Receipt · General
Free contractor receipt template
Free contractor receipt template and sample: amount received, payment method, what it covers and the balance left. Printable PDF or Word, no email needed.
- Formats
- PDF · Word
- Paper
- Letter
- Currency
- USD
Quick answer
A contractor receipt confirms a payment you have received. It shows a receipt number and date, your business name, contact details and license number, the customer's name and job address, the amount received, how it was paid, what it covers, such as a deposit, a progress payment or an invoice number, and the balance still owed. Finish with "Received by" and your name, then hand it over or send it as a PDF.
What to include
- Receipt number and date
- Business name, contact details and license number
- Customer name and job address
- Amount received
- Payment method: cash, check, card or bank transfer
- What it covers: deposit, progress payment or invoice number
- Balance still owed, or "Paid in full"
- Received by: your name and signature
Example, line by line
| Item | Qty | Unit price | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pressure-treated stair stringers (each) | 3 | $45.00 | $135.00 |
| Stair treads, 2x12 (each) | 4 | $38.00 | $152.00 |
| Labor (hr) | 5 | $75.00 | $375.00 |
| Haul away debris (each) | 1 | $50.00 | $50.00 |
| Total | $712.00 | ||
How to use it
- 1Download it, or fill it in online.
- 2Add your own prices and your customer's details.
- 3Send it, get it signed and collect the deposit.
Contractor receipts, part by part
On a contracting job, money usually arrives in pieces: a deposit at signing, progress payments as stages are finished, a final payment at walkthrough. Each one deserves a receipt. The customer gets proof of what they paid, and you get a record for your books. The IRS lists receipts and invoices among the supporting documents a business keeps.
Start with a receipt number and the date, on a sequence separate from your invoices. Add your business name, contact details and license number, then the customer's name and the job address.
Then three facts: the amount received, the payment method and what it covers. "Deposit on estimate 1188, paid by check" or "Progress payment 2 of 3, cabinets installed, paid by bank transfer" tells both of you everything in one line. For a final payment, write the invoice number.
Show the balance still owed on the whole job. On a staged job that is the line customers check first. Once everything is paid, write "Paid in full". Finish with "Received by" and your name, plus a signature on printed copies.
If you work as a subcontractor and the general contractor pays you, the same receipt works. Put the GC's business name where the customer goes and add their job number.
Keep every receipt with the estimate and invoice for the job, in one folder per customer.
Set it up once, then reuse it
- Download the printable PDF or the Word file and save a copy with your business details and license number.
- When a payment comes in, add the receipt number, date, customer and job address.
- Write the amount, how it was paid and what it covers.
- Show the balance on the whole job, or "Paid in full".
- Sign or add "Received by" and send it the same day.
Contractor jobs this template fits
Contractors write receipts for deposits and progress payments on remodels, additions, basement finishes and deck builds, and for cash or check payments on smaller repair work. It suits any trade that takes more than one payment on a job.
Keep it in line with the contractor estimate template, which sets the price and the deposit, and the contractor invoice template, which bills the balance. One job number across all three makes the money easy to follow.
Download it free
The contractor receipt template comes as a printable PDF and an editable Word file. Download either one without giving an email address.
If the payment is a deposit on new work, send the estimate first. An estimate maker for your trade, such as the handyman estimate maker, lets you fill one in online and send it for your customer to sign before you take any money.
Send it, get it signed, collect the deposit
Questions
What should a contractor receipt include?
A receipt number and date, your business details and license number, the customer's name and job address, the amount received, how it was paid, what it covers (deposit, progress payment or invoice number), the balance still owed and "Received by" with your name.
Is an invoice the same as a receipt?
No. An invoice asks for payment. A receipt confirms payment you have already received. On most jobs you send both, with the invoice number written on the receipt.
Do I need to give a receipt for a deposit?
It is good practice. A receipt for the deposit, naming the estimate and the balance still to pay, gives the customer proof of payment and gives you a record that matches the final invoice.
Can I send a receipt by text or email?
Yes. Fill in the Word or PDF file, save it as a PDF and attach it to a text or email. Name the file with the receipt number.
How do I write a receipt for a progress payment?
Write the amount received, the stage it covers, such as "Progress payment 2 of 3, framing complete", the contract or estimate number, and the balance still owed on the whole job.