled once the deposit is received."
Progress: "This invoice covers milestone [#], [name], completed on [date], as set out in section [#] of your contract dated [date]."
Final: "This is the final invoice for [job address]. The balance of [amount] is due by [date]. Thank you for trusting us with your home."
Late charge (only if in your contract and allowed in your state): "Per section [#] of your contract, balances unpaid [X] days after the due date accrue a late charge of [rate]."
Never introduce a late fee on an invoice that was not in the contract. And skip "due upon receipt": it gives the customer no date to aim at.
Bring one overdue invoice.
We'll show you exactly how it would be followed up, and what your customer would see when they pay.
Your invoice is mostly about milestones, change orders and the contract summary. Bill sub work under the phase it belongs to, not the sub's company name.
Insurance work adds a claim number, carrier, adjuster, deductible and often several payers on one job. Bill the homeowner for the deductible and any non-covered upgrades, and send the carrier documentation, not a payment link. We have trade-specific versions in our roofing invoice template and restoration invoice template.
Service trades bill smaller, faster jobs, often on site. Keep the same fields, but lead with the work order number, the equipment or fixture serviced and a payment link the customer can use before you leave the driveway. Flat-rate pricing, maintenance agreements and warranty parts each deserve their own lines.
Match the GC's format exactly: their PO and job numbers, billing cutoff and pay app forms. Send the lien waiver they ask for (usually conditional until you are paid) and your certificate of insurance with the invoice. One missing document sends it to the bottom of the pile.
| 1 | Invoicing late. Every day between finishing the work and sending the bill is a day added to your collection time. Bill the day the milestone is hit. |
| 2 | One-line invoices. "Kitchen remodel: $21,515" forces a phone call. Itemize. |
| 3 | Unsigned change orders. Verbal approvals turn into disputes at the final invoice. Get a signature, an email or at least a text. |
| 4 | No contract math. Without billed to date and paid to date, customers assume they are being double-billed. |
| 5 | Vague terms. "Upon receipt" and "at your convenience" are not dates. |
| 6 | Sending it to the wrong person. The project manager who hired you is not always the AP clerk who pays you. Ask who pays, in writing, before the first invoice. |
| 7 | Sending it and waiting. The invoice is the start of collections, not the end of the job. More on that below, and in our guide on how to collect unpaid construction invoices. |
Email the invoice as a PDF with a payment link in the body, from a real person's address, the same day the work or milestone is done. Text the homeowner a short note with the same link. For commercial accounts, send it to the AP contact by name and copy the person who approved the work. Keep your invoices in QuickBooks or whatever system you use as the record of truth; if you have not set that up cleanly, our QuickBooks for contractors guide walks through job costing and progress invoicing.
Then put every invoice on a schedule. Here is a simple one that works for most residential and small commercial work:
| Day 0 | Send the invoice by email with a payment link, then a short text |
| 3 days before due | Friendly heads-up with the due date and link |
| Due + 3 | Polite past-due email and text |
| Due + 7 | Phone call or voicemail. Ask if anything on the invoice is holding it up. |
| Due + 15 | Firm second notice with a specific pay-by date and a payment plan offer |
| Due + 30 | Call from the owner. Check your state's lien notice deadlines now, not later. |
| Due + 45 | Final notice by email and certified mail, naming the next step you will actually take |
Stop the moment the customer pays or gives you a date, and restart if the date is missed. If you need wording for each step, copy our payment reminder email templates for contractors.
Keeping that schedule going across 40 open invoices while you run jobs is the part most contractors drop, and it is the part AR Workflow handles. It syncs your open invoices from QuickBooks Online, puts each one on a follow-up schedule, and sends the emails, texts and ringless voicemails from a dedicated number with a payment link for homeowners and business customers. It stops when the invoice is paid, pauses on a promise to pay, and gives you an aging dashboard that shows which invoices nobody is chasing. On insurance jobs, carrier and adjuster messages ask for status and documentation, never payment through a link. Plans are $295, $395 and $495 per month.
At minimum: your legal business name, contact details and license number; a unique invoice number; invoice date and exact due date; the customer's name and billing address; the job site address; a reference to the contract or estimate; itemized labor, materials, equipment and change orders; deposits and payments already received; the amount due; payment methods with a payment link; and a named contact for questions.
Mostly in emphasis. A construction invoice template tends to carry more contract detail: milestones or a schedule of values, change orders, retainage and lien waivers. A general contractor invoice template for service or small residential work can be simpler. The template above covers both. Remove the lines you do not need.
Send a separate invoice marked "Deposit" when the contract is signed, showing the deposit amount, the percentage of the contract and the contract reference. Then show the deposit as a credit on later invoices. Check your state's home improvement law first, because some states limit how much you can collect up front on residential work.
Generally only if the late fee was agreed in your signed contract and the rate is allowed under your state's law. You cannot add a late fee for the first time on an invoice. Rules vary by state, so check with a construction attorney or your state's statutes before you set a rate. This is general information, not legal advice.
Residential contractors commonly bill a deposit at signing, progress payments at milestones and a final payment at completion, with each invoice due within 7 to 15 days. Commercial work often runs on monthly pay applications with 30-day terms and retainage held until completion. Whatever you choose, write it in the contract and put the exact due date on the invoice.
Related reading
Your invoice, not a feature tour.
Bring one overdue invoice to a demo and see what AR Workflow would send, when, and how your customer would pay.
Photos: Unsplash. This article is general information, not legal advice. Licensing, deposit, late fee and lien rules vary by state; talk to a construction attorney about your situation.
Sam owned and ran three restoration companies for more than 14 years and collected over $100 million in receivables. He built AR Workflow in 2020 to give contractors the collections system he wished he'd had.
AI writes the emails, sends the texts, and leaves the voicemails. Your team handles the conversations that matter, and your cash keeps moving.
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