Carbonless Plumbing Invoices & Flat-Rate Service Tickets

A plumbing service ticket has to do two jobs at once: get the customer to sign off on the work and the price, and get a copy of that signature back to the office. A 2-part or 3-part carbonless invoice does both in one write — the plumber hands over the yellow and the white rides back in the van. That’s why plumbing shops keep buying paper tickets even after they buy field software.

Forms plumbing companies order

Service invoice / service ticket. Work order. Estimate or proposal with an authorization signature line. Drain cleaning and camera inspection ticket — footage run, access point, findings. Water heater installation form — model, serial, T&P, expansion tank, permit number. Backflow prevention assembly test report — assembly make, model, size, serial, test readings, tester certification number. Repipe checklist and change order for new-construction crews. Cash receipt for plumbers who collect at the door.

Part count and who gets which copy

2-part covers most shops:

• White (original) — office. Billing pile and customer file.
• Canary — customer. Left with the homeowner or property manager.

3-part when plumbers need their own copy: white to office, canary to customer, pink stays in the plumber’s book for hours, truck stock, and commission. Commercial crews often go 3-part so the GC’s super gets a signed copy on the spot. Backflow test reports are usually 3-part: water purveyor, property owner, your file.

Typical size and quantity

8.5″ x 11″ is standard for a full invoice with a parts table and terms on the back. Many shops prefer something smaller for the van: 8.5″ x 5.5″ half-page, or half-A4 (roughly 5.8″ x 8.3″) if your form was built on A4. We print custom sizes — one recent plumbing order was 500 sets of 2-part receipts at a custom half-A4. Common quantities: 250 sets for one or two trucks, 500 for three to five, 1,000 if you’re running a real dispatch board. Books of 50 with a chipboard back hold up in a van better than loose pads.

Fields most plumbing invoices carry

Company name, address, phone, license number. Customer name, service address, billing address, phone. Date, time in and out. Plumber name. Complaint / diagnosis / work performed. Parts and materials table. Labor hours and rate. Trip fee. Permit number if pulled. Subtotal, tax, total. Payment method and amount collected. Warranty language. Two signature lines — one to authorize the work and price, one to accept the finished job. Pre-printed sequential number.

The Texas plumbing disclosure rule — worth designing around

If you work in Texas, this is a form-layout requirement, not general advice.

The Responsible Master Plumber of record and the owner of a plumbing company must make sure the first page of every written or electronic proposal, invoice, or contract for plumbing services includes, in at least twelve-point font: the first and last name of the RMP of record, the RMP’s license number, the phrase “regulated by the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners,” and the Board’s mailing address, phone number, and website address. The rule defines those terms broadly — it names written estimates, service invoices, billing invoices, and receipts, or any document that defines the services and cost of plumbing services provided to the consumer. The same rule requires the RMP license number preceded by “M,” “MPL,” or “RMP” plus the company name on both sides of every service vehicle, in contrasting color, at least two inches high.

Practical read: the RMP block belongs on the front of the form at 12 pt or larger, not buried in the terms on the back. We set that block as part of artwork cleanup and you’ll see it at the right size on the inspected PDF proof. Check your own state board’s rules if you work outside Texas — they vary.

Your signed invoices are also gross-receipts backup. The IRS lists receipt books and invoices among the supporting documents that show the amounts and sources of your gross receipts.

FAQ

Can you print a custom size, not just 8.5×11? Yes. Half-page, half-A4, 4″ x 7″ receipt size — tell us the finished size. We recently printed 2-part receipts at a custom half-A4 for a plumbing company.

How do I fit the Texas RMP disclosure block without wrecking my layout? Send your current form. The block is four short lines. We usually run it across the bottom of the front panel at 12 pt or in a boxed footer under the signature line, then show you both on the proof.

Can I have terms and conditions on the back? Yes. Back printing is a separate ink pass, so ask for a quote with backer copy when you send artwork. Same backer on all parts, or only on the customer copy.

How fast can I get them? My last book is almost out. Proof within 4 business hours of receiving your artwork. Production is 2-3 business days after you approve the proof.

Can you start numbering where my old book left off? Yes. Give us the start number. Sequential numbering is included free — you don’t pay extra.

Get a quote: call (254) 290-6337 or send your artwork. 2-part, 8.5×11 Letter (8.5×14 Legal +14%), is $57/250, $84/500, $148/1000, $322/2500, $595/5000. 3-part is $57/250, $97/500, $169/1000, $349/2500, $619/5000. Past 5,000 sets is priced on the phone. Minimum 250 sets. Numbering, artwork cleanup, and a inspected PDF proof included free.

Sources

https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/texas/22-Tex-Admin-Code-SS-367-10 — 22 Tex. Admin. Code 367.10 — Display of RMP Name and License Number https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/what-kind-of-records-should-i-keep — IRS — What kind of records should I keep