Plumbing invoice template (parts & labor)

A plumbing invoice usually covers more than one kind of charge: a service call, your labor, the parts you installed, and sometimes a permit or an after-hours rate. When each of those is on its own line, the customer can see what they're paying for and you're less likely to get a call disputing the bill.

This free template is set up for that. Add your labor, parts and fees, download a clean PDF, and add a QR code so the customer can pay before you leave the driveway. No account needed.

What to include on a plumbing invoice

• Your business details: name, phone, email, and any license number your state or city requires on invoices. Check your state's licensing board if you're not sure.
• Customer details: name and billing address, and the job address if different (use Ship to for the property).
• Invoice number, issue date and due date.
• Date of the visit and a short description of the problem and the fix.
• Service call or trip fee, if you charge one.
• Labor: hours and your hourly rate, or a flat price for the job.
• Parts and fixtures, each on its own line, with make or model for major items like water heaters.
• Permit fees, if you pulled one.
• Warranty terms, tax, total and how to pay.

Example line items

A water heater replacement on a weekday visit:

The heater, the fittings and the labor are each easy to check. If the customer calls the manufacturer about a warranty claim later, the invoice already shows what was installed and when.

Service calls and after-hours rates

Most plumbers charge something just to show up. Common approaches:

• Service call or trip fee: a flat charge for the visit and diagnosis. Some plumbers waive or credit it if the customer approves the repair.
• Minimum charge: for example, one hour of labor on every visit.
• After-hours, weekend and holiday rates: a higher hourly rate or a flat emergency fee for a 2 a.m. burst pipe.

Whatever you use, tell the customer before you arrive, and label the line clearly on the invoice: "Emergency call-out, Sunday 11:40 p.m." is much easier to accept than an unexplained higher rate. Put the date and time of the call in the description so it matches the customer's memory of the night.

Flat rate vs time and materials

Flat-rate pricing sets one price for a defined job, such as "Replace wax ring and reset toilet." Customers like knowing the price up front, and you're rewarded for working efficiently. On the invoice, use a quantity of 1 and describe exactly what the price includes.

Time and materials bills your actual hours plus parts. It's fairer for jobs where you can't see the problem until you cut into a wall or run a camera down a drain. Put hours in Qty and your rate in Rate; the template does the math. List parts separately so the customer can compare them with receipts.

For bigger jobs, such as a repipe or a bathroom rough-in, give a written quote first. The quote and estimate template sets a price and an expiry date, and if the job runs over several days, take a deposit for materials. Our guide to partial payments and deposits shows how to show it on the final invoice.

Permits and warranties

Water heater replacements, new gas lines and remodel work often need a permit. Rules vary by city and county, so check with your local building department. If you pass the permit fee through to the customer, show it as its own line at cost, and put the permit number in the description or notes so the customer has it for their records.

Put your workmanship warranty on the invoice, for example "Labor warranted for 1 year from install date." For major equipment, note the manufacturer's warranty separately, and remind the customer if the manufacturer asks for the product to be registered.

Sales tax for plumbing work

Sales tax on plumbing work depends on the state and on whether the job is a repair or a capital improvement to real property:

• Some states tax repair, maintenance and installation services. North Carolina, for example, taxes these services to real property, but treats work done under a real property contract, such as a capital improvement, differently (see our North Carolina guide).
• Some states don't tax repair labor on homes but do tax it on commercial buildings. In Texas, labor to repair or remodel residential real property isn't taxable, while repair and remodeling of nonresidential property is (see our Texas guide).
• Many states treat a plumber who installs parts into a building as the consumer of those parts, so you pay tax when you buy them and don't charge it again.

Because the rules differ, keep labor and parts on separate lines, tick Tax only on the lines that are taxable for that job, and check your state's revenue department before you charge tax. If a commercial customer is exempt, keep their certificate on file; see how to invoice a tax-exempt customer.

Common mistakes on plumbing invoices

• One lump sum for the whole visit, so the customer can't see what the water heater cost versus the labor.
• Surprise emergency charges the customer didn't agree to on the phone.
• "Misc. parts" with no description, which invites questions.
• No model or serial number for a water heater or other equipment you installed.
• Missing job address, especially for landlords and property managers with several units.
• Charging tax the same way on every job, when repairs and new installations may be treated differently.

Property managers and repeat customers

Property managers often want a work order or PO number on every invoice, plus the unit number. Invoice each work order separately unless they ask for a monthly summary, and attach before-and-after photos when you can. Signing in with Google keeps your customers saved and your invoice numbers in order, so a repeat customer's next invoice takes a minute.

Checklist

• ✅ Job address and date of the visit on the invoice
• ✅ Service call, after-hours or emergency fee shown as its own line
• ✅ Labor and parts on separate lines
• ✅ Make and model for water heaters and other equipment
• ✅ Permit fee and permit number included if you pulled one
• ✅ Workmanship warranty stated
• ✅ Sales tax checked for your state and the type of job