Self-Employed Invoice Template

An invoice for someone who is the whole business. It carries the details a client needs to set you up as a vendor, and a reminder block for the part that catches most people in their first year: the tax you owe on what you just billed.

Download the self-employed invoice template

DOCXSelf-employed invoice template (.docx) (10 KB)DBA line, EIN or SSN field, seven line rows, and a records block noting quarterly estimated tax dates.

Free to download and use. No sign-up, no email, no watermark.

How to use this self employed invoice template

Use your legal name, and add your DBA if you trade under one. A client paying "Bright Ideas Studio" when their records say Jane Doe will hold the payment until somebody works out they are the same person.
Include your EIN or SSN. Any client paying you over $600 in a year must issue a 1099, and they need this to do it.
Describe the work as your client would describe it. You know it as "the API refactor"; they approved "fixing the slow checkout".
Send it as a PDF and keep your own copy. As a sole proprietor your invoices are the primary record of your income — there is no accounting department behind you.
Before you spend it, set aside a share for tax. The records block on the template is there to make that a habit rather than an April surprise.

What sole proprietors get wrong on invoices

Three things, and none of them are about layout. The first is the name mismatch: invoicing under a trading name your client has not registered as a vendor. Accounts payable matches the name on the invoice to the name on file, and a mismatch stalls the payment silently. Putting your legal name first with the DBA beside it removes the problem.

The second is the missing tax ID. It gets requested every January, always at the worst time, and always by email. Putting it on the invoice — or better, sending a W-9 once at the start of the relationship — means it never comes up again.

The third is not setting money aside. A sole proprietor pays self-employment tax of 15.3% on net earnings on top of income tax, and nothing is withheld from what a client pays you. A useful rule of thumb is to move 25 to 30 percent of every payment into a separate account the day it arrives. The records block on this template says so out loud, because the invoice is the moment you are thinking about the money.

Quarterly estimated payments are due in April, June, September and January. Missing them does not just mean a bill later; it means an underpayment penalty on top of it.

Example

A self-employed bookkeeper trading as a DBA invoices a small dental practice for the monthly close, plus a one-off cleanup of two quarters of miscategorised transactions.

Monthly bookkeeping — November	1 × $650.00 = $650.00
Historical cleanup, Q2–Q3 recategorisation	9 hrs × $95.00 = $855.00
Subtotal	$1,505.00
Sales tax	0% — $0.00
Payment terms	Net 30
Set aside for tax (≈28%)	$421.40

Total due: $1,505.00 — of which roughly $421.40 should go straight to the tax account.

The retainer and the one-off cleanup are separate lines because they are different arrangements. The $650.00 recurs; the $855.00 does not. Blending them makes next month's invoice look like a price cut.

The last row is not part of the invoice you send — it is the calculation to do the moment the payment lands. At roughly 28% for combined self-employment and federal income tax, $421.40 of this $1,505.00 is not yours. Sole proprietors who skip this step are the ones with an April problem.

No sales tax, because bookkeeping is a professional service and services are untaxed in most states. A handful do tax accounting or data processing services, which is worth checking once rather than assuming forever.

Limits and things to watch for

The tax figure in the example is a rule of thumb, not a calculation. Your actual rate depends on your net earnings, deductions, filing status and state.
Nothing calculates on the form itself. Use the Excel version if you want the totals worked out.
No expense or mileage tracking. The invoice records income; deductions are a separate record you need to keep alongside it.
One page, seven rows.

Disclaimer. This template is a business document, not tax advice. Self-employment tax rates, deductions and estimated payment obligations depend on your circumstances. Confirm with a qualified accountant before relying on any figure here.

Frequently asked questions

How much should I set aside for tax?: A common rule of thumb is 25 to 30 percent of each payment, covering self-employment tax of 15.3% on net earnings plus federal income tax. Your real number depends on your income, deductions and state. Move it to a separate account the day the payment arrives rather than at quarter end.
Do I need an EIN, or can I use my SSN?: A sole proprietor with no employees can use their SSN. An EIN is free from the IRS, takes about ten minutes, and means your SSN is not circulating in client email and accounting systems. Most people who get one wish they had done it sooner.
Should I invoice under my own name or my business name?: Put your legal name first and the DBA beside it. Your client's vendor record and their payment system are matching the name on the invoice; a trading name they have not registered will hold the payment without anyone telling you.
When are quarterly estimated taxes due?: April, June, September and the following January. The exact dates shift slightly year to year. Missing them can trigger an underpayment penalty even if you settle the full amount at filing.
Do I charge sales tax?: For most professional services in most states, no. If you sell physical goods, or work in a state that taxes your particular service category, you may need to register and collect. It is a one-time thing to check for your state and your service.