Auto Repair Invoice Template — Free Mechanic Invoice with Parts & Labor (PDF)

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Invoice #

Date

Due

Currency

Line items

Description	Qty	Unit price	Remove

Discount

Tax %

Payment terms & notes

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What should an auto repair invoice include?

Your shop's name and address and, in California, your Automotive Repair Dealer registration number; the customer and the vehicle (year, make, model, odometer); a unique invoice number tied to the work order; every repair and service with its price, including diagnosis; every part in plain words with its price and whether it is new, used, rebuilt or reconditioned; a labor subtotal and a parts subtotal; the sales tax; the total; and any extra work the customer approved after the estimate, with who approved it and when. The example above: labor $576.00, parts $505.00, 8.75% tax on parts $44.19, total $1,125.19.

Line items mechanics actually bill

Labor by job, in plain words, hours in Qty: "Remove and replace alternator, inspect drive belt, clean battery terminals", 1.6 × $160. BAR's guide warns against shorthand: "The customer is not likely to understand that R&R means Remove and Replace, or that a TPS is a Throttle Position Sensor."
Diagnosis as its own priced line, with what you found ("alternator output 12.1 volts at idle").
Each part with its condition: NEW, USED, REBUILT or RECONDITIONED, and a quantity ("front brake rotor, NEW", Qty 2).
Sales tax on parts only, as its own line showing the base, when labor isn't taxed.
The paper trail: work order number, odometer, the estimate amount, any phone or text approval for extra work, and what happened to the old parts.
No "shop supplies" or "misc." line in California (see below).

How the example adds up

Part of the invoice	Working	Amount
Diagnosis	0.5 h × $160	$80.00
Alternator labor	1.6 h × $160	$256.00
Brake labor (added by phone)	1.5 h × $160	$240.00
Labor subtotal	Not taxed	$576.00
Rebuilt alternator	Exchange price, old unit kept as core	$289.00
Brake pads + rotors	$68 + 2 × $74	$216.00
Parts subtotal	Before tax	$505.00
Sales tax on parts	8.75% × $505.00 = $44.1875	$44.19
Total	Due at pickup, Oct 28, 2026	$1,125.19

The estimate and the add-on. The signed estimate covered the diagnosis, the alternator labor and the alternator: $80 + $256 + $289 + 8.75% of $289 ($25.29) = $650.29. The brakes were added by phone: $240 + $216 + 8.75% of $216 ($18.90) = $474.90. $650.29 + $474.90 = $1,125.19, the invoice total.

Why the subtotals are in the notes. InvoiceSnap prints one subtotal for all lines, and California wants the labor and parts subtotals stated separately, so the example writes "Labor subtotal $576.00 · Parts subtotal $505.00 (before tax) · Sales tax on parts $44.19 · Sales tax on labor $0.00" in the notes. Its Tax % field taxes every line, so tax is a line of its own here, Qty 1 at $44.19, and Tax % stays at 0. If your state taxes labor too, use the Tax % field instead.

California: what the law puts on the invoice

Everything is written up. "All work done by an automotive repair dealer, including all warranty work, shall be recorded on an invoice and shall describe all service work done and parts supplied." "Service work and parts shall be listed separately on the invoice, which shall also state separately the subtotal prices for service work and for parts, not including sales tax, and shall state separately the sales tax, if any, applicable to each." "If any used, rebuilt, or reconditioned parts are supplied, the invoice shall clearly state that fact." (Bus. & Prof. Code § 9884.8.)

Your registration on the invoice. "The invoice shall show the automotive repair dealer's registration number and the corresponding business name and address as shown in the Bureau's records." Kits can be one line: "Part kits containing several components may be listed as a single part on the invoice and identified by brand name and corresponding part number or similar designation." And unlisted items can't be billed: "If that item is not listed in the invoice, it shall not be regarded as a part, and a separate charge may not be made for it." (BAR regulatory text, 16 CCR § 3356.) Registration itself isn't optional: "It is unlawful for any person to be an automotive repair dealer unless that person has registered in accordance with this chapter and unless that registration is currently valid." (§ 9884.6.) The example's ARD number is a placeholder; put yours there.

Shop supplies. "Separate billing in an invoice for items generically noted as shop supplies, miscellaneous parts, fees for electronic communication with the Smog Check database, and the like, is prohibited." (BAR, Write It Right, updated January 2026.) BAR's list also covers diagnosis and no-charge or warranty repairs, any toxic waste fee with your EPA number, and replaced parts you couldn't return.

Estimates, phone approvals and old parts

Estimate first. "An estimate is required for an automotive repair dealer to perform repairs to a motor vehicle." (BAR.) "No work shall be done and no charges shall accrue before authorization to proceed is obtained from the customer." (§ 9884.9(a).)

Going over it. The shop needs consent after it finds the estimate is short and before doing the extra work. "Written consent or authorization for an increase in the original estimated or posted price may be provided by electronic mail or facsimile transmission from the customer." "If that consent is oral, the dealer shall make a notation on the work order of the date, time, name of person authorizing the additional repairs, and telephone number called, if any, together with a specification of the additional parts and labor and the total additional cost", and then either "Make a notation on the invoice of the same facts set forth in the notation on the work order." or get the customer's signature or initials on an acknowledgment. The example takes the first route: its notes give Oct 27, 11:42 a.m., Marisol Vega, (916) 555-0193, the brake parts and labor, $474.90 added and $1,125.19 in total.

Acknowledgment wording (two versions). The statute and BAR's regulatory text give the sentence as "I acknowledge notice and oral approval of an increase in the original estimated price." BAR's Write It Right page prints it as "I acknowledge notice of oral approval of an increase in the original estimated price." If you use the signature route, we would copy the statute's wording; that is our suggestion, not BAR's.

Old parts. "Upon request of the customer at the time the work order is taken, the automotive repair dealer shall return replaced parts to the customer at the time of the completion of the work" (§ 9884.10), except parts that go back to the manufacturer or distributor under warranty. BAR adds that core parts sold on an exchange basis needn't be returned either, and "Any replaced parts that cannot be returned to the customer must be recorded on the invoice."

California sales tax: parts yes, labor no

The rule. "Generally, your charges for labor and services are not taxable." "You must list labor and service charges separately on your customer invoices." Two exceptions: "Labor charges for making a part (“fabrication labor”) are usually taxable, as are labor charges for installing parts on new vehicles." (CDTFA Publication 25, Auto Repair Garages and Service Stations, June 2026; also the CDTFA tax guide for auto repair garages.)

No lump sum on a job like this. A shop can bill a lump sum without taxing parts only if "Any law regulating your business (such as the Business and Professions Code) must allow you to bill lump-sum charges." and "The fair retail selling price for the parts must be ten percent or less of the total lump-sum charge." The example's parts are $505.00 of $1,081.00 before tax, about 47%, and § 9884.8 wants them listed separately anyway.

Rebuilt parts and cores. "On sales of reconditioned or rebuilt parts, tax applies to the exchange price." The example's $289.00 alternator is the exchange price, so tax is 8.75% of that.

The rate. CDTFA: "The statewide tax rate is 7.25%." with district taxes on top, and Publication 25 says "you should use the rate in effect at your business location". CDTFA's rate table effective October 1, 2026 lists the City of Sacramento at 8.75% (California City & County Sales & Use Tax Rates), the example's rate.

Tire and battery fees. $1.75 per new tire and $2.00 per replacement lead-acid battery (CDTFA special taxes and fees rates; Regulation 3230), each on its own line, and Publication 25 says sales tax doesn't apply to either fee. A battery sale also needs a separately stated, taxable refundable deposit, refunded "if a used lead-acid battery of the same type and size is returned within 45 days" (we didn't look up the deposit amount).

Texas: no tax on repair labor either

"There is no sales tax on the labor to repair to a motor vehicle." "Parts used to repair motor vehicles are taxable." Bill one price and you pay the tax to your parts supplier instead of collecting it; itemize, and "you must collect sales tax on the parts." Unlike California's ban on generic shop supply lines, Texas addresses a separate consumables charge: "A repairperson that separately states a charge for consumable supplies used directly in repairing or maintaining a motor vehicle must collect sales tax on the total charge for parts and consumables." (Texas Comptroller, Motor Vehicle Repairs, Remodels and Maintenance.) We did not check whether Texas has an invoice-content law for repair shops like California's.

What we did not check

Sales tax on auto repair in any state other than California and Texas.
Auto body and collision invoices beyond the OEM/non-OEM crash part statement, insurance-paid repairs, Smog Check, towing and storage, and lien sales.
The amount of California's lead-acid battery deposit and any local fees.
Labor rates: $160 an hour and the part prices are the example's, not a benchmark.
UK, Canadian and Australian mechanic invoice rules.

This is a summary of the California Business and Professions Code, Bureau of Automotive Repair guidance and regulatory text, CDTFA publications and rate tables, and the Texas Comptroller's guidance as read on October 24, 2026, not legal or tax advice. Check with BAR, your tax agency or your accountant.

FAQ

How do I write a mechanic invoice?

Start from the work order: same number, same vehicle, same odometer reading. List labor first, one line per job, with the hours in Qty and your hourly rate in Unit price (decimals such as 1.6 are fine), and describe the job in words the customer understands, not shop shorthand. Then list each part with its condition (new, used, rebuilt, reconditioned) and quantity. Add the sales tax as its own line if only parts are taxed, and write the labor and parts subtotals in the notes. If the customer approved more work by phone or text, record who, when, the number you called and the added cost. In InvoiceSnap the totals update as you type and the free preview PDF shows the finished invoice.

What does California require on an auto repair invoice?

Business and Professions Code § 9884.8: "Service work and parts shall be listed separately on the invoice, which shall also state separately the subtotal prices for service work and for parts, not including sales tax, and shall state separately the sales tax, if any, applicable to each." and "If any used, rebuilt, or reconditioned parts are supplied, the invoice shall clearly state that fact." The Bureau of Automotive Repair's regulation adds: "The invoice shall show the automotive repair dealer's registration number and the corresponding business name and address as shown in the Bureau's records." BAR's Write It Right guide lists the rest: diagnosis and no-charge repairs, each part in common terms, replaced parts that couldn't be returned, any toxic waste fee, the total, and the details of any added authorization.

Is auto repair labor taxable in California?

Generally no, when it is listed separately. The California Department of Tax and Fee Administration's guide for repair garages says "Generally, your charges for labor and services are not taxable." and "You must list labor and service charges separately on your customer invoices." The exceptions: "Labor charges for making a part (“fabrication labor”) are usually taxable, as are labor charges for installing parts on new vehicles." Parts, oil and fluids are taxable. That is why the example charges 8.75% on its $505.00 of parts and nothing on its $576.00 of labor.

Is auto repair labor taxable in Texas?

No. The Texas Comptroller: "There is no sales tax on the labor to repair to a motor vehicle." and "Parts used to repair motor vehicles are taxable." Who pays the tax on parts depends on the invoice. On a lump-sum invoice, "A repairperson that charges a single price for parts and labor should not collect sales tax from the customer, but instead must pay sales tax to the supplier when buying parts." On a separated invoice, "if you itemize the parts and labor charges, you must collect sales tax on the parts."

Is auto repair labor taxable in Florida, Pennsylvania, Ohio or other states?

We checked California and Texas for this page. People also ask about Florida, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Louisiana, Illinois, Kansas and Tennessee, and we did not read those states' rules, so check your state revenue department before you set the tax line. If your state taxes labor too, put the rate in the Tax % field instead of adding a tax line.

Can a mechanic charge more than the estimate in California?

Not without the customer's consent first. § 9884.9(a): "No charge shall be made for work done or parts supplied in excess of the estimated price, or the posted price specified in subdivision (e), without the oral or written consent of the customer that shall be obtained at some time after it is determined that the estimated or posted price is insufficient and before the work not estimated or posted is done or the parts not estimated or posted are supplied." Consent can come by email or fax. If it is oral, the shop notes the date, time, who approved, the number called, the added parts and labor and the total added cost, and either repeats that on the invoice (as the example does) or has the customer sign an acknowledgment.

Does a mechanic have to give you an estimate in California?

For repairs, yes. BAR: "An estimate is required for an automotive repair dealer to perform repairs to a motor vehicle." and the statute adds "No work shall be done and no charges shall accrue before authorization to proceed is obtained from the customer." The exception is preventive maintenance such as oil changes, when the service is free or its total price is posted or shown to and acknowledged by the customer. BAR says that if a job mixes repairs and maintenance, an estimate is required for the repairs.

Do mechanics have to give you your old parts?

In California, if you ask when the work order is written: "Upon request of the customer at the time the work order is taken, the automotive repair dealer shall return replaced parts to the customer at the time of the completion of the work" (§ 9884.10). BAR's guide says core parts sold on an exchange basis, such as a battery, and parts going back to the supplier under warranty don't have to be returned; the customer must be offered a look at them, and "Any replaced parts that cannot be returned to the customer must be recorded on the invoice." The example's notes do both: brake parts returned, alternator kept as the core and shown.

Can I charge for shop supplies on an invoice?

Not as a generic line in California. BAR: "Separate billing in an invoice for items generically noted as shop supplies, miscellaneous parts, fees for electronic communication with the Smog Check database, and the like, is prohibited." and the regulation says a charged part must be listed as an item: "If that item is not listed in the invoice, it shall not be regarded as a part, and a separate charge may not be made for it." Texas treats a separate consumables charge as taxable: "A repairperson that separately states a charge for consumable supplies used directly in repairing or maintaining a motor vehicle must collect sales tax on the total charge for parts and consumables." The example has no shop supplies line.

How do I show a rebuilt or remanufactured part on an invoice?

Say it on the part's own line. § 9884.8 uses the words "used, rebuilt, or reconditioned", so the example writes "REBUILT (remanufactured exchange unit)" rather than only the supplier's word "remanufactured"; putting the statute's word first is our choice, not BAR wording. For California sales tax, "On sales of reconditioned or rebuilt parts, tax applies to the exchange price." The example's $289 alternator is the exchange price, with the old alternator kept as the core.

What goes on a mobile mechanic invoice?

Everything a shop invoice needs, plus where you did the work. BAR's guide for California mobile repair: "It also must include the address where the repairs were performed." and "If no physical address is available, include a description of the location." such as a cross-street, landmark or mile marker. Put it in the notes, for example "Repair done at 4120 T St, Sacramento (customer's driveway)". BAR's guide refers to mobile repair businesses holding automotive repair dealer registrations, and § 9884.6 requires every automotive repair dealer to register.

Do I charge the California tire fee or battery fee on the invoice?

If you sell new tires or a replacement lead-acid battery, yes, on separate lines. CDTFA lists the California tire fee at $1.75 per new tire and says "Sales and use taxes do not apply to charges for the California tire fee." The California battery fee is $2.00 per battery: "The California battery fee is two dollars ($2.00) for each replacement lead-acid battery purchased on or after April 1, 2022." and "Sales and use taxes do not apply to charges for the California battery fee." A battery sale also carries a taxable refundable deposit: "The California battery fee and refundable deposit must be separately stated on the invoice for all retail sales of replacement lead-acid batteries." We did not look up the deposit amount, and the example sells neither.

Can I use this as an auto repair receipt?

Yes. A receipt is the same invoice marked paid. Enter the payment in the Discount field as a fixed amount and label it ("Paid Oct 28 by card ending 4417") so the balance shows $0.00, and keep the invoice number that matches the work order. Keep your copy: § 9884.8 says "One copy of the invoice shall be given to the customer and one copy shall be retained by the automotive repair dealer." and BAR says records must be kept at least three years.

Is InvoiceSnap free?

Yes. You can fill in the invoice and download a watermarked preview PDF free with no signup. A clean PDF is $4 one-time for 7 days of unlimited invoices (USDC; card coming soon).

Is my data uploaded?

No. The PDF is generated in your browser; your client and pricing details are not sent to a server.

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