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Plumbing Invoice Template: What to Include
A free plumbing invoice template layout plus what every plumbing invoice should include: service-call fees, parts, permits, warranty and sales tax.
Plumbing jobs are hard to invoice well. One visit can include a diagnostic fee, two hours of labor, a handful of fittings, a new fixture, a disposal charge and an after-hours rate. Lump all of that into "plumbing repair – $640" and you'll get a phone call instead of a payment.
This article gives you a plumbing invoice template layout you can copy, explains what to include on every plumbing invoice, and covers the details that are specific to plumbing work in the US: service-call fees, flat-rate pricing, parts and model numbers, permits, warranties and sales tax.
Why plumbing invoices need more detail
Plumbing customers are often paying for something they can't see. The leak is fixed, the drain runs, the water is hot again, but the work happened behind a wall or under a cabinet. A detailed invoice shows the value of what you did.
It also protects you. If a water heater fails under warranty a year from now, the model number, install date and invoice number on your copy make the claim much easier. And the IRS lists invoices as one of the supporting documents for your business income (IRS: What kind of records should I keep).
What to include on a plumbing invoice
Business and license details
- Company name, address, phone and email
- Plumbing license number. Plumbers are licensed in many states and localities, and some states require the license number on certain documents. California, for example, requires contractors to show their license number on contracts, bids and advertising (Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 7030.5).
- Logo (optional, but it helps your invoice look like it came from a real business)
Customer and job details
- Customer name and billing address
- Service address, if different (common with landlords, property managers and HOAs)
- Unit or apartment number
- PO or work order number for commercial and property-management customers
Invoice number and dates
- Unique, sequential invoice number
- Invoice date and date of service
- Due date
Line items, broken out the plumbing way
This is the heart of a plumbing invoice. Group your lines so a homeowner can follow them:
- Service call or diagnostic fee. If you charge a trip or diagnostic fee, show it as its own line. If you waive it when the customer approves the repair, show the fee and then a discount line. That way the customer sees the value.
- Labor. Either hours × rate ("Labor, 2.5 hrs @ $110/hr") or a flat-rate task ("Replace toilet fill valve, flat rate").
- After-hours or emergency rate. If a nights, weekends or holiday rate applies, say so on the line. Customers who called at 11 p.m. remember the leak, not the rate you quoted on the phone.
- Parts and materials. Quantity, description and unit price. For major equipment, include the brand, model and serial number.
- Fixtures supplied by the customer. If the customer bought the faucet, note "customer-supplied" so nobody thinks you forgot to charge for it, or that you're responsible for its warranty.
- Permit and inspection fees, if you pulled the permit and are passing the cost through.
- Haul-away and disposal, for old water heaters, toilets and debris.
Totals, tax and payments
- Subtotal
- Discounts, each on its own line
- Sales tax, applied only to the lines that are taxable in your state
- Total, minus any deposit already paid
- Balance due
Terms, warranty and notes
- Payment terms and the actual due date
- Accepted payment methods
- Your labor warranty (for example, "Labor warranted for one year from the date of service") and a note that manufacturer warranties apply to parts
- Any recommendation you made that the customer declined, such as "Recommended replacing corroded shutoff valve; customer declined." That one line can save you an argument later.
Free plumbing invoice template layout
Recreate this in a spreadsheet, a word processor or an invoicing app.
Header: Business name, logo, address, phone, email, plumbing license number. "Invoice," invoice number, invoice date, due date.
Bill to: Customer name, billing address. Service address: if different. PO / work order: if any.
Work summary (one or two sentences): "Responded to leak under kitchen sink. Replaced failed P-trap and supply line. Tested, no leaks."
Line items:
| Description | Qty | Unit price | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service call – diagnose kitchen sink leak | 1 | $89.00 | $89.00 |
| Labor – replace P-trap and supply line | 1.5 hrs | $110.00 | $165.00 |
| 1-1/2" PVC P-trap kit | 1 | $14.00 | $14.00 |
| Braided faucet supply line, 20" | 2 | $11.00 | $22.00 |
| Discount – service call waived with repair | 1 | –$89.00 | –$89.00 |
Example figures only. Use your own prices.
Totals: Subtotal, sales tax (only on lines taxable in your state), total, deposit received, balance due.
Footer: Payment terms, accepted methods, labor warranty, thank-you note.
Flat-rate vs. time-and-materials plumbing invoices
Most plumbing shops use one of two pricing styles, and your invoice should match the one you quoted.
| Flat-rate | Time and materials (T&M) | |
|---|---|---|
| How it's priced | One price per task, set in advance | Hours × hourly rate, plus parts |
| What the invoice shows | Task name and price; parts often included | Hours, rate, and each part listed |
| Customer sees | Predictable price before work starts | What was actually spent |
| Common for | Repeatable jobs: fixture swaps, drain clearing, water heater installs | Diagnosis, remodels, hard-to-scope repairs |
Whichever you use, keep it consistent within a job. Mixing a flat rate with extra hourly charges for the same task confuses customers unless you explain it clearly on the invoice.
Sales tax on plumbing jobs
There is no single US rule for sales tax on plumbing. Depending on the state, labor may be taxable or exempt, materials may be taxed when you buy them or when you resell them, and residential and commercial jobs can be treated differently.
In Texas, for example, labor to repair or remodel residential property is not taxable, while the total charge for repairing or remodeling nonresidential property is taxable. How you write the contract (lump-sum or separated) also affects how tax is handled on materials (Texas Comptroller, Publication 94-116). Your state may work very differently. Check your state revenue department's guidance for contractors or talk to a tax professional, and use the rate for the job location, not your shop's.
The practical takeaway for your invoice: keep labor and materials on separate lines, and mark each line taxable or not. That makes it far easier to apply your state's rules correctly.
Water heaters, permits and other big-ticket lines
Big jobs deserve extra detail:
- Water heater replacement: old unit removal, new unit brand/model/serial, capacity and fuel type, any code-required parts, permit fee and haul-away.
- Repipes: pipe material (PEX, copper), number of fixtures or rooms, drywall access and patching (or a note that patching is excluded).
- Sewer and main line work: footage, method, and any camera inspection fee.
If the job ran over the estimate because of something you found, such as a corroded valve or code issue, show the extra work as separate lines and reference the customer's approval.
Keep your plumbing invoices organized
Store every invoice and proof of payment. The IRS generally says to keep records that support your tax return for 3 years, with longer periods in some cases (IRS: How long should I keep records?). For plumbing, warranty claims are another good reason to keep them longer.
If you work for property managers, general contractors or other businesses, expect them to ask for a Form W-9. For payments made in 2026, businesses generally report payments of $2,000 or more for services on Form 1099-NEC (IRS).
Invoicing plumbing jobs from the truck
The best time to write a plumbing invoice is right after the job, while you still remember every fitting. SnipInvoice is built for that moment: say who the job was for, what you did and what it cost, and it drafts the invoice. Materials and labor can each be marked taxable or not at the rate you set, and anything you didn't price is flagged instead of guessed. You review it, then share the PDF from your phone.
FAQ
What should a plumbing invoice include?
Your business details and license number, the customer and service address, an invoice number and dates, itemized labor and parts, any service-call, permit or disposal fees, sales tax where it applies, the total and balance due, payment terms and your warranty.
Should I list every fitting on a plumbing invoice?
For time-and-materials jobs, listing parts is good practice. For flat-rate jobs, parts are often included in the task price. For major equipment like water heaters, always include brand, model and serial number.
How do I show a waived service-call fee?
List the service-call fee at its normal price, then add a separate discount line for the same amount. The customer sees what they saved, and your records stay accurate.
Do plumbers charge sales tax on labor?
It depends on the state and whether the property is residential or commercial. Check your state's guidance for contractors or ask a tax professional.
Turn your next plumbing job into an invoice before you leave the driveway. SnipInvoice is launching soon on iOS and Android. Learn more at snipinvoice.com.