Copy this plumbing invoice template with every field, a filled-in example, flat-rate and T&M lines, payment terms wording and a follow-up schedule.
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A plumbing invoice template should do one thing well: get the customer to pay the same day you finish the job. Most plumbing work is urgent and done while the customer watches. That is the best moment you will ever have to get paid, and a clear invoice is what lets you use it.
I ran restoration companies for more than 14 years, and a lot of our work started where a plumber's ended: the burst supply line, the failed water heater, the slab leak nobody caught for a month. The plumbing invoices that got paid fast all looked alike: they named the problem, showed what was done, split labor from parts, stated the terms in plain words and made paying easy. The ones that sat for 60 days were vague, missing a signature, or showed one lump number the homeowner could not explain to their spouse.
Below: a full plumbing invoice template to copy, a filled-in example, the plumbing-specific lines most templates miss, payment terms wording and a follow-up schedule.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
A plumbing invoice is the only record of work the customer cannot see once the cabinet door closes. This template answers their questions before they ask: what was wrong, what you did, what it cost and how to pay. Copy this into your invoicing software, QuickBooks, a Word document or a spreadsheet.
COPYABLE TEMPLATE
[Company Name] Plumbing
[Street address, City, State ZIP] · [Phone] · [Email] · [Website]
Plumbing License #: [number] · [Any other state or city registration number]
| Invoice #: [0000] | Invoice date: [date] |
| Work order / job #: [number] | Due date: [date or "Due on receipt"] |
| Service date(s): [date], [arrival time] to [departure time] | Technician: [name, license # if required] |
| Bill to: [Customer name, billing address, phone, email] | Service address: [Job address, unit #, gate or access notes] |
| PO # / property manager: [if commercial or rental] | Pricing method: [Flat rate / Time and materials] |
Problem reported: [What the customer said, in their words]
Diagnosis: [What you found and where]
Work performed: [What you did, in plain language]
| Item | Description | Qty / Hrs | Rate | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service call / trip fee | [Standard or after-hours] | 1 | [$] | [$] |
| Diagnostic | [Leak detection, camera inspection, etc.] | [ ] | [$] | [$] |
| Flat-rate task | [Task name from your price book] | 1 | [$] | [$] |
| Labor (T&M jobs) | [Plumber / apprentice, regular or overtime] | [hrs] | [$/hr] | [$] |
| Parts and materials | [Brand, model, size for each major part] | [ ] | [$] | [$] |
| Permit and inspection | [Permit #, jurisdiction] | 1 | [$] | [$] |
| Disposal / haul-away | [Old water heater, fixture, debris] | 1 | [$] | [$] |
| Change order | [CO #, what changed, approved by, date] | 1 | [$] | [$] |
| Subtotal | [$] |
| Sales tax ([rate]%, on [taxable items]) | [$] |
| Less deposit received ([date]) | -[$] |
| Less discounts / coupons | -[$] |
| Balance due | [$] |
Warranty: [Labor warranty length]. Parts covered by manufacturer warranty: [brand, term, registration info].
Exclusions: [Drywall, flooring, cabinet repair, code upgrades not listed, pre-existing conditions]
Payment terms: [Due on receipt / Net 15 / Net 30]. [Late fee terms if in your signed agreement.]
How to pay: [Payment link] · Card · ACH · Check payable to [Company]
Customer signature: ____________________ Date: ________
By signing, I confirm the work above was completed and I accept the charges.
Here is the same plumber invoice template filled in for a common job: a leaking water heater replaced on an after-hours call, with one change order when the shutoff valve crumbled in the tech's hand.
Example only. Company, customer, prices and license number are made up for illustration.
EXAMPLE
Copper Creek Plumbing & Drain
118 Mill Street, Springfield · (555) 013-4471 · office@coppercreekexample.com
Plumbing License #: EX-00000
Invoice #: 4127 · Work order: WO-8812 · Invoice date: March 9 · Due: On receipt
Service date: March 8, 9:40 p.m. to 12:55 a.m. · Technician: Luis Ortega
Bill to and service address: Karen Whitfield, 27 Larch Court, Springfield
Pricing method: Flat rate from price book, after-hours dispatch
Problem reported: Water on garage floor around water heater.
Diagnosis: 50-gallon gas tank water heater leaking from bottom of tank. Tank is 13 years old per serial number. Not repairable. Cold-side shutoff valve seized and failed when operated.
Work performed: Shut off water at main. Drained and removed old tank. Installed new 50-gallon gas water heater, new expansion tank, new cold-side ball valve, new flex connectors, new drain pan. Tested T&P valve, checked draft, checked for gas and water leaks. Hauled away old unit.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| After-hours dispatch fee | $189.00 |
| Water heater replacement, 50-gal gas, flat rate (labor, connectors, drain pan, venting check) | $1,150.00 |
| Water heater, 50-gal gas, 6-year tank warranty (example brand, model on file) | $1,045.00 |
| Thermal expansion tank, 2-gal, installed | $165.00 |
| Change order CO-1: replace seized cold-side shutoff with 3/4" ball valve. Approved by K. Whitfield on site, 10:25 p.m. | $145.00 |
| Permit and inspection, City of Springfield (permit #EX-2291) | $95.00 |
| Haul-away and disposal of old tank | $60.00 |
| Subtotal | $2,849.00 |
| Sales tax (example 6% on equipment and parts, $1,210.00) | $72.60 |
| Balance due | $2,921.60 |
Warranty: 1-year labor warranty on installation. Tank and parts covered by manufacturer warranty; we registered the unit on your behalf on March 9.
Exclusions: Garage drywall and any water damage from the original leak.
Payment terms: Due on receipt. Pay by card or bank transfer at the link below, or by check payable to Copper Creek Plumbing & Drain.
Signed: Karen Whitfield, March 9, 12:58 a.m.
| Field | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| License number | Some states require it on contracts and bids. It also tells the customer and any carrier that a licensed plumber did the work. |
| Service address separate from billing address | Landlords, HOAs and property managers pay from an office, not the unit. Without the unit address, AP will kick it back. |
| Problem, diagnosis and work performed | This is the part customers actually read. It turns a price into a story that makes sense. |
| Parts with brand, model and size | Needed for warranty claims and for the next plumber. Also answers "did they use cheap parts?" |
| Warranty and exclusions | Sets expectations so a callback in month seven does not turn into a refund argument. |
| Payment terms and a payment link | The due date and the way to pay, in one place. A link a homeowner can tap from their phone beats "call the office." |
| Customer signature | The single best protection you have against "the work was never finished." |
Attach before and after photos too; they settle most disputes before they start. Our guide to bulletproof job documentation covers what to capture and how to store it.
Most residential service plumbers have moved to flat-rate pricing, and most new construction and larger repipes still run on bids or time and materials. What causes trouble is mixing them on one invoice without saying so.
With flat rate, the customer approves a price for the task before you start, usually from your price book. The invoice should show the task name and the price, not the hours. If you also list hours, the customer will ask why they are paying twice. List separately only items that are truly extra, like a new toilet the customer chose.
On time and materials (T&M), the invoice must show hours, rates and materials clearly enough that the customer can check your math. List each tech and their rate, regular and overtime hours, and materials with quantity and unit price. Arrival and departure times are not optional on T&M work.
Put each on its own line, use the same name your dispatcher used on the phone, and say whether the trip or diagnostic fee is waived or credited if the customer approves the repair. If your after-hours rate kicks in at 6 p.m., the invoice should say "after-hours dispatch" and the arrival time should prove it.
Generic templates are built for consultants and stores. Leave these plumbing lines off and you end up eating the cost or arguing about it.
Service calls are billed once, on site. Repipes, sewer replacements and remodel rough-ins can run for weeks, and you should not carry all that cost until the end.
Take a deposit on any job where you are ordering special equipment or fixtures, like a tankless unit, and show it as a dated credit on the final invoice. Some states, including California, cap the down payment on home improvement contracts, so check your state licensing board first.
For multi-stage work, bill at milestones the customer can see: underground complete, rough-in passed inspection, trim-out complete. Show the stage, the amount, prior billings and the balance left on the contract. If you work as a sub for a general contractor, they will likely want a pay application and lien waivers with each draw, and your terms will be set by the subcontract.
When the scope changes, write a change order before you do the extra work, get it signed or approved by text or email, and give it a number. On the invoice, list each change order as its own line with the number, a short description, who approved it and when. Unapproved extras are the easiest charges for a customer to refuse.
Keep it short, and use the terms the customer agreed to before work started. For more on choosing terms, see our post on payment terms that get contractors paid.
PAYMENT TERMS
Residential service, paid on site: "Payment is due on completion of work. We accept card, bank transfer and check. Pay securely at [link]."
Commercial or property management: "Net 30 from invoice date. Please reference invoice [#] and PO [#] with your payment. Remit to [address] or pay at [link]."
Deposit: "A deposit of [amount] is due before equipment is ordered. The balance is due on completion and will be shown on your final invoice."
Late fee (only if it is in your signed agreement and allowed in your state): "Balances unpaid after [X] days are subject to a late charge of [rate] as stated in your service agreement."
Do not invent a late fee on the invoice that was never in the estimate or service agreement. It gives a slow payer a reason to stop talking to you.
License numbers. In California, Business and Professions Code section 7030.5 requires licensed contractors to show their license number on construction contracts, subcontracts, calls for bid and advertising, according to the California Contractors State License Board. Other states and cities set their own rules. Putting your license number on every plumbing invoice costs nothing.
Sales tax. Some states tax plumbing labor, some tax only materials, and some treat residential and commercial work differently. Texas is a good example: the Texas Comptroller (Publication 94-116) says labor to repair or remodel residential real property is not taxable, while repair and remodeling of nonresidential property is generally taxable on the full charge. One tax rate on every line is probably wrong for some jobs. Check with your state's revenue department or your accountant, and set up separate tax codes for labor, parts, residential and commercial work.
Bring one overdue invoice.
We'll show you how it would be followed up, and exactly what your customer would see.
| 1 | One lump sum. "Plumbing repair: $1,840" invites a phone call and a request for a breakdown. Every day spent explaining is a day the invoice is not paid. |
| 2 | Leaving without a signature or payment. If the customer is home and the job is done, that is the time to get paid. Once the truck leaves, the invoice drops down their list. |
| 3 | Missing PO or work order numbers. Property managers and commercial AP teams will hold an invoice that does not match their PO. Ask for the number at dispatch, not after the job. |
| 4 | Unwritten change orders. "The tech said it would be a little extra" is not a change order. If it is not written down and approved, plan on losing that money. |
| 5 | No follow-up plan. Most unpaid plumbing invoices are not disputes. They are forgotten. Without a set schedule, nobody in the office sends the second reminder. |
The best plumbing invoice gets paid before the truck leaves. Have the tech review the invoice with the customer on a tablet or phone, get a signature, and offer a way to pay right there. Online payment links for contractors make this simple.
For invoices that go out unpaid, use a set schedule. Sending the second and third reminders matters more than the wording.
| Day 0 | Invoice emailed the same day with photos and a payment link. Text with the same link for residential customers. |
| Due date | Friendly reminder by email and text. |
| +3 days | Voicemail or call. Ask if anything on the invoice needs a second look. |
| +10 days | Firmer email and text that names the number of days past due and offers a payment plan. |
| +21 days | Call from the owner or office manager. |
| +30 days | Final notice by email and certified mail, naming the next step and date. |
If you want ready-made wording for each step, use our past due invoice letter templates. Check your aging report weekly so nothing hits 60 days unnoticed.
The homeowner calls you for the burst pipe, then calls their carrier for the water damage. What the policy pays for depends on the policy, so bill the homeowner on your normal terms and give them a detailed invoice and photos they can submit. Do not send your payment link to the adjuster or the carrier. Send it to the person who hired you.
AR Workflow shows the invoices nobody is following up on, and puts them on a schedule.
Most plumbing shops have no full-time collections person, so the schedule above slips the first busy week. That is the part plumbing invoice automation handles.
AR Workflow syncs with QuickBooks, picks up each open plumbing invoice, and runs the follow-up for you: emails, texts and ringless voicemail from a dedicated number, each with a payment link the homeowner can tap. It stops when the customer pays, pauses when they promise a date, and logs every touch on the invoice. An aging dashboard shows what is open by customer and by bucket, so you can see which property manager is sitting on six invoices.
At minimum: your company name, contact details and license number; the invoice number, date and due date; customer and service address; a description of the problem and the work performed; itemized labor, parts, fees, permits and change orders; sales tax where it applies; warranty terms; payment terms and a way to pay; and the customer's signature.
For residential service work, due on completion or due on receipt is standard and reasonable. For commercial customers and property managers, Net 15 or Net 30 is common. Agree on it before the job and print it on the invoice.
Yes, if you told them about it before dispatch. State it on the phone and the work order, and show it as its own line. Many plumbers credit the fee toward the repair if the customer approves it.
For a small shop, a Word or Excel plumber invoice template works if every field above is on it and you send it the same day. As volume grows, QuickBooks or field service software plus automated follow-up saves time.
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 or tax advice. Licensing, deposit and sales tax rules vary by state; check with your state licensing board, revenue department or accountant.
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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