Templates
Trucking invoice template (loads & miles)
A free trucking invoice template for owner-operators and small carriers — per-load or per-mile rates, BOL numbers, fuel surcharge, detention and lumper fees.
Last updated · Invoice Native team
Trucking invoices get checked against paperwork. A broker or shipper will compare your invoice with the rate confirmation and the signed bill of lading before paying, and any mismatch — a wrong load number, a missing receipt — can hold up payment for weeks.
This free template is set up for owner-operators and small fleets billing brokers or shippers directly. Bill by the load or by the mile, add accessorial charges on their own lines, and download a clean PDF to send with your paperwork.
Use the trucking template
No sign-up. Your invoice stays in your browser until you download the PDF.
What to include on a trucking invoice
- Your carrier details: company name, address, phone, and your MC and USDOT numbers.
- Bill to: the broker or shipper named on the rate confirmation.
- Invoice number and date, plus the broker's load number (use the PO number field).
- BOL and PRO numbers, so the shipment can be traced.
- Pickup and delivery: shipper and receiver names, cities and dates. Use Ship to for the delivery address.
- Line haul, as a flat rate per load or miles × rate per mile.
- Accessorials such as fuel surcharge, detention, lumper, layover or extra stops, each on its own line.
- Remit-to details, including your factoring company's if you factor.
Example line items
| Description | Qty | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Line haul, Dallas TX to Atlanta GA — load #884217 | 781 | $2.35 |
| Fuel surcharge (per mile) | 781 | $0.42 |
| Detention at receiver, 3 hrs after 2 hrs free | 3 | $50.00 |
| Lumper fee reimbursement (receipt attached) | 1 | $185.00 |
| Extra stop, Birmingham AL | 1 | $75.00 |
Using miles as the quantity makes the line haul easy to check against the rate confirmation. If you were paid a flat rate, enter a quantity of 1 and the agreed rate.
Per-load or per-mile rates
Per-load pricing is common with brokers: the rate confirmation names one all-in or line-haul amount for the load. Per-mile pricing is more common with direct shippers and dedicated lanes. Either way, the invoice should match the rate confirmation exactly — same load number, same rate, same accessorials. If a rate changed after dispatch, get the updated confirmation before you invoice.
Accessorial charges
- Fuel surcharge: shown per mile or as a percentage of line haul, as agreed. Keep it separate from the line haul if the rate confirmation lists it separately.
- Detention: hours waited beyond the free time in your agreement. Write the in and out times in the description, and keep the signed times from the BOL or check-in records.
- Lumper fees: the cost of having the load unloaded by a third party. Bill the amount on the receipt and attach it; many brokers won't reimburse without one.
- Layover, extra stops and TONU (truck ordered not used): bill these only if they're in the rate confirmation or approved in writing afterward.
Payment terms and factoring
Many brokers pay on terms of 30 days or longer, and some offer quick pay for a fee. See Net 30 explained for how terms work and how to follow up.
If you use a factoring company, it buys your invoice and collects payment from the broker. The factor will tell you what must appear on the invoice — usually its remit-to address or bank details and a notice of assignment. Put that wording in Notes or payment details exactly as the factor specifies, and don't list your own bank account for factored loads.
For customers who pay you directly, add ACH details or a payment QR code to get paid faster.
Sales tax and trucking
In most states, a for-hire carrier's charge for hauling someone else's freight isn't treated as a taxable sale of goods, so trucking invoices usually don't include sales tax. That's different from a seller's delivery charge on goods it sells, which some states — New York, for example — include in the taxable price (see our New York guide). Rules for transportation services vary, so confirm your state's treatment. Fuel taxes filed under IFTA and federal highway use tax are paid by the carrier, not added to the customer's invoice as sales tax.
Common mistakes on trucking invoices
- Load number or rate that doesn't match the rate confirmation.
- Missing signed BOL or proof of delivery.
- Detention billed without times or outside the agreed free time.
- Lumper fees billed without a receipt.
- Wrong remit-to details on a factored load, which can send the payment to the wrong party.
Keeping good records
Keep each invoice with its rate confirmation, BOL and receipts, and keep invoice numbers in order. Signing in with Google or Apple keeps your numbering, customers and payment tracking in one place.
Checklist
- ✅ MC and USDOT numbers on the invoice
- ✅ Load, BOL and PRO numbers match the paperwork
- ✅ Pickup and delivery locations and dates
- ✅ Accessorials on separate lines, with receipts attached
- ✅ Factoring remit-to details where required
Create this invoice free
No sign-up. Your invoice stays in your browser until you download the PDF.
Frequently asked questions
What documents should I send with a trucking invoice?
Usually the rate confirmation, the signed bill of lading or proof of delivery, and receipts for any reimbursable charges such as lumper fees or scale tickets. Brokers and factoring companies often won't pay until they have all of them.
How do I bill detention time?
Put detention on its own line with the hours as the quantity and your hourly rate as the price. Note the arrival and departure times, and bill it only as the rate confirmation allows — many set free time before detention starts.
What changes on my invoice if I use a factoring company?
The factor usually requires its own remit-to address or bank details on the invoice, and often a notice of assignment telling the customer to pay the factor, not you. Follow the wording your factoring agreement specifies.
This guide is general information, not tax or legal advice. Rules change and depend on your situation, so check with your state’s tax agency or a tax professional.