Painting invoice template for labor & materials

A painting job looks simple from the outside: the walls were one color, now they're another. But the price comes from several things: prep work, the area painted, the number of coats, doors and trim, and the paint itself. A clear invoice shows each of those so the customer can see where the money went.

This free painting invoice template works for interior and exterior jobs, residential repaints and commercial work. Price by the room, by the square foot or by the hour, list paint and supplies separately, and download a clean PDF. No account needed.

What to include on a painting invoice

• Your business details: name, phone, email, and any contractor license or registration number your state or city requires.
• Customer details: name and billing address, plus the job address if it's different (use Ship to for the property).
• Invoice number, issue date and due date.
• Estimate or PO number, so the invoice ties back to what the customer approved.
• Prep work, such as patching, sanding, caulking and masking.
• Painting labor, by room, by square foot or by the hour, with the number of coats.
• Paint and supplies, with the product, sheen and number of gallons.
• Change orders, deposits already paid, the balance due and how to pay.

Example line items

An interior repaint of a living room and hallway:

Prep, painting labor and materials are on separate lines. The customer can match the square footage to the estimate and the gallons to the colors they picked.

Per-room, per-square-foot and hourly pricing

Painters price work in a few common ways, and the invoice should use the same method as your estimate:

• Per room: a flat price for each room, usually based on its size and whether ceilings and trim are included. Use a quantity of 1 and describe what's covered, such as "walls and ceiling, 2 coats".
• Per square foot: put the measured wall or surface area in Qty and your price per square foot in Rate. Say whether it's wall area or floor area, because they give very different numbers.
• Per piece: doors, windows, cabinets and trim runs are often priced individually.
• Hourly: common for prep, repairs and small touch-up jobs. See the hourly template for more on billing time.

Whichever you use, list the number of coats. A one-coat price and a two-coat price are different jobs, and it's a common source of disputes.

Paint and materials

Show paint as its own line with the product, sheen and quantity, such as "Premium interior eggshell, 5 gal". Put sundries like primer, caulk, tape, sandpaper and drop cloths on one supplies line, or include them in your labor price, whichever matches your estimate. If the customer supplied their own paint, say so in the notes so nobody wonders why there's no paint line.

Many painters add a markup on paint to cover the time spent choosing colors and picking up product. Agree that with the customer up front and be consistent.

Deposits and change orders

For larger jobs, take a deposit when the customer accepts your estimate. It covers paint and holds the date on your schedule. On the final invoice, list the whole job and show the deposit as a payment, so the balance due is clear. Our guide to partial payments and deposits shows how to word it.

Start every job with a written estimate. Our quote and estimate template sets a price and an expiry date, and signed-in users can turn the accepted quote into an invoice. If the customer adds a room, changes a color after the first coat, or asks for extra repairs, put it in writing and bill it as a change order on its own line, such as "Change order: add guest bedroom, 2 coats".

Touch-up warranty

Many painters offer a touch-up or workmanship warranty, for example one year against peeling or blistering on interior work. Put the terms in the invoice Notes so the customer has them in writing with the price. Say what's covered, for how long, and what isn't, such as damage from moisture, impact or normal wear.

Payment terms

Homeowners usually pay on completion or within a few days. Property managers, builders and commercial customers often expect Net 30 and may need a PO number on the invoice. Show the due date clearly and add Zelle or Venmo details and a QR code so homeowners can pay before you pack up.

Sales tax for painting

Sales tax on painting depends on your state, the type of property and the type of work:

• Some states tax repair and maintenance work on buildings but not new construction or capital improvements.
• Some states treat residential and commercial work differently. In Texas, labor to repaint a home isn't taxable, but repainting commercial (nonresidential) property as part of repair or remodeling is (see our Texas guide).
• Many states treat painters as the consumer of the paint, so you pay tax when you buy it and don't charge it separately.

Because the rules vary, keep labor and paint on separate lines, tick Tax only on the taxable ones, and check your state's rules before you charge tax. For larger remodels with several trades, the contractor template covers progress billing.

Common mistakes on painting invoices

• One lump sum for the job, so the customer can't compare it to the estimate.
• No number of coats, which leads to "I thought it was two coats" arguments.
• Mixing wall area and floor area when pricing by the square foot.
• Color changes and extra rooms billed without a written change order.
• Forgetting the deposit on the final invoice, so the customer thinks they're being billed twice.

Keeping good records

Save a PDF of every invoice you send, keep the paint receipts for each job, and keep your invoice numbers in order with no gaps or duplicates. Write the paint colors and products in the notes as well. When the customer calls for touch-ups next year, you'll know exactly what's on the walls.

Checklist

• ✅ Job address and estimate or PO number on the invoice
• ✅ Prep, painting labor and paint on separate lines
• ✅ Number of coats and pricing method stated
• ✅ Deposit shown as a payment, change orders on their own lines
• ✅ Touch-up warranty terms in the notes
• ✅ Sales tax checked for your state and type of property