What an auto detailing invoice is for
The invoice is handed over while the customer walks around a shiny car, the best moment to be paid. It should match the estimate and list anything added at drop-off, with notes on what could not be fully fixed. A coating invoice should name the product so the warranty can be registered.
What to put on an auto detailing invoice
- The vehicle and services done.
- Add-ons approved at drop-off.
- Coating product and care instructions.
- Notes on anything that remains.
- Payment terms.
A worked example
The SUV is done. The owner added the engine bay at drop-off.
| Line | Qty | Unit | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full detail, SUV | 1 | each | Your price |
| Pet hair removal | 1 | each | Your price |
| Carpet and seat shampoo | 1 | each | Your price |
| One-step polish | 1 | each | Your price |
| Engine bay cleaning, added at drop-off | 1 | each | Your price |
Put what improved and what remains in the notes. Customers accept a faint stain when you said it before and wrote it after.
Line items detailers use
| Line item | Unit | How to write it |
|---|---|---|
| Exterior hand wash and dry | each | Wheels, tires and door jambs. |
| Interior vacuum and wipe-down | each | Seats, carpets, dash and console. |
| Full detail, sedan | each | Inside and out. |
| Full detail, SUV or truck | each | Larger vehicles take longer. |
| Clay bar decontamination | each | Before polish or protection. |
| One-step polish | each | Light swirl removal and gloss. |
| Paint correction, multi-step | hour | Priced by time after inspection. |
| Ceramic coating | each | Name the product and the durability it claims. |
| Carpet and seat shampoo | each | Hot water extraction of fabric. |
| Leather clean and condition | each | Seats and trim. |
| Pet hair removal | each | Surcharge for heavy hair. |
| Headlight restoration | set | Both headlights. |
| Engine bay cleaning | each | Low pressure with covered electrics. |
| Mobile service fee | each | If you charge to come to the customer. |
Terms and deposit language for auto detailing
- Deposit. Coatings and paint correction often take a deposit to hold the day. Washes and standard details usually do not.
- Payment. Due when the vehicle is handed back, after the customer has looked it over.
- Warranty. Coating durability claims come from the maker and depend on upkeep; say what you stand behind and what voids it.
- Some scratches, stains and odors cannot be fully removed; say so before you start.
- Remove valuables from the vehicle; you are not responsible for items left inside.
- Mobile jobs need water and power access or a fee for bringing your own.
How to fill it in
- Your business details carry over from any template you used before.
- Fill in who you are billing and the job.
- Check the lines against what you actually did, and add your prices.
- Put any deposit in Already paid, so the balance is right.
- Print, download or send it from Koira with a pay-by-card link.
Free tools for auto detailing
The same invoice for other trades: appliance repair, carpet cleaning, chimney, house cleaning, commercial cleaning, concrete, drywall, electrical, fence, flooring, garage door, general contractor, gutter, handyman, hvac, irrigation, junk removal, landscaping, lawn care, locksmith, moving, painting, pest control, plumbing, pool service, pressure washing, remodeling, roofing, septic, snow removal, solar, tree service, waterproofing, window cleaning.
More for detailers: how detailers run on Koira.