Free Painting Invoice Template
Make a painting invoice in under a minute. Fill in the form, download a clean PDF, no sign-up and no watermark.
A good painting invoice shows the work the customer cannot see: prep, primer, the number of coats, and the materials. That is what stops a dispute over the total. This template lays those out for you, for interior or exterior, residential or commercial.
Enter your own figures in the generator, or copy the filled-in sample below. You get a professional painting invoice with prep, coats, and materials separated from labour.
Sample painting invoice
Here is what a painting invoice looks like filled in. Use the generator above to make your own with these lines already set up.
| Description | Qty | Rate | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prep (sand, fill, mask, prime) | 1 | $350.00 | $350.00 |
| Walls and ceilings, 2 coats | 1 | $1,200.00 | $1,200.00 |
| Trim and doors, gloss | 1 | $400.00 | $400.00 |
| Paint and materials | 1 | $280.00 | $280.00 |
| Subtotal | $2,230.00 | ||
| Tax (10%) | $223.00 | ||
| Total | $2,453.00 | ||
| Less deposit paid | -$700.00 | ||
| Balance due | $1,753.00 | ||
Figures are an example. Your own invoice uses your rates and details.
How to price a painting invoice: by room, by area, or by the day
Painters quote three main ways: a flat price per room, a rate per square foot or square metre of wall and ceiling, or a day rate for smaller and harder-to-measure work. Measured pricing suits large open walls, room pricing suits full repaints, and a day rate suits fiddly heritage or repair jobs. Whichever you pick, your painting invoice format should show how the number was reached so the customer is not staring at a single mystery total.
Coats move the price more than area does. Dark over light, bare plaster, and stained timber all need an extra coat or a sealer, so quote the coat count per surface and hold to it on the invoice. A sample painting invoice that lists "walls, two coats" beside "ceilings, one coat" reads as fair and heads off the "why so much?" conversation before it starts.
Charging for prep and repairs you find on site
The quote assumes sound surfaces. When you open up a room and find filler work, damp, flaking old paint, or rotten trim, that is extra scope, not part of the base price. Note it, photograph it, and add it as its own line with its own approval, the same way a builder raises a variation. Knowing how to invoice for painting fairly means keeping the agreed work and the surprises on separate lines.
Materials are where margins quietly leak. Premium paint, primers, sundries, tape, and dust sheets add up, so itemise paint and materials with a sensible markup rather than absorbing them into labour. Listing them plainly keeps your pricing legible to the customer and makes sure nothing you actually bought is left off the final total.
Deposits, stage payments, and getting paid at handover
A deposit on a larger repaint covers the paint you buy up front, while on a long commercial job, stage payments (per floor or per phase) keep cash flowing instead of waiting weeks for one final bill. Name each stage and exactly what it covers so the customer can see the job progressing against the money they release.
The final invoice lands best right after the walkthrough, while the fresh finish is in front of the customer. Snag any touch-ups first, then send a painting invoice example that shows the deposit and any stage payments already deducted, with a clear balance and due date. A same-day invoice off the back of a happy handover is the one that gets paid fastest.
What a painting invoice must include
- Your business name, address, and tax number where registered
- The customer's name and the job address
- A description of the work: areas, rooms, interior or exterior
- Prep work included (sanding, filling, masking, priming)
- Materials and labour itemised, with the number of coats
- Any deposit paid, tax if registered, and the balance due
Read the complete painting invoicing guide
Pricing, deposits, tax, and the mistakes to avoid, explained in full.
Frequently asked questions
How do I write a painting invoice?
Price the job by area or by room, then itemise prep, coats, materials, and labour. Add your details, a deposit if one was paid, tax if registered, and the balance due. Naming the prep and number of coats shows the customer what they paid for. The template above already does this.
Should a painting invoice list materials separately?
Yes. Itemise paint and materials separately from labour, with a fair markup, so the customer sees the split and your pricing looks fair rather than one lump sum. It also keeps your tax correct where goods and services are taxed differently.
Do painters take a deposit?
For larger jobs, yes. A deposit covers paint and materials bought up front so you are not out of pocket. Show it on the final invoice as a deduction from the total, with the balance due on completion.
Is this painting invoice template free?
Yes. No sign-up, no watermark, no invoice limit. Your details stay in your browser. Download a PDF or copy the sample layout.
Make your painting invoice now
Free, no sign-up, no watermark. Fill in the form and download a clean PDF in under a minute.