Free invoice template
Consulting invoice template: retainer, hours and expenses.
A real consultant's invoice: the month's retainer billed in advance, the hours beyond it billed after, and expenses passed through at cost. Open it, change the names and numbers, download the PDF.
- Retainer
- billed in advance, on the 1st
- Net 15
- common for monthly retainers
- At cost
- expenses, unless your contract allows a markup
The lines on this invoice, and why
| Line | What it tells your client |
|---|---|
| Advisory retainer: October 2026 | The agreed monthly fee and what it covers ("up to 20 hours"). Bill it at the start of the period it pays for, so the work never runs ahead of the money. |
| Hours beyond the retainer | Overage at your hourly rate, with the dates and what the hours were for. Billed after the work, on the same invoice as next month's retainer. |
| Reimbursable: travel | Each expense on its own line at what you paid, with receipts attached. "At cost, without markup" is a common contract clause; some contracts allow 5 to 10%, so follow yours. |
Retainers: in advance, then the rest
Most consultants bill a retainer on the first of the month for that month, and anything beyond it (extra hours, travel) at the end. Say both on the invoice so the client's team knows what the next one will look like, and name the engagement letter it follows: accounts payable matches invoices to agreements.
Keep fees and expenses apart
Expenses are not part of your fee and often aren't taxed or approved the same way. One line each, marked as reimbursable, at cost: clients approve those lines faster when they can match them to a receipt.
Is consulting taxable?
In most US states professional consulting isn't subject to sales tax, but some states tax certain services. If you're unsure, leave tax off and ask your accountant: you can add a tax rate per invoice, and mark which lines it applies to.
Wording you can copy
Payment due within 15 days. The retainer is billed on the 1st of each month in advance; extra hours and expenses are billed in arrears.
Balances unpaid 30 days after the due date accrue interest of 1% per month.
Questions
Should I invoice the retainer before or after the work?
Before. A retainer reserves your time for the period, so it's billed at the start of it; hours beyond it are billed after.
How do I show hours on a consulting invoice?
One line per kind of work, with the hours as the quantity and your rate. Add the dates and what was done in the description; clients question vague lines first.
Can I charge for travel time?
Only if your agreement says so. Put travel time on its own line, separate from the travel costs.
Sources: Law Insider: billable expenses at cost · Law Insider: markup clauses
Written by the BillGrid team. Checked .
