Auto Repair Invoice Template
An auto repair invoice lists the vehicle, the customer's authorization, and every part and labor operation on its own line, with parts and labor subtotaled separately and each part marked new, used or rebuilt. The template below is prefilled with a front brake job; replace the lines with your repair order and download it as a PDF or Word file for the customer and your records.
From and bill to
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Name on the first line, then address, email, phone.
Details
Line items
$89.99
$149.00
$14.99
$261.00
$87.00
Discount, tax and payments
Applied to taxable lines after the discount.
Added after tax.
Notes and terms
Total
$620.39
Subtotal $601.98
Tax $18.41
From
Fairway Auto Service
2875 Palm Avenue
Fresno, CA 93704
(559) 555-0191
BAR registration ARD 000000 (example)
Invoice
Invoice # RO-58214
PO / reference #: 2019 sedan, VIN ending 4F2183, odometer in 68,412 mi
Bill to
Alex Romero
1640 Shields Avenue
Fresno, CA 93705
(559) 555-0124
| Description | Qty | Unit price | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Front brake pads, ceramic, set (new) * | 1 | $89.99 | $89.99 |
| Front brake rotor (new) * | 2 | $74.50 | $149.00 |
| Brake fluid DOT 3, 1 qt (new) * | 1 | $14.99 | $14.99 |
| Labor: replace front pads and rotors, book time 1.8 h at $145 | 1.8 | $145.00 | $261.00 |
| Labor: brake fluid flush, book time 0.6 h at $145 | 0.6 | $145.00 | $87.00 |
* Taxable item
| Subtotal | $601.98 |
| Tax (7.25% on $253.98) | $18.41 |
| Total | $620.39 |
| Balance due | $620.39 |
Notes
Concern: grinding noise when braking. Found front pads at 2 mm and rotors scored. Written estimate of $625 authorized by customer before work. Parts subtotal $253.98; labor subtotal $348.00. Old parts available on request.
Payment instructions
Payment due at vehicle pickup. Parts and labor warranted 12 months or 12,000 miles, whichever comes first.
PDF opens your browser's print dialog: choose "Save as PDF". The Word file opens in Word, Pages and Google Docs.
Invoices and the books behind them, in one place
Jupid includes invoicing, connects to your bank and categorizes income and expenses automatically, so your records are ready at tax time.
How shops price labor and parts
Most shops bill labor by book time: a labor guide assigns a standard number of hours to each operation, and the shop multiplies it by its posted hourly rate, whether the technician finishes faster or slower. Some shops bill actual clock hours for diagnosis or for jobs the guide does not cover, and many charge a flat diagnostic fee that is credited if the customer approves the repair. Parts are billed per unit at the shop's price, which usually includes a markup over cost.
Fees vary by shop and state: shop supplies (rags, cleaners, small hardware), hazardous waste or tire disposal, towing, sublet work such as an alignment or machining sent to another shop, and core charges on rebuilt parts that are refunded when the old part comes back. Put each on its own line and describe it plainly, so the customer can see what it is.
Written estimates and itemization: the California rules
Several states regulate repair estimates and invoices, and California's Automotive Repair Act is among the most detailed. Before any work, the shop must give a written estimated price for parts and labor and get the customer's authorization, and it may not charge more than the estimate without the customer's consent (Business and Professions Code section 9884.9). The final invoice must describe all service work and parts, list service work and parts separately with separate subtotals, and state whether each part is new, used, rebuilt or reconditioned (section 9884.8).
Even where the law is looser, those rules are good practice. They answer the questions customers ask at pickup, and they make disputes with card processors or consumer agencies easier to settle. Keep the signed estimate, any recorded authorization for added work, and the invoice together in the repair order file.
Line items and sales tax for a repair order
A complete repair order invoice carries:
Sales tax usually applies to parts as tangible goods. Separately stated repair labor is untaxed in many states, including California, but taxed in others, so set the taxable flag per line according to your state. When your state follows the common pattern, mark part lines taxable and labor lines not taxable.
- Vehicle: year, make, model, VIN or its last digits, license plate and odometer reading.
- The customer's concern and your diagnosis, a sentence each.
- Parts: description, quantity, unit price, and whether each is new, used, rebuilt or reconditioned.
- Labor: each operation with its book hours and rate.
- Sublet work, shop supplies, disposal fees and core charges as separate lines.
- Warranty terms on parts and labor.
Worked Example
The example is a front brake job on a sedan in California. New parts come to $253.98: ceramic pads ($89.99), two rotors at $74.50 and a quart of brake fluid ($14.99). Labor is billed by book time at $145 an hour: 1.8 hours for pads and rotors ($261.00) and 0.6 hours for the fluid flush ($87.00). Only the parts are taxed, at 7.25% (California's statewide base rate; most areas add a local district tax on top), which adds $18.41.
| Line | Calculation | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Front brake pads, ceramic, set (new) (taxable) | 1 × $89.99 | $89.99 |
| Front brake rotor (new) (taxable) | 2 × $74.50 | $149.00 |
| Brake fluid DOT 3, 1 qt (new) (taxable) | 1 × $14.99 | $14.99 |
| Labor: replace front pads and rotors, book time 1.8 h at $145 | 1.8 × $145.00 | $261.00 |
| Labor: brake fluid flush, book time 0.6 h at $145 | 0.6 × $145.00 | $87.00 |
| Subtotal | Sum of rounded lines | $601.98 |
| Sales tax | 7.25% × $253.98 taxable | $18.41 |
| Total | $620.39 |
The total is $620.39, and with nothing paid in advance the balance due at pickup is $620.39.
More Invoice Templates
Each template opens the same generator with line items and terms typical for the trade.
Frequently Asked Questions
Official References
- California Business and Professions Code section 9884.8
Requires an invoice listing service work and parts separately, with subtotals, and stating whether parts are new, used, rebuilt or reconditioned.
- California Business and Professions Code section 9884.9
Requires a written estimate and the customer's authorization before work, and consent before exceeding the estimate.
- IRS Publication 583, Starting a Business and Keeping Records
Lists invoices among the supporting documents for business income and explains how long to keep records.
This template does the arithmetic and the layout. Sales tax, licensing and invoicing rules vary by state and trade; confirm what applies to your business with your state's department of revenue, your licensing board or a tax professional. Federal figures verified October 2026.