Sales tax on drywall and plastering work: what goes on the invoice

There is no national sales tax

Sales tax in the US is set at state level, and most states let counties, cities and special districts add their own tax on top. That means two jobs a few miles apart can carry different rates, and the same work can be taxable in one state and exempt in another. Five states have no statewide general sales tax at all, though localities in one of them still levy their own.

How it usually lands on drywall and plastering work

Board and compound you supply are normally taxable materials; whether your labor is taxed depends on your state and often on whether the work is new construction or a repair. Keep the material and labor lines apart so either treatment fits.

What a tax-ready invoice shows

• A unique, sequential invoice number.
• Your business name, address and, where you have one, your seller's permit or tax ID.
• The customer's name and the service address — the location often decides the rate.
• The invoice date and the date the work was performed.
• Materials and labor on separate lines, described per line.
• The taxable subtotal, the rate applied, and the tax amount as its own line.
• The total due, and any exemption certificate reference if the sale is exempt.

Finding your own rate

We deliberately do not publish rates — they change, and a stale number on an invoice is your problem, not ours. Look up the combined state and local rate for the service address with your state's revenue department, and confirm whether your type of work is taxable there before you charge or omit tax.

Worked example

Subtotal for the job

$475.00

Sales tax at your combined rate

you enter the rate

Total the customer pays

subtotal + tax

Any tax you collect is never your money — you are holding it for the state and remitting it on your next return.

Common questions

What is the difference between Level 4 and Level 5?

Level 5 adds a skim coat over the whole surface. It costs noticeably more and matters under gloss paint and raking light — say which you priced.

Should cleanup be a line item?

Yes if it involved containment or hauling. Drywall dust cleanup is real work and customers accept it when it is named.

How do I price a single patch?

A minimum call charge plus time. A patch priced by the square foot always loses money.