Free Electrical Invoice Template
Two versions are included: a service invoice for time-and-material and flat-rate calls, and a progress invoice for construction jobs billed by percent complete with retainage. Both have the formulas built in.
What an electrical invoice should include
- Your business: name, address, phone, license number, and tax ID where required.
- Customer and job: billing name and address, job site address, PO or job number.
- Invoice number and dates: invoice date, service or billing-period date, due date.
- Line items: labor (hours × rate or flat-rate task), material, trip or diagnostic fee, permits.
- Change orders: listed separately with their approval reference.
- Totals: subtotal, sales tax (only where your state taxes the items or labor), total due.
- Terms: due date, accepted payment methods, late-fee policy if you use one.
- Warranty note: workmanship warranty period, if you offer one.
Example: service call invoice
| Line | Qty | Rate | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diagnostic / trip fee | 1 | $89.00 | $89.00 |
| Labor: replace failed GFCI and troubleshoot circuit | 1.5 hr | $125.00 | $187.50 |
| Material: 20 A GFCI receptacle, weather-resistant cover | 1 | $64.00 | $64.00 |
| Total | $340.50 |
Numbers are illustrative. Many residential contractors bill flat-rate tasks instead of hours; the template supports both.
Example: progress billing with retainage
Commercial electrical subcontracts are usually billed monthly by percent complete, with the GC holding back retainage until the end of the job. For a $78,430 contract with 10% retainage, 40% complete at the first billing:
| Line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Contract sum | $78,430.00 |
| Work completed to date (40%) | $31,372.00 |
| Less retainage (10%) | −$3,137.20 |
| Less previous billings | $0.00 |
| Amount due this period | $28,234.80 |
Second billing: 75% complete, with an approved change order
The next month, the base contract is 75% complete and approved Change Order 1 ($4,200, added receptacles and circuits) is finished:
| Line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Original contract sum | $78,430.00 |
| Approved change orders | $4,200.00 |
| Contract sum to date | $82,630.00 |
| Base work completed to date (75%) | $58,822.50 |
| Change Order 1 completed (100%) | $4,200.00 |
| Total completed to date | $63,022.50 |
| Less retainage (10%) | −$6,302.25 |
| Total earned less retainage | $56,720.25 |
| Less previous billings (net of retainage) | −$28,234.80 |
| Amount due this period | $28,485.45 |
The retainage held so far, $6,302.25, is billed separately at completion, usually with a final lien waiver and closeout documents.
Many GCs require their own pay application format (often the AIA G702/G703 style with a schedule of values). Use their format when they require it; the progress tab here follows the same logic for customers who don't.
Example: time-and-material change order invoice
When extra work is done on T&M, invoice it from the signed daily tickets, at the rates in your contract:
| Line | Qty | Rate | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Journeyman labor (T&M ticket #0412, signed by GC superintendent) | 6 hr | $86.00 | $516.00 |
| Material at cost plus 15% per contract ($142.00 cost) | 1 lot | $163.30 | |
| Total | $679.30 |
Attach the signed tickets and supplier receipts. Without them, T&M invoices are the first to be disputed. The how to bid electrical jobs guide shows how a T&M labor rate is calculated from your burdened cost.
Field-by-field notes
- Invoice number: sequential and unique; never reuse a number after voiding an invoice.
- Job or PO number: the customer's reference first. Many GCs and property managers reject invoices without their PO or job number.
- Billing period: for progress bills, the month covered (for example, "work through March 31"), matching the GC's pay-application cut-off.
- Labor lines: hours × rate for T&M, or a task description and flat price. For hourly work, show who worked and when if the customer asks for it.
- Material lines: item, quantity and price. Keep supplier receipts with the job file.
- Tax: the template calculates tax only on lines you mark taxable, because the rules differ by state and by type of work.
- Terms: the due date as a date, not only "Net 30," so there's no ambiguity.
Sample payment terms
Adapt to your business, contracts and state law, and have an attorney review your terms, especially late fees, interest and lien language.
Payment due: Within 30 days of the invoice date unless the contract states otherwise.
Late payment: Balances unpaid after the due date may be subject to a late charge of [x]% per month, where permitted by law.
Retainage: Retainage is due within [x] days of substantial completion or as the contract requires.
Warranty: Workmanship warranted for [period] from completion. Manufacturer warranties apply to equipment.
Common invoicing mistakes
- Billing a progress payment without deducting previous billings, or deducting them gross instead of net of retainage.
- Folding change-order work into base-contract percent complete, so nobody can tell what was approved.
- Sending the invoice after the GC's cut-off date and waiting an extra month.
- Forgetting to bill retainage at closeout.
- Missing preliminary notice or lien deadlines, which can weaken your ability to collect if payment stops.
Getting paid faster
- Invoice the day the work is done. Service invoices sent from the truck get paid fastest.
- Take card and ACH payments. Friction delays payment.
- Match the GC's billing deadline. Miss the monthly cut-off and you wait another month.
- Bill change orders separately and promptly, with the signed approval attached.
- Track retainage. It's easy to forget at closeout, and it's often your profit.
- Know your lien deadlines. Preliminary notice and lien rules vary by state.
Frequently asked questions
Do electricians charge sales tax on invoices?
It depends on the state and on whether the job is a repair, a new installation or a sale of materials. Check your state's rules or ask your accountant.
What is retainage on an electrical invoice?
A percentage of each progress payment (often 5–10%) held back by the GC or owner until the work is complete and accepted.
Do I need to send a lien waiver with each invoice?
On commercial jobs, many GCs require a conditional lien waiver with each progress bill and an unconditional waiver once that payment clears. Forms and deadlines vary by state, so use your state's statutory forms where they exist.
Should I invoice labor and material separately?
For time-and-material work, yes. For flat-rate or lump-sum work, a single price with a clear description is common.
Related
- Free Electrical Estimate Template
- Electrical Bid Proposal Template
- Electrician Hourly Rates in 2026: What Customers Pay and What You Should Charge
From estimate to invoice without retyping. SparkQuote turns approved estimates into invoices and progress bills. See electrician software.
Written by the SparkQuote editorial team. Examples are illustrative; confirm tax and lien rules for your state. Last updated: October 6, 2026.