Plumbing Invoice Example: Annotated Commercial Job

Sample plumbing invoice

This is an illustrative example: the business, client and numbers are made up and are not market rates.

Payment terms: Net 15 against PO 0419. Check, card or bank transfer.

Notes: Water heater make, model and serial number: [from the unit's label]. Manufacturer warranty per the unit's documentation; workmanship warranty 1 year. Permit inspection scheduled April 10.

How the totals work

• Taxable charges (lines 1 to 6): $89 + $375 + $1,180 + $37 + $42 + $75 = $1,798.
• Subtotal: $1,798 + $125 permit = $1,923.
• Sales tax: 8.25% × $1,798 = $148.335, rounded to $148.34. Total $1,923 + $148.34 = $2,071.34.

Why labor is taxed here: Texas taxes repair and remodeling of nonresidential real property, such as offices, shops and restaurants, on the total charge, labor included, while labor to repair or remodel a home is not taxable (Texas Comptroller publication 94-116). The one exception is a separately stated building permit fee paid on the customer's behalf, which is why the permit line is left out of the tax base. Tax is charged at the job site's rate; 8.25% is the combined rate in Austin (Texas Comptroller, city sales and use tax). The same replacement in a house would carry no tax on the labor.

Other states draw the lines differently. New York, for example, treats installing a water heater as a capital improvement, with no sales tax charged to the customer, but replacing the thermostat on an existing one as a taxable repair (New York Tax Bulletin ST-104). Last reviewed October 28, 2026. This is general information, not tax or legal advice; check with your state revenue department or a tax adviser.

Field-by-field breakdown

• License disclosure: in Texas, the first page of every written or electronic proposal, invoice or contract must show the Responsible Master Plumber's name and license number, the phrase "regulated by the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners" and the Board's mailing address, phone number and website, in at least 12-point type (22 Texas Administrative Code § 367.10). Copy the Board's current contact details from its website. Other states have their own licensing rules, so check your board.
• From and To: your business details, and the client's name with a billing contact.
• Job address: where the work was done. It can differ from the billing address for landlords and property managers, and it sets the local tax rate.
• Work order or PO: commercial clients often pay only against their own reference number.
• Service call: the diagnostic visit, with what you found. If your policy credits it against the repair, say so on the line.
• Labor: hours and rate, with a short description of the work.
• Parts: each part on its own line. For equipment such as water heaters, record make, model and serial number for warranty claims.
• Disposal and permit: separate lines, with the permit billed at cost.
• Warranty and inspection: in the notes, for the client's records.

Common line items for plumbers

Rates vary too much by region and job to quote a range, so this table shows how to word each line. For building your own rates, see how to price plumbing services.

Variations

• Flat-rate pricing: many plumbers price common repairs from a flat-rate book. The invoice shows one price per task instead of hours and parts.
• Emergency or after-hours: add the after-hours call-out at your published rate with the arrival time. The plumbing invoice template has a worked Saturday emergency in a Texas home.
• Residential water heater: the how to invoice as a plumber guide walks through a residential replacement under a permit, plus diagnostic fees credited against the repair.
• Warranty work: bill the repair at $0.00 with a note citing the original invoice number and the warranty terms.

Tips for plumbing invoicing

1. Check your state's license disclosure rule and put it where it requires (in Texas, the top of page 1 in 12-point type or larger).
2. Write the cause as well as the fix, so the client understands the charge and you have a record if the problem returns.
3. Record make, model and serial number for any equipment you install.
4. Collect residential payments at completion; commercial clients usually pay on net terms against a PO.

To build this invoice in InvoiceQuickly, describe the job and review the drafted lines before saving. Two limits matter for this example. InvoiceQuickly applies one tax percentage to every line, so to leave the permit out of the tax base, set the rate to 0% and add the tax as its own line ("Texas sales tax, 8.25% of $1,798.00", $148.34). And its PDF prints notes and terms in type smaller than 12 points, so it cannot meet the Texas disclosure rule as it stands; Texas plumbers need a template that lets them set the disclosure's font size.

Frequently asked questions

Do I charge sales tax on plumbing labor?

It depends on the state and the property. Texas does not tax labor to repair a home but taxes repair work on commercial property on the total charge. New York treats some installations, such as a new water heater, as capital improvements with no sales tax to the customer, and taxes repairs. Hawaii's general excise tax applies to gross income from virtually all business activities (Hawaii Tax Facts 2019-1). Check your own state's guidance for contractors.

How should I mark up parts?

That is your pricing decision; there is no standard percentage. Set markups that cover handling, warranty risk and margin, and show the client the selling price per part. How to price plumbing services works through an example.

How do I handle warranty claims?

Create an invoice showing the repair at $0.00 with a note that references the original invoice and the warranty terms. It keeps a record of the visit without charging the client.

Do I need my license number on a plumbing invoice?

In Texas, yes: the Responsible Master Plumber's name and license number, plus the Board's details, on the first page. Other states vary, so check with your licensing board. Showing it is good practice everywhere.

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Start from the plumbing invoice template, or read how to invoice as a plumber for residential jobs and service-call fees.