What to put on a US invoice: a 2026 checklist

There is no single federal invoice format in the US. What there is instead is a set of details that customers, accountants and auditors all expect — and a missing one is the usual reason an invoice sits unpaid. Work down this list.

1. The word Invoice, and a unique number
Label it clearly, and number invoices in a sequence you never reuse. Sequential numbering is how you and your customer both track what was paid.
2. Your business details
Legal or DBA name, street address with city, state and ZIP, phone, email, and a contact name if you have staff. Add your EIN if your customers ask for it.
3. The customer's details
Company name, the person who approves payment, and the billing address with city, state and ZIP. Billing address can differ from the job site — say which is which.
4. Invoice date and due date
Show both. A due date is what makes a late payment obviously late.
5. PO number or job reference
Many companies will not pay an invoice that lacks the purchase order number they issued. Ask for it up front and put it on the invoice.
6. Payment terms
Net 15, Net 30, due on receipt — write it in words, not just a date, so there is no argument about it later.
7. Itemized lines
Description, quantity, unit price and line amount. Split materials from labor: it reduces disputes and it matters for sales tax.
8. Subtotal, discount, tax, total due
Show each as its own line, with the tax rate stated as a percentage, and finish with a single clear Total due.
9. How to pay you
Check payable to, ACH or bank details, a card or PayPal link, or a QR code. Make paying the easiest thing on the page.
10. Late fee and deposit terms, if you use them
State the late fee percentage and when it starts, and note any deposit already received so the balance is unambiguous. Check what your state allows.

Estimates are not invoices

An estimate or quote is a proposal: label it as such, give it a validity date, and do not number it in your invoice sequence. Once the customer approves it, reissue the same lines as an invoice.

Keep your copies

Keep invoices and the records behind them for your own tax filings — the IRS expects you to be able to support what you reported. Ask your CPA how long to keep records for your situation.

Use the checklist as a form

The free generator already has every field on this list, including PO number, terms and sales tax.

Make a free US invoice

FairInvoice is not an accountant, CPA, or tax adviser, and nothing here is tax or legal advice. Sales tax rules differ by state, county, and city, and depend on what you sell and where. You are responsible for the rates you enter and for whether you need to collect tax at all.