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Translation Services Invoice Template

A translation invoice has to show the client how the word count was reached as well as the rate. Most translation is billed per source word, because both sides can count the words before the job starts and the invoice then matches the quote. When there is no countable source (a scan or a photo of a certificate), the count is often taken from the translated text instead, and the invoice should say so. This template keeps each part of a job on its own line: the translation with its language pair, document, count basis and per-word rate; a minimum fee when a short document would cost less than the work of handling it; a rush surcharge with the deadline it bought; certification; and hourly review, terminology or desktop publishing (DTP) work. It also has fields for the agency job number or the client's PO, and the delivery date. The download is an editable HTML invoice with invoice number, dates, a line-item table and totals. Fill it in your browser and print it or save it as PDF, or type or say the job 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

  • Language pair (source > target)
  • Agency job number or client purchase order
  • Document or file name and version
  • Count basis: source or target words, and the tool or method used
  • Word count and per-word rate (to the cent)
  • Minimum fee, when the job falls below it
  • Rush surcharge: the deadline bought and how it was calculated
  • Certification: documents certified and the statement provided
  • Review, editing or terminology work by the hour
  • Desktop publishing (DTP): pages or hours
  • Delivery date

How to Create Your Translation Services 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

Agencies set terms in their vendor agreement, and some pay on a fixed monthly cycle, so ask for their PO or job number and invoice format before the first job. For direct clients, put your terms in the quote and print the actual due date on the invoice. For short certified documents ordered by individuals, asking for payment before delivery saves chasing small amounts; larger direct-client projects can be split into a deposit and a balance, with the deposit shown on the final invoice as already received. Write in your terms how a 'page' or 'word' is counted, what the minimum fee is, and that source text changed after acceptance is quoted again.

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

Tax Information

United States: whether translation is subject to sales tax depends on the state; New Mexico, for example, applies gross receipts tax to services performed in the state. A US business that pays you $2,000 or more for services in 2026 generally reports it on Form 1099-NEC (previously $600), so expect a request for Form W-9; translators outside the US who are paid by US clients are usually asked for Form W-8BEN instead. European Union: business-to-business services to a customer in another EU country are usually invoiced without VAT, with the customer accounting for it under the reverse charge; the invoice must then say 'reverse charge' and show the customer's VAT number. United Kingdom: for business customers, the place of supply is generally where the customer belongs, so a UK translator's invoice to a business outside the UK usually carries no UK VAT. InvoiceQuickly applies one tax percentage per invoice and copies saved business and client tax IDs to new invoice PDFs, VAT numbers or reverse-charge wording automatically, so put them in the notes when they must appear. General information, not tax advice.

Industry context (2026)

We could not verify a dated, public survey of translation rates, so this page does not quote per-word market rates. The nearest official data is for employees and the self-employed together: the US Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook reports a median pay of $60,170 a year ($28.93 an hour) for interpreters and translators in May 2025, and notes that about 28% of them are self-employed. For certified translations, the rules come from whoever receives the document: US Citizenship and Immigration Services requires a full English translation with the translator's certification that it is complete and accurate and that they are competent to translate (8 CFR 103.2(b)(3)), and GOV.UK asks for a statement that it is a true and accurate translation of the original, the date, and the translator's full name and contact details. Checked on 27 and 28 October 2026; general information, not legal advice.

Worked example

Worked example (illustrative rates consistent with our translation pricing guide: a $97 hourly floor, $0.22 a word and a one-hour $97 minimum; not market data): a Spanish-to-English translator invoices an immigration law firm for two documents for a USCIS filing, delivered the next working day. Invoice INV-0052, dated 9 November 2026, due on receipt. Line 1: translation ES>EN, birth certificate (scan), 180 source words × $0.22 = $39.60; minimum fee applies, 1 × $97.00. Line 2: translation ES>EN, police clearance record, 3 scanned pages counted on the target text, 1,140 target words × $0.22 = $250.80. Line 3: certification statement under 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3), 2 documents × $15.00 = $30.00. Line 4: rush, next working day, 20% of translation lines as quoted: 20% × ($97.00 + $250.80) = $69.56. Subtotal $447.36, tax 0%, total due $447.36. Notes: 'Client matter 2026-118. Line 2 counted on the target text because the source is a scan, as stated in the quote of 6 November.' What the numbers show: the birth certificate at the per-word rate would have earned $39.60 for the same quoting, formatting, certifying and invoicing as a long job, which is why the minimum applies below about 441 words ($97 ÷ $0.22). The rush is calculated on translation only, not on certification. And because the rate has two decimals, the stored line amounts match the arithmetic exactly.

Common mistakes to avoid

Invoicing a different count from the quote

Quoting on a source-word analysis and invoicing on the target count, or a different tool's count, invites a dispute. Use the same basis and name it on the line.

Hiding extras in the translation line

Rush, DTP, review and certification folded into one amount become the line the client queries. Give each its own line and basis.

Three-decimal per-word rates

InvoiceQuickly rejects a $0.125 unit price because prices accept at most two decimals. Quote two decimals, or bill the job as one item with the count and rate in the description.

No minimum fee in the terms

A minimum fee that first appears on the invoice looks like an overcharge. Put it in your terms and on the quote.

Wrong VAT treatment for cross-border clients

Charging home VAT to an EU or UK business customer abroad, or leaving off 'reverse charge' and their VAT number when it is required, causes rejected invoices. Check the place-of-supply rules first.

Invoicing Tips

  • 1Invoice on the same count you quoted. If the quote used a source-word analysis from your CAT tool, the invoice uses the same analysis, named in the line.
  • 2Keep per-word rates to two decimals. InvoiceQuickly accepts unit prices up to two decimals, so $0.125 is rejected rather than silently rounded.
  • 3Show the minimum fee as the line amount and the per-word figure in the description ('180 words × $0.22 = $39.60; minimum fee applies'), so the client sees why the line is higher.
  • 4Put rush on its own line with the percentage, what it was calculated on and the deadline it bought. Agree it in the quote, not after delivery.
  • 5For certified translations, list which documents were certified. The receiving authority sets what the statement must say, not the invoice.
  • 6When a scanned source has to be counted on the target text, say so on the quote and give a range, because the total is only known when you finish.

Related Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

What should a translation invoice include?

Your details, the client's details, an invoice number, the invoice and due dates, the language pair, the document or file, the word count and how it was counted, the per-word rate and amount, separate lines for any minimum fee, rush, certification, review or DTP, tax if you are registered to charge it, the total and how to pay. Add the agency job number or PO.

Should I invoice source words or target words?

Source words where you can, because you and the client can count them before the job starts and the invoice matches the quote. Use target words when the source cannot be counted, such as a scan or photo, and say on the quote that the final total depends on the translated length.

How do I show a minimum fee on a translation invoice?

Make the minimum fee the line amount and show the per-word calculation in the description, for example '180 source words × $0.22 = $39.60; minimum fee applies: $97.00'. State the minimum in your terms before the job.

What does a certified translation need for USCIS?

Under 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3), a foreign-language document submitted to USCIS needs a full English translation that the translator certifies as complete and accurate, with the translator's certification that they are competent to translate from that language into English. That statement goes with the translation; the invoice lists the certification as its own line.

How do I invoice a rush translation?

Add a separate rush line showing the percentage or flat fee, what it was calculated on and the deadline it bought, such as 'Rush, next working day, 20% of translation lines'. Agree it in the quote.

Do translators charge VAT on invoices to other countries?

Often not, for business clients. In the EU, B2B services to another member state are usually invoiced without VAT under the reverse charge, with 'reverse charge' and the customer's VAT number on the invoice. UK services to business customers abroad are generally outside UK VAT. Rules for consumers differ, so check with your tax authority.

Can I create a translation invoice in InvoiceQuickly?

Yes. Type or say the job and InvoiceQuickly drafts an editable invoice with the lines and rates for you to check before saving. Quantities and unit prices give you per-word lines; rates are stored to the cent. You can invoice in USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD, INR or PKR. Free covers 5 invoices, 5 clients and 3 AI drafts. Pro is $9 a month for unlimited invoices, email delivery and payment links through your own Stripe or PayPal account.