Business tool
Car detailing invoice and receipt maker
Add the services, any work the customer approved during the job, tax, and deposits. Get a clean invoice or receipt with the balance due, ready to print, save as a PDF, or text.
Your business
An invoice asks the customer to pay for finished work. Record a deposit below and it shows the balance due.
Everything stays in this browser. It is saved on this device so you can come back to it.
Number and dates
Customer
Services
1 of 12Lines marked as added during the job print under “Approved changes”, so the customer can see what changed from the quote.
Sales tax
Some states tax car washing and detailing and some do not. Check your state's revenue department before you add or leave out tax.
Payments received
OptionalNo payments yet. Add a deposit or part payment if the customer already paid some of it.
How to pay and notes
OptionalPreview
What the customer receivesYour invoice appears here
Add these to see it:
- Enter the business name the customer will see.
- Enter a phone number or email address the customer can reach.
- Enter the invoice number.
- Enter the date you issue it.
- Enter the customer's name.
- Add at least one service with a price.
What goes on a car detailing invoice
An invoice closes one job. The customer should be able to read it and see what they are paying for without asking you. Put these on every one:
- A number and a date. Number invoices in order, such as 1001, 1002, 1003. Choose Next number after each job and the maker counts up for you.
- Your business and the customer. Your business name and a phone or email, then the customer's name. Add the vehicle so the record matches the car you worked on. Use one invoice per vehicle.
- One line per service. Use the same service names as your quote or price list. Add a quantity when you charge per item or per hour, such as 2 headlights or 1.5 hours.
- Work added during the job, on its own line. If the customer said yes to extra work, such as pet hair removal or an engine bay clean, tick “Added during the job”. It prints under Approved changes, so the customer can see what changed from the quote.
- Tax, payments, and the balance. Add tax only if your state taxes detailing. Record any deposit with its date. The maker subtracts it and shows the balance due.
- How to pay. Say which payment methods you take. This line prints only while money is still owed.
Worked example
These are made-up figures to show how the totals work, not suggested prices. Choose “Fill with an example” above to load them into the maker.
| Line | Qty | Price | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full interior and exterior detail | 1 | $220.00 | $220.00 |
| Headlight restoration | 2 | $40.00 | $80.00 |
| Engine bay clean (approved change) | 1 | $45.00 | $45.00 |
| Subtotal | $345.00 | ||
| Sales tax (7%) | $24.15 | ||
| Total | $369.15 | ||
| Deposit paid October 18, 2026 | −$50.00 | ||
| Balance due | $319.15 |
The tax is 7% of the $345.00 subtotal, which is $24.15. The $50.00 deposit comes off the $369.15 total, so the customer owes $319.15.
Invoice or receipt?
Send an invoice when the work is done and you are asking to be paid. Send a receipt when money has changed hands: a deposit to hold the booking, a part payment, or the final payment. Switch the maker to Receipt and add the payment. When the payments add up to the total, the receipt says “Paid in full”.
Keep each invoice with the quote the customer accepted and any message where they approved extra work. Add the quote number on the invoice so the two are easy to match. The detailing invoice guide covers how to correct an invoice and close the month.
Sales tax on detailing
This section is general information, not tax advice. Whether you charge sales tax depends on your state. The Washington Department of Revenue lists “car wash (including self-service facilities) or detailing cars, trucks, campers, boats, etc.” among retail services subject to sales tax. The Missouri Department of Revenue lists detailing services as exempt. Check your own state's revenue department, and ask whether products you sell, such as air fresheners, are taxed even when the service is not. Sources reviewed October 21, 2026.
If you choose Add sales tax, the maker applies the rate to the whole subtotal. If only some of your services are taxed, make a separate invoice for the taxed work.
Print it, save a PDF, or text it
Print or save as PDF prints only the invoice, on a letter page. To get a PDF, choose Save as PDF as the printer in the print dialog, then email or text the file. Copy as text puts the whole invoice in a text message. Everything you type stays in this browser and is saved on this device, so the next invoice starts with your business and services filled in.
Paper receipts for jobs with no signal
Some jobs are in garages or lots with no phone signal. A carbon copy receipt book gives the customer a paper copy and leaves one in the book for you. Number the books in order, like your invoices. These are searches, not recommendations. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Details.
- Search carbon copy receipt books on Amazon
- Search carbon copy invoice books on Amazon
- Search portable printers on Amazon
Questions
Is the invoice maker free?
Yes. There is no account and no email. Nothing you type is sent to a server.
Can it take card payments?
No. It makes the document only. Write how the customer can pay, such as cash, card on your reader, or a payment app, in the How to pay box.
Where do I get the prices?
Use the pricing calculator to find a price that covers your time and costs, and send the customer a quote from it before the job. After the job, put the same services on the invoice.
Can I add my logo?
Not yet. The invoice shows your business name in bold at the top. For a logo, save the PDF and add it in a PDF or design app.