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Electrical Invoice Template

An electrical invoice has to connect the bill to three things the customer can check: your license, the permit and inspection, and the job site. This template puts those first, then separates the lines that are taxed differently in many states: labor (hours times rate, or a flat price per task), materials itemized by part and wire size, an after-hours charge on its own line, and the permit fee passed through at cost. It has room for a job-site address that differs from the billing address, a work order or PO number, the property type (residential or commercial, which decides the tax in Texas), deposits already paid and your workmanship warranty. Texas electrical contractors must also show their phone number, license number and a TDLR notice on every invoice, so the template includes a field for a regulator notice. The download is an editable HTML invoice with number, dates, a line table and totals: fill it in your browser and print or save it as PDF, or type or say what you did and InvoiceQuickly drafts an editable invoice for you to check before saving.

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Download the HTML file to edit its fields, then print or save as PDF. Totals are entered manually.

What This Template Includes

  • Electrical contractor license number, and the master electrician where your state requires it
  • Business phone number
  • State regulator notice, where required (Texas: TDLR notice)
  • Job-site address, if different from the billing address
  • Property type: residential or commercial
  • Customer work order or PO number
  • Permit number and inspection status
  • Service type: installation, repair, inspection or maintenance
  • Labor: hours and rate, or flat price per task
  • After-hours or emergency charge, on its own line
  • Materials itemized: part, size or rating, quantity, price
  • Permit fee passed through at cost
  • Deposit or progress payments already received
  • Workmanship warranty and manufacturer warranty note

How to Create Your Electrical Work Invoice

  1. 01

    Describe your work

    Type a plain English description of the services you provided, the client, and the amount.

  2. 02

    AI generates your invoice

    InvoiceQuickly's AI drafts the client, line items, dates, and totals for you to review before saving.

  3. 03

    Review, download, and send

    Check every detail, download the PDF, or use Pro to email the PDF directly to your client.

Recommended Payment Terms

Small service calls are usually due on completion, and many electricians take card or check before leaving the site. Larger residential jobs are billed in stages tied to inspections: a deposit when the estimate is signed (within any legal limit), a progress invoice at rough-in and the balance after final inspection. Commercial and general-contractor work follows the contract's pay-application schedule, often net 30 after approval, sometimes with retainage held until completion. State the terms in the estimate, repeat them on every invoice and print the actual due date. In California, a home improvement down payment cannot exceed $1,000 or 10% of the contract price, whichever is less, so plan material purchases around a progress payment rather than a large deposit.

Need help writing payment terms? Read our guide to invoice payment terms for best practices and templates.

Tax Information

Sales tax on electrical work depends on the state, the property and the contract type, so decide it per job. Texas: labor to repair or remodel residential property is not taxable; on a separated contract you collect state and local tax on the materials you charge for, and on a lump-sum contract you pay tax on materials when you buy them and charge the customer none. Repair or remodeling of nonresidential property (offices, restaurants, shops) is taxable on the total charge, at the job-site rate. Scheduled maintenance on property that is not broken is not taxable, but the parts are. Washington: a prime contractor working for the property owner collects retail sales tax on the full contract price, labor and itemized costs included, at the job-site rate, stated separately. California: on a lump-sum contract the invoice shows no separate tax; on a time-and-material contract you may separately state tax on the materials, and installation labor is not taxed. InvoiceQuickly applies one tax percentage to the whole invoice and saves the rate with two decimals, so when only the materials are taxable, work the tax out by hand, add it as its own line and set the invoice tax rate to 0%. It also copies your saved tax ID into new invoice PDFs; keep phone details in the notes: put your license number, phone and any regulator notice in the notes or terms. General information checked on 28 October 2026, not tax advice; check with your state revenue department.

Industry context (2026)

Electrical work is licensed almost everywhere in the US: the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook says most states require electricians to be licensed and that licensing exams typically cover the National Electrical Code and local codes. It puts the median pay of employed electricians at $30.38 an hour ($63,190 a year) in 2025, with about 821,000 jobs. That is a wage, not a billing rate: a contractor's hourly price also has to cover benefits, insurance, vehicles, tools and unbilled time. Licensing is also why invoice content is regulated in some states. The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation's Electricians Compliance Guide (Administrative Rule 73.51) requires the contractor's name, address, phone number and license number on all proposals, invoices and written contracts, plus the TDLR consumer notice on invoices and contracts. Tax rules differ just as much: the Texas Comptroller's Publication 94-116 separates residential repair, commercial repair and maintenance, while the Washington Department of Revenue taxes a prime contractor's full contract price. Sources checked 27-28 October 2026.

Worked example

Worked example (illustrative prices, not market rates): an Austin electrical contractor is called out at 9 pm to a restaurant whose walk-in cooler circuit has failed. Invoice INV-0231 lists the job-site address, the restaurant's work order WO-5530 and, in the terms, the contractor's license number, phone number and the TDLR notice. Line 1: after-hours service call, 1 × $175.00. Line 2: labor, diagnose and replace failed breaker and heat-damaged conductors on the cooler circuit, 2.5 hours × $120.00 = $300.00. Line 3: 30A 2-pole breaker, 1 × $58.40. Line 4: 10 AWG THHN copper wire, 150 ft × $0.72 = $108.00. Line 5: connectors, lugs and straps, 1 lot × $20.00. Subtotal $661.40. Because a restaurant is nonresidential property, Texas taxes the total charge at the job-site rate, 8.25% in Austin: $661.40 × 8.25% = $54.5655, rounded to $54.57. Total $715.97, due on receipt. The same repair in a house under a separated contract changes the tax, not the work: residential repair labor is not taxable, so only the $186.40 of materials is taxed, $15.38, for a total of $676.78. In InvoiceQuickly that version needs the invoice tax rate set to 0% and a line 'Texas sales tax, 8.25% of materials $186.40' for $15.38, because one rate applies to the whole invoice.

Common mistakes to avoid

One lump 'labor and materials' line

It hides what you did, invites disputes and, where only materials are taxable, leaves you no figure to calculate tax on. Split labor, materials, after-hours charges and permit fees.

Same tax treatment for every job

A residential repair, a commercial repair and scheduled maintenance can be taxed three different ways in the same state. Check the property type and contract type before you send the invoice.

Leaving the license number off

In Texas it is required on invoices, along with your phone number and the TDLR notice. Elsewhere it still shows the work was done by a licensed contractor.

No job-site address

Landlords, property managers and general contractors often pay from a different address. The job site ties the bill to the permit and, in many states, sets the local tax rate.

Deposit not shown

A final invoice that does not subtract the deposit already paid overstates the balance. Show the total, the deposit received with its date, and the balance due.

Invoicing Tips

  • 1Put the permit number and the inspection results on the invoice ('Rough-in passed 14 Oct, final passed 22 Oct'). It is the fastest way to settle a 'what did I pay for' question months later.
  • 2Itemize materials by rating and size ('30A 2-pole breaker', '150 ft 10 AWG THHN'). A line that says 'materials $186.40' invites a query; a parts list does not, and in states that tax only materials it is the line the tax is calculated on.
  • 3Show the after-hours or emergency charge as its own line with the time you were called, rather than raising the hourly rate. The customer can see why the bill is higher.
  • 4Pass permit fees through at cost with the issuing office named, and say so in the description. It separates a regulatory cost from your price.
  • 5Write the property type on commercial jobs. In Texas the same breaker replacement is taxed on the full charge in a restaurant and only on materials in a house.
  • 6If you work in Texas, paste the TDLR notice into your default invoice terms once, so it is on every invoice without anyone having to remember it.

Related Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

What should an electrical invoice include?

Your business name, address, phone and license number; the customer's name and billing address; the job-site address; a unique invoice number and date; the permit number; labor, materials, after-hours charges and permit fees on separate lines; tax where it applies; any deposit received; the balance due, due date and how to pay; and your warranty terms.

Do electricians charge sales tax on labor?

It depends on the state. In Texas, labor to repair or remodel a home is not taxable, but the total charge for repairing a commercial building is. In Washington, tax applies to the full contract price for work done for the property owner. In California, installation labor is not taxed. Check your own state's revenue department.

Does my electrical license number need to be on my invoices?

In Texas, yes: TDLR requires the electrical contractor's name, address, phone number and license number on proposals, invoices and written contracts, plus a notice giving TDLR's address, phone numbers and complaints website on invoices and contracts. California requires the license number on home improvement contracts. Other states vary, so check your licensing board.

How do I bill materials on an electrical invoice?

List each part with its rating or size, quantity and unit price, or attach an itemized parts list and show one materials total. If you mark up materials, say so in your estimate or contract. Keep materials separate from labor, because several states tax the two differently.

How should I bill an emergency or after-hours call?

Add a separate after-hours or emergency service line with the date and time you were called out, then bill the labor and materials as normal. Agree the charge before you go, and put it in your price list or estimate so it is not a surprise on the invoice.

Should the permit fee go on the invoice?

Yes, as its own line passed through at cost, naming the issuing office and the permit number. In some states, such as Washington, tax is charged on the full contract price including itemized costs like permits, so check your state's rule before leaving it untaxed.

Can I create an electrical invoice in InvoiceQuickly?

Yes. Type or say the job and InvoiceQuickly drafts the customer, lines, rates and due date into an editable invoice you review before saving. You get line items, one tax rate and one discount per invoice, and notes and terms for your license number and permit details. Free covers 5 invoices, 5 clients and 3 AI drafts in total; Pro is $9 a month for unlimited invoices, email delivery and Stripe or PayPal payment links through your own account. There is no deposit, retainage or dispatch feature.