Free Independent Contractor Invoice Template

How to use this invoice template

Enter your name or business name, contact details and how clients can pay you.
Add the client, the project, the service period and the contract or PO number they gave you.
List your hours by date or task, or a project fee or milestone, then add reimbursable expenses as separate lines.
Pick payment terms such as Net 15 or Net 30 to set the due date, and subtract any advance already paid.
Check the preview and download the invoice as a PDF, Word or Excel file.

What should an independent contractor invoice include?

An independent contractor invoice should identify you and your client, show exactly what you're billing for — hours with dates and rates, a day rate, or a project fee or milestone — plus reimbursable expenses, and make the total, due date and payment method clear. Quoting the client's contract or PO number helps it get approved and paid without back-and-forth.

Your details: Your name or business name, email, phone and mailing address.
Client details: The client's company name, billing contact and address.
Invoice number and date: A unique, sequential number and the date you issue it.
Service period: The dates the work covers, such as a month or a project phase.
Services and rates: Hours by date or task with your hourly rate, a day rate, or a fixed fee or milestone with a short description.
Reimbursable expenses: Costs you paid for the client, listed separately, with receipts available.
Contract or PO reference: The agreement or purchase order number the client uses to approve payment.
Payment terms and due date: Terms such as Net 15 (due 15 days after the invoice date) and the actual due date.
How to pay: Bank transfer details, payee name for checks, or a payment link.

Independent contractor invoice example

Example only Here is a filled-in example for a freelance drafter billing a builder for kitchen remodel drawings over one month, with two site visits and reimbursable expenses. The prices are made up for illustration only — your rates and expenses will differ.

Example line items and totals
Description	Qty	Rate	Amount
Drafting – kitchen remodel plans (Oct 3–10)	14 hr	$65.00	$910.00
Site measure visits (Oct 2 and Oct 16)	2 visit	$120.00	$240.00
Revisions requested after client review (Oct 20)	3 hr	$65.00	$195.00
Permit set printing (receipt attached)	1 ea	$48.60	$48.60
Mileage to site	86 mi	$0.70	$60.20
Subtotal			$1,453.80
Sales tax (0%)			$0.00
Total			$1,453.80

Sales tax is left at 0% in this example because whether professional services are taxable depends on your state. Check with your state's department of revenue.

Tips for a better independent contractor invoice

Log hours by date and task"Oct 3–10, kitchen plans, 14 hrs" gets approved faster than "Services, 14 hrs" because the client can match it to the work.
Quote the client's PO or contractMany companies can't pay an invoice without their own reference number on it. Ask for it at the start of the job.
Keep expenses separateList reimbursable costs as their own lines and keep the receipts, so they're never confused with your fee.
Repeat the agreed payment termsUse the same terms as your contract, and put the actual due date on the invoice so there's no doubt.
Invoice on a scheduleBilling at the end of each month or milestone keeps cash flowing and makes late payments easier to spot.

How we built and tested this

This independent contractor invoice template was written from scratch for its job and is checked by automated tests every time the site changes. Here is what it is based on and how the math is tested.

Written for this template. The 4 extra fields, the 2 starter lines and the 18-item list of common items were written for this independent contractor invoice template, not copied from another website.
Exact math, tested automatically. All money is calculated in whole cents, so there are no rounding errors, in a fixed order: subtotal, discount, tax on the discounted amount, total, deposit, then balance due. The site has 72 automated tests, 33 of them for the calculation engine, and they run on every change.
Honest examples. The example above uses made-up prices, labelled as an example, and its totals are calculated by the same code as the tool.
No legal or tax rules stated as fact. Where rules depend on your state or country, the page says so and points to the official body to check.

Built and tested by Muhammad Zaid · Last updated November 3, 2026

Frequently asked questions

Is this independent contractor invoice template free?

Yes. It's free to create and download invoices as PDF, Word or Excel, with no sign-up. Your client and payment details stay in your browser.

How do I invoice as an independent contractor?

Send an invoice with a unique number, your details and the client's, the services and dates, your rate and total, any expenses, the payment terms and how to pay. This template lays out all of those for you.

Should I list hours on a fixed-price project invoice?

No. For a fixed fee or milestone, describe the deliverable or milestone that was completed and bill the agreed amount. Hours only need to be shown when you bill by the hour.

Do I need to put my tax ID on the invoice?

US clients usually collect a contractor's taxpayer ID once, on IRS Form W-9, rather than from each invoice. To protect your identity, avoid printing your Social Security number on invoices. See "About Form W-9" on IRS.gov for details.

Official source: About Form W-9 (IRS.gov)

What payment terms should a freelancer use?

Use the terms in your agreement with the client. Net 15 means payment is due 15 days after the invoice date and Net 30 means 30 days; "due on receipt" means right away.

Can I bill expenses on the same invoice?

Yes. Add each reimbursable expense as its own line, describe it, and keep the receipt in case the client asks for it.

Can I charge a late fee on a freelance invoice?

Only if your agreement or written terms with the client include it, and within your state's limits. State the fee and when it applies before the work starts, then repeat it in the invoice terms.

Do freelancers have to charge sales tax?

It depends on your state and the type of service. Check with your state's department of revenue. If you do need to charge it, enter the rate and untick "Charge tax on this line" on any lines that are not taxable.

How do I send the invoice to my client?

Download the PDF and attach it to an email or a text message. On phones that support it, the "Share PDF" button that appears after the download sends the file straight to Messages, WhatsApp or email. Either way the file goes from your device to the app you choose, not through our servers.

Is my information safe? Is anything uploaded?

Nothing you type is uploaded. Your invoice is filled in and turned into a PDF, Word or Excel file in your browser, on your own device, so your customer details, prices and logo never reach our servers or anyone else. Your draft, the documents in "My documents" and, if you tick "Remember my business details", your business details are saved only in this browser, and clearing your browser data removes them. The site's analytics and ads count visits and downloads but never include what you type. On a shared computer, delete your documents from "My documents" when you are done. The privacy policy has the details.

Last updated: November 3, 2026· Built by Muhammad Zaid