What to put on an auto repair invoice

A repair invoice is the record of what you did to someone’s car and what they paid for it. It gets pulled out for warranty claims, resale, insurance and the occasional dispute. A complete one saves you phone calls.

The fields

1. Your shop: name, address, phone. Some states also want a repair dealer registration number on the invoice.
2. RO or invoice number and date. Numbered in order, never reused.
3. Customer: name and a phone or email.
4. Vehicle: year, make, model, plate, VIN and mileage in.
5. The concern and what you found. One or two lines in plain words.
6. Parts: each part on its own line with part number, quantity and price. Note if it’s used or rebuilt.
7. Labor: each operation with hours and rate.
8. Fees: shop supplies, disposal, tire fees, each on its own line.
9. Subtotal, tax and total. Show which lines were taxed and at what rate.
10. Payment: how it was paid, when, and the balance due if any.
11. Your terms: warranty, storage charges, return of old parts, in your own words.

Match it to the estimate

The invoice should line up with what the customer approved. If the job grew, the extra work should have its own line and its own OK. A good habit is to build the invoice from the approved estimate instead of retyping it, so the lines can’t drift.

Keep copies

Keep the invoice for as long as your state requires and your accountant recommends. Filing by vehicle, not just by date, means you can answer “when did you last do my brakes?” in seconds.

Rules on estimates and invoices differ by state. This is general information, not legal or tax advice.

Want the estimate, the customer’s OK and the invoice in one place? AutoBayInvoice is free for 10 repair orders a month, or print the free estimate template.