A receipt is the simplest document you give a customer, and one of the most useful. It proves they paid, records what the payment was for, and shows what's still owed. That matters most on jobs paid in stages, where a deposit, a progress payment and a final payment can blur together months later.
This free contractor receipt template is ready to fill in. Download it as an editable Word document or a printable PDF with the buttons above.
What's in the contractor receipt template
The template fits on one Letter-size page and includes:
- Your business details and license number
- Receipt number, payment date, and the invoice and job numbers it relates to
- Received from (the customer) and for work at (the job site, work description and dates)
- Payment lines with what each payment was for, the method (check, card, ACH, cash) and a reference such as a check number or card's last four digits
- Contract or invoice total, previous payments, this payment and balance remaining
- Payment status: deposit, progress payment or final payment, and a "paid in full" box
- Notes for change orders and lien waivers
- Signature lines for the person who received the payment and, optionally, the customer
Replace everything in [square brackets] with your own details.
Sample contractor receipt
Here's how a filled-in receipt might look for the second payment on a bathroom remodel. All names and amounts are made up.
| Field | Example |
|---|---|
| Receipt # / payment date | 0042 / 03/14/2026 |
| Invoice # / job # | 0118 / J-2026-031 |
| Received from | Jordan Lee, 18 Pine St |
| For work at | 18 Pine St, bathroom remodel, 03/02/2026 – 03/20/2026 |
| Payment for | Progress payment: rough plumbing and electrical complete |
| Method / reference | Check / #2207 |
| Contract total | $14,800.00 |
| Previous payments | $4,440.00 (deposit) |
| This payment | $5,920.00 |
| Balance remaining | $4,440.00 |
| Status | Progress payment; next payment $4,440.00 due on completion |
How to fill in a contractor receipt
1. Number every receipt. Use a simple sequence (0001, 0002…) and never reuse a number. It makes receipts easy to find and match to your books.
2. Tie it to the invoice or contract. Enter the invoice number or contract date so anyone can see which job and which bill the payment belongs to.
3. Say what the payment was for. "Deposit per contract dated 03/01/2026" or "Final payment" is clearer than just an amount, especially on multi-stage jobs.
4. Record the method and a reference. For checks, write the check number. For cards, the last four digits or the processor's transaction ID. For cash, write "Cash" and get the receipt signed.
5. Show the running balance. Contract total, minus previous payments, minus this payment, equals the balance remaining. Customers trust a receipt that shows the full picture.
6. Note change orders. If the contract total changed, note which change orders are included, so the total on the receipt matches what the customer agreed to.
7. Mark "paid in full" on the last one. Tick the box on the final receipt so there's no question later that the job is settled. On construction jobs, this is also when customers often ask for a lien waiver.
8. Keep a copy. Save a copy of every receipt with the invoice in your accounting software or job folder.
Invoice, estimate and receipt: which one when
- Estimate before the job: the scope and price you're offering. Use our contractor estimate template.
- Invoice when payment is due: the work done and the amount owed. Use our contractor invoice template or, for roofers, the roofing invoice template.
- Receipt after each payment: proof of what was paid and what's left.
If you send many invoices and receipts, invoicing software can generate receipts automatically when a customer pays online. See our contractor invoicing software comparison. If you pay subcontractors yourself, our guide to paying contractors in QuickBooks covers W-9s and 1099s.
