AvoSubcontractor Invoice Template (Free Fillable PDF)
A subcontractor invoice to a general contractor is really a small pay application: the GC's accountant needs the subcontract value, what was completed this period and to date, approved change orders, retainage withheld and previous payments, so the number due reconciles with their own pay app to the owner. An invoice that only says “framing, $18,500” goes back for a schedule of values. This template has the pay-app math on one page without the AIA forms.
Free, fillable, US Letter. No email, no sign-up. Fill in your company and the project once per job. Each billing period change the completed percentages, the change orders and the previous-payment total.
What the PDF looks like. The hints in the line table show the lines a subcontractor typically bills; type over them.
Why subcontractor invoices get paid late
No schedule of values
GCs bill the owner by line item and need yours to match. Break the subcontract into the same items the GC uses.
Retainage ignored
If the contract withholds 10%, invoice the full completed amount and show the retainage deduction, or the GC's check will not match your invoice and someone has to call.
Lien waiver missing
Most GCs will not release payment without a conditional lien waiver for the amount invoiced. Note that it is attached.
What to include on a subcontractor invoice
- Company name, address, contact, contractor license and tax IDThe GC's AP will also want your W-9 and certificate of insurance on file.
- GC name and the GC's job number; project name and addressThe GC's job number is how the invoice is routed.
- Invoice or application number, date, billing period“Application #3, period Mar 1–31, 2026”.
- Original subcontract value, approved change orders, revised contract valueThree numbers at the top.
- Schedule of values: item, scheduled value, completed this period, completed to date, % completeMatch the GC's line items.
- Stored materials, if the contract allows billing themWith backup.
- Retainage withheld (rate and amount), previous payments, current amount dueThe pay-app bottom line.
- Lien waiver note and payment termsConditional waiver attached; terms per the subcontract (often pay-when-paid, Net 30).
Example subcontractor invoice
Lines a typical job produces. Labor and materials are separate, and anything already paid is a negative line so the total is the balance due.
| Description | Qty × rate | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Framing, 2nd floor: scheduled $24,000, 100% complete to date, 40% this period | this period | $9,600.00 |
| Roof framing and sheathing: scheduled $11,500, 60% complete to date | this period | $6,900.00 |
| Change order #2, window header revisions, approved Mar 14 | 1 | $1,240.00 |
| Less retainage 10% on this period | −$1,774.00 | |
| Less previous payments (applications #1–2) | −$0.00 | |
| Total due | $15,966.00 | |
How to use the template
- Download the PDFIt is a fillable form: open it in any PDF reader, on a computer or a phone.
- Fill in your details onceBusiness name, contact, license number, terms. Save it as your master copy.
- Add the job and sendChange the client, the lines and the invoice number for each subcontractor job. Export and send by email or text.
Fill it on your iPhone in a minute instead
Avo keeps your clients and your usual line items, so the next invoice is three taps. Your first three documents are free, full-quality PDF, no watermark. Premium from $59.99/year if you invoice often.
Scan the code with your iPhone camera to open Avo in the App Store, or email yourself the link.
Questions
What is the difference between a subcontractor invoice and a pay application?
A pay application (AIA G702/G703 or the GC's form) is the formal document on larger projects; a subcontractor invoice is the simpler version carrying the same math: contract value, completed to date, this period, retainage, previous payments. Many GCs accept the invoice with a schedule of values attached; some require their form.
How do I show retainage on the invoice?
Bill the full value of work completed, then deduct retainage at the contract rate as a negative line (“Less retainage 10%”). Track retainage withheld to date so the final application bills it all back.
Do I need to attach a lien waiver?
Almost always. GCs release payment against a conditional lien waiver for the amount invoiced and ask for an unconditional waiver once paid. State on the invoice that the conditional waiver is attached; use your state's statutory form where one exists.
What is pay-when-paid and does it affect my terms?
A subcontract clause that makes the GC's payment to you depend on the owner paying the GC. Enforceability varies by state. The invoice should state the terms as written in the subcontract; your lien and bond rights still run on their own deadlines.
How do I bill change orders as a subcontractor?
Only approved ones, each on its own line with the number and approval date, added to the revised contract value at the top. Unapproved extra work is billed as a change order request, not an invoice line.