Free Tradie Invoice Generator Australia
Generate ATO-compliant tradie invoices in seconds - no sign-up required. Choose your trade below for a specialist tool, or use the general tradie invoice generator for any trade. Built for Australian sole traders, small trade businesses, and subcontractors.
Choose your trade for a specialist invoice generator
Each trade has its own specific fields - select yours for a tailored invoice.
Construction
Progress claims, variations, retention, labour and materials
Plumbing
Callout fees, after-hours rates, licence number, parts split
Electrical
Safety certificate fee, GST-exempt cert, licence number, after-hours
Cleaning
Bond cleaning receipts, room-by-room pricing, recurring billing
Landscaping
Seasonal billing, materials markup, hourly and fixed price
Painting
Labour and materials split, paint product itemisation, room pricing
Not your trade? Use the general tradie invoice tool below - it works for any trade.
What Is a Tradie Invoice in Australia?
A tradie invoice is a tax invoice issued by a tradesperson or trade business for work completed. Under ATO rules, any tradie earning over $75,000 per year must be GST-registered and issue tax invoices for all work over $82.50 (inc GST).
A proper tradie invoice includes labour (hours worked, hourly rate, total), materials (each item, quantity, unit price, and markup), and extras like callout fees, disposal fees, and after-hours premiums - with GST shown separately.
The eight things the ATO requires on every tax invoice over $82.50:
- The words "Tax Invoice"
- Your business name
- Your ABN
- The date the invoice was issued
- A description of the goods or services supplied - be specific (e.g. "replace kitchen tap, supply and install" - not just "plumbing work")
- The GST-inclusive price for each item
- The GST amount clearly stated
- The total amount payable
For invoices over $1,000, the client's name and ABN (if they are a business) are also required.
What Trades Use This Invoice Generator?
This generator works for any Australian trade or service business, including:
| Trade | Common invoice items |
|---|---|
| Builders and construction | Progress claims, variations, retention, labour and materials |
| Plumbers and gasfitters | Callout fee, parts, labour, licence number |
| Electricians | Callout fee, parts, safety certificate fee, licence number |
| Painters | Labour per room, paint and materials, prep work |
| Carpenters | Labour, timber and hardware materials, job description |
| Landscapers | Labour, plants and materials, machinery hire |
| Tilers | Labour per m2, tiles and adhesive, prep |
| Roofers | Labour, roofing materials, guttering |
| Concreters | Labour, concrete supply, formwork, reinforcement |
| Handymen | Labour, small materials, multiple small jobs per invoice |
| Air conditioning / HVAC | Supply, installation, call-out, parts |
| Fencers | Labour, posts, panels, concrete |
For construction, plumbing, electrical, and cleaning specifically, use the specialist tools above - they include fields and compliance language specific to those trades that this general tool does not have.
Tradie Invoice Requirements by Business Size
| Situation | GST required? | ABN required? | Invoice type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sole trader, turnover under $75K | No (voluntary) | Yes | Invoice (not tax invoice) |
| Sole trader, turnover over $75K | Yes | Yes | Tax invoice |
| Pty Ltd or partnership, any turnover | Yes (if registered) | Yes | Tax invoice |
| Subcontractor to a builder | Usually yes | Yes | Tax invoice with ABN |
| Cash-in-hand, no ABN | Never recommended - client must withhold 47% | - | - |
Most established tradies are GST-registered even below the $75,000 threshold because their materials suppliers charge GST and they want to claim it back through their BAS.
Callout Fees and After-Hours Rates - How to Invoice Them
A callout fee is a flat charge just to show up at the job site, common in emergency trades. Typical rates run $80 to $200 in Australia, often offset against the first hour of work.
After-hours premiums - anything outside 7am to 5pm Monday to Friday - usually carry a 1.5x or 2x multiplier, with Sundays and public holidays often at 2.5x or even 3x.
Best practice for invoicing these charges:
- List the callout fee as a clearly labelled, separate first line item - never bury it in hourly labour
- Show the after-hours loading as a distinct line in the totals block, not blended into the hourly rate
- State exactly what the callout covers ("includes travel and first 30 minutes on site")
- Apply after-hours loading to labour only - not to materials
Should You Show Materials Separately on a Tradie Invoice?
Yes - always. Industry standard materials markup for tradies in Australia is 10 to 20% on top of cost price.
Whether you show the markup explicitly or absorb it into a materials line item is up to you - but separating labour from materials on the invoice is professional, reduces disputes, and makes your GST reporting cleaner.
Showing them separately also helps clients understand what they're paying for - especially on larger jobs where materials make up a significant portion of the total.
Do Tradies Need to Show Their Licence Number on Invoices?
It's not a strict ATO requirement, but it is effectively industry standard - and in many cases a contractual requirement from commercial clients, builders, and property managers.
| Trade | Regulating body (example - VIC) | Licence type |
|---|---|---|
| Builder | Building and Plumbing Commission (BPC) | Builder registration by class |
| Plumber | Building and Plumbing Commission (BPC) | Plumbing licence by class |
| Electrician | Energy Safe Victoria (ESV) | Registered Electrical Contractor (REC) |
| Gas fitter | Building and Plumbing Commission (BPC) | Gasfitting licence |
| Painter | No licence required in most states | ABN + insurance sufficient |
| Landscaper | No licence required | ABN + insurance sufficient |
Always include your licence number on invoices for licensed trades. For unlicensed trades, including your ABN and public liability insurance details builds equivalent trust.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is this tradie invoice generator free?
- Yes - free, no sign-up, unlimited invoices.
- What is the difference between this page and the trade-specific pages?
- The specialist pages (construction, plumbing, electrical, cleaning) include industry-specific fields that this general tool does not - progress claims and retention for construction, GST-exempt safety certificate fees for electricians, and bond cleaning receipts for cleaners. If your trade has a specialist page, use it. If not, this general tool covers all ATO requirements plus the tradie-specific extras (callout fee, after-hours, licence number, labour/materials split).
- Do I need an ABN to issue a tradie invoice in Australia?
- Yes. You must have an ABN to issue a tax invoice. Working without an ABN and asking clients to pay cash with no invoice is not recommended - clients are legally required to withhold 47% of payments made to contractors who don't provide an ABN. Applying for an ABN is free at abr.gov.au.
- What payment terms should a tradie use?
- Payment due on completion is standard for residential work. Seven days from invoice date is common for smaller commercial jobs. Thirty days is typical for large commercial contracts and head contractor relationships. Whatever you choose, state it clearly on the invoice - vague payment terms are the most common cause of slow payment for tradies.
- Can I use this for subcontractor invoices?
- Yes. Subcontractors invoice the head contractor the same way a tradie invoices a homeowner - Tax Invoice, ABN, GST, description of work, total payable. The only difference is the head contractor's ABN is required on invoices over $1,000 (since they're a business, not a residential client). Add their ABN in the "Client ABN" field.
- How do I handle materials markup on a tradie invoice?
- Enter each materials item as a separate line with your marked-up price (not your cost price). The standard industry markup is 10 to 20% on materials. You're not required to disclose your markup - the line item price is what the client pays. Select "Materials" as the item type so materials are grouped separately from labour in the invoice.
- What if I do cash-in-hand jobs - do I still need to invoice?
- If your total turnover exceeds $75,000 per year, yes - you must issue tax invoices for all work over $82.50. If you're below $75,000, invoicing is still strongly recommended for your own records, dispute protection, and income verification (for loans, leases, etc.). Cash-in-hand work without invoicing creates significant ATO compliance risk.