How to invoice as a contractor or handyman
A contractor invoice is the bill you send after the work, or a stage of it, is done. It lists what was done, what it costs, what has already been paid, and how and when to pay the rest.
Short answer
Put your business name and license number, the customer and job address, an invoice number and date, each line of work and materials, tax, the deposit already paid, the balance, the due date and how to pay. Send it the day the job is done. Keep invoices and receipts for at least 3 years.
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The invoice checklist
Ten lines, in the order the customer reads them.
- 01
Your business name and contact. Name, phone and email, and your license number if your state requires it on documents.
- 02
Customer and job address. Who you billed, and where the work was done.
- 03
Invoice number and date. One number per invoice, never reused, plus the date you sent it.
- 04
The quote it settles. The quote or estimate number, so the customer sees the two match.
- 05
Work and materials. Each line with a quantity and a price; each change order as its own line.
- 06
Tax and discount. Sales tax where your state charges it on your work, and any discount.
- 07
Payments already made. The deposit and any progress payments, each with its date.
- 08
Balance and due date. What is still owed, and the date it is due.
- 09
How to pay. Card link, check, cash: the ways you accept.
- 10
Warranty and refund terms. Anything you promise on labor or materials, in writing.
Some states require your license number on bids and contracts. Arizona and California’s rules are quoted on how to write a contractor estimate.
When to send it, and when it is due
- Small job: invoice the day it is finished, ideally before you leave.
- Larger job: invoice at the stages written into the quote (progress billing).
| Due date | What it means | Common for |
|---|---|---|
| Due on receipt | Pay when you get the invoice | Homeowner jobs, service calls |
| Net 15 | Pay within 15 days | Repeat customers |
| Net 30 | Pay within 30 days | Property managers, businesses |
These are conventions, not laws. The due date that counts is the one the customer agreed to, so put it on the quote.
Numbering and records
Number invoices in one sequence and never reuse a number. A gap or a duplicate is what makes records hard to follow.
The IRS lists the documents that support your gross receipts: “Cash register tapes, Deposit information (cash and credit sales), Receipt books, Invoices, Forms 1099-MISC.”
The IRS also says: “For most small businesses, the business checking account is the main source for entries in the business books.”
| Keep records for | When (IRS) |
|---|---|
| 3 years | The general rule |
| 4 years | Employment tax records, after the tax is due or paid |
| 6 years | If you did not report income that is more than 25% of the gross income on your return |
| 7 years | If you claim a loss from worthless securities or a bad-debt deduction |
Sources: IRS, What kind of records should I keep and IRS, How long should I keep records, read 5 October 2026
Deposits on the invoice
Show the deposit as a payment already received, with its date, and bill only the balance.
Several states cap how much deposit a contractor can take before work starts. The rules, each linked to its statute, are in contractor deposit limits by state.
Receipts
A receipt proves a payment. Give one for every payment, deposit included.
- The amount, the date and how the customer paid (card, check, cash).
- The invoice it applies to, and the balance still owed or “Paid in full”.
The difference between the four documents of a job is in estimate vs quote vs invoice vs receipt.
Sending it
A text with a link, an email or paper all work. A link the customer can pay from removes a step. The card options and their fees are in how to accept card payments as a contractor. Stripe’s smallest US card payment is $0.50.
Source: Stripe docs, minimum charge amounts, read 5 October 2026
Not paid by the due date? Remind in writing, then send a final notice with a date. The steps after that are in customer won’t pay your invoice.
Where LeadHunter USA fits
LeadHunter USA CRM turns an approved quote into an invoice, shows any deposit already paid, and adds a “Pay by card” button when you have turned card payments on. When the customer pays, it makes a receipt on their customer card. The CRM is free. LeadHunter USA Payments costs 3.3% + 30¢ per US card, all in: Stripe’s standard 2.9% + 30¢ plus a 0.4% LeadHunter USA fee.
Good fit
- Contractors who want invoices made from the approved quote, with the deposit already shown
- Owners who send documents from their own phone
- Anyone who wants a receipt on the customer’s record when they pay
Not the right tool
- Businesses that need accounting or bookkeeping in the same app
- Anyone who needs a downloadable invoice template rather than an app
Invoices, free, from your phone
Make the invoice from the quote the customer approved, send it from your own phone, and let them pay by card.
Create your free accountLeadHunter USA CRM
Send quotes and invoices, and keep every customer and job in one place.
Free
LeadHunter USA Payments
Customers pay you by card from your invoice or a QR code. Money lands in your bank in about 2 days.
Free to join · 3.3% + 30¢ per US card
LeadHunter USA Alerts
People nearby asking for your trade, sent to your phone the moment they post.
7 days free, then $75/month
LeadHunter USA Line
A business number for calls and texts, separate from your cell.
Coming soon
LeadHunter USA Alerts is the paid lead-alert product; the CRM does not need it. Payments needs the CRM.
More guides
- Start a home-service business: the first-month checklist
- LeadHunter USA CRM: the free CRM for contractors, and what other free plans include
- How to accept card payments as a contractor: fees and rules
- QR code payments for contractors
- Estimate vs quote vs invoice vs receipt
- How to keep track of customers in a small service business
- Customer won’t pay your invoice? The steps
- How to write a contractor estimate
- How much deposit a contractor can take, by state
Common questions
What should be on a contractor invoice?
Your business name and contact, your license number if your state requires it, the customer and job address, an invoice number and date, the work and materials with prices, tax, any deposit already paid, the balance, the due date and how to pay.
When should a contractor send an invoice?
For a small job, on the day it is finished. For a larger job, at the stages written into the quote.
Is “due on receipt” or net 30 better?
Neither is required by law; the due date is what you and the customer agreed. Write it on the quote so the invoice is not a surprise.
How long should I keep invoices?
The IRS’s general rule is 3 years. It is 6 years if you under-reported income by more than 25% of gross income, and 7 years if you claim a bad-debt deduction.
Do I need to give a receipt?
Give one for every payment. The IRS lists receipt books, invoices and deposit information among the documents that support your gross receipts.
Sources · checked 5 October 2026