How to write a repair invoice (with a template)

A repair invoice is the last document on a job, and often the only one the person who pays reads closely. If you know how to write a repair invoice that matches what was approved, shows what you did and says how to pay, the owner or manager can check it and pay without calling you first.

This guide is for plumbers, electricians, HVAC techs and other maintenance pros who work on rentals for owners and property managers. It covers what every repair invoice should include, a template you can copy, an example for a common job and how to send it. It follows our repair estimate template: the invoice works best when it repeats the estimate's lines.

Why the invoice matters on a rental job

On a rental, the person who pays the invoice is often not the person who let you in. The tenant saw you work. The owner, or a manager with a spending limit, approved the price days earlier and now has to match your invoice to that approval. If the two don't line up, they hold the payment and call you.

The invoice is also your record. It shows what you did, when, at which unit and for how much. If a question comes up months later, about a warranty or a payment, the invoice is the document both sides go back to.

Why repair invoices get questioned

Most questions about an invoice come from a few gaps:

• It doesn't match the estimate. The estimate said $149 and the invoice says $214, with no line explaining the difference.
• The work is described in one word. "Plumbing repair" doesn't tell the owner which sink, which unit or what was replaced.
• The property is missing. A manager with many units can't tell which job "Maple St" refers to.
• Extra work appears without an approval. A line nobody remembers approving puts the whole invoice on hold.
• Payment details are unclear. No due date, no payment methods, or the invoice went to the tenant instead of the person who pays.

How to write a repair invoice: what to include

Whether you use paper, a spreadsheet or an invoicing app, a repair invoice should answer these questions:

1. That it's an invoice. The word "Invoice" at the top, an invoice number and the date you issue it.
2. Who it's from. Your business name, phone, email and, where it's required, your license number and tax ID.
3. Who pays. The name of the owner or company responsible for payment, and the manager's name if a manager approved the work.
4. Where the work was done. The property address and unit, which can differ from the billing address.
5. The estimate it refers to. The estimate number and the date it was approved.
6. The work done. What you did, in plain words, with the date or dates of the visit.
7. Parts and labor on separate lines. Each part with its quantity and price; labor as hours times a rate, or the flat price you quoted.
8. Approved changes on their own lines. Any extra work, with who approved it and when.
9. Other charges and credits. Visit fee, disposal, permits, and any deposit already paid, shown as a credit.
10. Taxes, if they apply where you work, and the total due.
11. Payment terms. The due date, the ways to pay and the details the payer needs, such as an account or a payment link.
12. Warranty. How long your labor and the parts are covered, in the same words as the estimate. Our guide to workmanship warranties covers what to include.

Tax rules for invoices differ a lot by country and state. In some places a valid tax invoice has to be issued through a government system or carry specific fields. Check the rules where you work, or ask an accountant, before you rely on any template, including this one.

Repair invoice template you can copy

Copy these fields into a document, a spreadsheet or your invoicing app, and fill them in for each job:

Keep the line names the same as on your estimate. The owner can then compare the estimate and the invoice line by line.

Example: the kitchen sink at Apt 4B

This invoice closes the job from our estimate example. The names and prices are only examples, and the details in brackets are yours to fill in:

• Invoice: #112, Oct 30
• From: Diego Ramos Plumbing
• Bill to: Laura Chen (owner)
• Property: 18 Maple Street, Apt 4B
• Estimate: #112, approved Oct 27
• Date of work: Oct 30
• Work done: replaced the P-trap and slip nuts under the kitchen sink, tested for leaks with the sink full, dried the cabinet. While testing, found the cold shutoff valve under the sink leaking at the stem; replaced it after approval.

• Approved change: the valve replacement was approved by Laura Chen in writing on Oct 30, 5:50 PM, after photos and a price
• Due: Nov 14, 15 days after the invoice
• How to pay: bank transfer to [bank name and account number] or card through [payment link]
• Warranty: 1 year on labor; parts per the manufacturer
• Attached: estimate #112, the written approval for the valve, photos before and after

The owner can match the first two lines to the $138 she approved before tax, and the next two to the change she approved on site.

How to send it so it gets paid

You can write a clear invoice and still wait weeks if you send it to the wrong person. When you send it:

• Send it the day you finish, while the job is fresh for everyone.
• Send it to the person who pays, and copy the manager if a manager approved the work. The tenant only needs it if they're the one paying.
• Attach the photos and the approved estimate in the same message, so nobody has to search for them.
• Use one file per job, with the invoice number and the address in the file name, such as "Invoice-112-18-Maple-Apt-4B.pdf".
• Keep a copy with the job, together with the estimate and the approvals.

If the due date passes, our guide on getting paid faster as a contractor covers a follow-up routine for unpaid invoices.

How RentalThread will make it easier

With RentalThread, each job will have its own thread with the tenant's photos, the address and the unit. You'll send your estimate there, and the owner or manager will approve it in the same place, so the approval and any approved changes are written down with the job.

As you work, you'll post progress and the finished photos in that thread. When it's time to invoice, the estimate, the approvals and the photos will already be in one place, and you'll be able to track whether the job has been paid. See what's planned for maintenance pros.