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Tree Service Invoice Template

A tree service invoice has to identify the tree as well as the work. 'Tree removal, $3,200' could describe any of the trees on a property; 'dead red oak, about 70 ft, 30 in diameter at breast height, rear yard beside the house' cannot be confused with the maple by the drive. This template is laid out for that: one line per tree and per operation (removal, pruning, stump grinding, cabling), then the costs that make tree work different from other trades: a crane and operator hired for the job, a removal permit where the city or town requires one, and haul-away or disposal of wood, brush and chips (or a note that the wood was left on site). It also has room for the estimate number and the deposit already paid, and for your licence number in a state that licenses tree work. An ISA certification number can go on it too, but it is a private professional credential, not a licence. 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 what your crew did and InvoiceQuickly drafts an editable invoice for you to check before saving.

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What This Template Includes

  • Job site address, if different from the billing address
  • Estimate or work order number the job comes from
  • Each tree: species, approximate height and trunk diameter, location on the property
  • Operation per tree: removal, pruning, stump grinding, cabling or bracing
  • Stump grinding depth and whether grindings are removed
  • Haul-away or disposal: loads or volume, or wood left on site
  • Crane or specialist equipment: hours, rate and any disclosed markup
  • Removal permit number and fee, paid at cost, where required
  • Work dates
  • Deposit received and balance due
  • State contractor or tree expert licence number, where your state licenses tree work
  • ISA certification number, if held (a credential, not a licence)

How to Create Your Tree Service 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

Large removals are usually quoted on a written estimate and paid in two parts: a deposit when the customer accepts, which also covers any crane booking or permit fee you pay in advance, and the balance when the work is finished and the site is cleaned up. Smaller jobs such as pruning or a single stump are often due on completion. Print the actual due date on the invoice (for example 'Due 12 November 2026'), show the deposit received and the balance, and say how you accept payment. If the estimate said wood would be left on site, or that lawn repair from equipment is excluded, repeat it on the invoice so the final bill matches what was agreed. If the customer adds work on the day, write it on its own line with the date it was requested rather than folding it into the quoted price.

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

Tax Information

Whether tree work carries sales tax depends on the state and on what the work achieves. New York (Tax Bulletin ST-505, Landscapers): trimming trees is a taxable maintenance service, and removing trees to improve a landscape without replacement is taxable maintenance; removing trees counts as a capital improvement only when done in conjunction with another capital improvement project, such as clearing for a home addition or removing a tree and planting a new shrub in its place. For capital improvements the customer gives you Form ST-124 and you pay tax on the materials you buy instead of charging it. Other states have their own rules, so check your state revenue department before deciding which lines carry tax, and whether permit fees and crane costs you pass through are taxed with the service. Licensing is separate from tax: California, for example, requires a CSLB licence for work of $1,000 or more in combined labour and materials (or any job needing a permit or workers), and tree work falls under the C-49 Tree and Palm classification; Maryland requires a licence from the Department of Natural Resources to work as a tree expert. InvoiceQuickly applies one tax percentage per invoice and copies saved tax IDs to new invoice PDFs; add your professional licence number in notes and put taxable and nontaxable jobs on separate invoices. General information, not tax or legal advice. Last reviewed: 28 October 2026.

Industry context (2026)

Two kinds of rule shape a tree service invoice: who may do the work, and how it is taxed. Licensing is set by each state. The California Contractors State License Board says a licence is required for work valued at $1,000 or more in combined labour and materials, or any job that needs a building permit or workers, and since 1 January 2024 it has accepted tree-service applications for the C-49 Tree and Palm classification, defined as planting, maintaining and removing trees and palms, including pruning, stump grinding and guying (CSLB industry bulletin 23-07 of 13 November 2023 and classification page, accessed 28 October 2026). Maryland's Natural Resources Article §5-417 says a person may not engage in the work or business of a tree expert without a licence, and requires liability, property damage and workers' compensation insurance (as amended by Chapter 511 of 2024, effective 1 October 2024). The International Society of Arboriculture's program guide (revised August 2025) describes its Certified Arborist credential as voluntary and states that ISA certifications do not represent licensure. On tax, New York's Tax Bulletin ST-505 (issued 17 March 2016, page updated 16 October 2026) treats tree trimming and removal without replacement as taxable maintenance. No official body publishes tree service prices, so this page gives none. General information, not tax or legal advice.

Worked example

Worked example (illustrative prices and a hypothetical 8% combined sales tax rate, not market data). A homeowner accepts estimate EST-0042 on Wednesday 14 October 2026 for work at the rear of the house, and pays a $1,500.00 deposit on 16 October. The crew works on Tuesday 27 and Wednesday 28 October. Invoice INV-0219, dated Thursday 29 October, due Thursday 12 November (net 14), reads: removal of dead red oak, about 70 ft, 30 in diameter at breast height, rear yard 8 ft from the house, sectional removal with rigging, 1 × $3,200.00; crane and operator, subcontracted, 6 hours × $300.00 = $1,800.00; crane handling fee, 10% as stated on the estimate, $180.00; stump grinding, oak stump, to 6 in below grade, grindings removed, 1 × $280.00; haul-away of wood and brush, 2 loads × $150.00 = $300.00; pruning of two sugar maples by the driveway, deadwood over 2 in removed, 2 × $425.00 = $850.00. Subtotal $6,610.00, tax 8% $528.80, total $7,138.80, less deposit received 16 October $1,500.00, balance due $5,638.80. Notes: 'No town removal permit required for this tree. Lawn repair from equipment excluded per estimate.' Two numbers explain the bill: the crane is $1,980.00 of it (30% of the pre-tax total), which is why it is on separate lines with hours, rate and the disclosed 10% fee; and the deposit covered the crane booking before the work began. The tax treatment is an assumption for the example. In New York this job would be taxable maintenance, because the oak was removed without replacement and the maples were trimmed; had the customer asked for a new tree planted where the oak stood, the bulletin treats removal plus replanting as a capital improvement, invoiced separately with Form ST-124 and no sales tax. In InvoiceQuickly, which has no deposit field and no negative lines, record the $1,500.00 as a partial payment so the app tracks the $5,638.80 balance, write the deposit and balance in the notes because the PDF shows the invoice total, and add your licence number to the notes.

Common mistakes to avoid

'Tree work' as one line

A single lump sum for several trees invites a query. Give each tree and each operation its own line, with species, size and location.

Hidden crane markup

Folding a marked-up crane charge into the removal price, or adding a markup not mentioned in the estimate, is a common cause of disputes. Show the crane's hours and rate and any agreed fee separately.

Unclear haul-away

If the estimate did not say whether wood and grindings would be removed, the invoice cannot settle it. Agree it up front and repeat it on the invoice.

Calling ISA certification a licence

ISA certification is a private credential. Where your state licenses tree work, show the licence number; list the certification separately, if at all.

Taxing every job the same way

In some states, removal with replanting as part of a capital improvement is taxed differently from pruning or removal alone. Check your state's rules and split the invoices if the treatment differs.

Invoicing Tips

  • 1Describe each tree so it can be found: species, rough height and trunk diameter, and where it stands. It prevents 'that was the wrong tree' disputes and tells the customer what each price bought.
  • 2Put the crane on its own line with hours and rate. If you add a markup to a subcontracted crane, say so in the estimate and show it as a separate line; an undisclosed markup that surfaces later costs trust.
  • 3Say what happened to the wood: hauled away (with loads), left cut to length, or chipped on site. Haul-away is a common source of 'I thought that was included'.
  • 4State the stump grinding depth (for example 6 inches below grade) and whether grindings were removed. Customers planning to replant or lay turf will ask.
  • 5Pass permit fees through at cost with the permit number, and keep the receipt. The customer sees the town's fee, not a padded one.
  • 6Show your licence number where your state licenses tree work, and list an ISA certification separately. Do not present the certification as a licence.

Related Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

What should a tree service invoice include?

Your business details and any licence number, the customer and job site, the estimate number, work dates, a line for each tree and operation with species, size and location, stump grinding, haul-away, crane or equipment charges, permit fees, tax if it applies, the deposit received, the balance due and how to pay.

How do I bill crane costs on a tree removal invoice?

List the crane separately with hours and rate, for example 6 hours at $300.00. If you hired it from a subcontractor and add a handling fee or markup, agree it in the estimate and show it as its own line so the customer can see the crane company's charge and yours.

Is stump grinding included in tree removal?

Only if the estimate says so. Many tree services price removal and stump grinding separately, because not every customer wants the stump ground. Put stump grinding on its own line with the depth and whether the grindings are hauled away.

Is an ISA Certified Arborist a licence?

No. The International Society of Arboriculture says its certification is a voluntary program and does not represent licensure, registration or other authorization to practise or do business. Some states license tree work separately, such as Maryland's licensed tree expert or California's C-49 contractor classification.

Do tree services charge sales tax?

It depends on the state and the job. In New York, tree trimming and tree removal without replacement are taxable maintenance services, while removal done as part of a capital improvement is not taxed when the customer provides Form ST-124. Check your state revenue department for your rules.

Should a tree service take a deposit?

Many do for large removals, especially when a crane must be booked or a permit paid in advance. Agree the deposit in the written estimate, invoice it when the customer accepts, and show it on the final invoice so the customer pays only the balance.

Can I invoice tree work with InvoiceQuickly?

Yes. Type or say what the crew did and InvoiceQuickly drafts an editable invoice with lines, prices and a due date for you to check. It has no deposit field, so record the deposit as a partial payment. Free covers 5 invoices, 5 clients and 3 AI drafts in total; Pro is $9 a month for unlimited invoices, estimates the customer can accept online, email delivery and payment links through your own Stripe or PayPal account.