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How to

Locksmith invoicing, from quote to receipt.

Most locksmith jobs are paid on the spot, so the invoice has to be ready before you are. Here is what to put on it, how to get paid before you leave, and how to keep the paperwork with the job.
The six stepsLockCommand payments
Invoice #1061
Paid

Rivera Lock & Key

Lic. #B12345 · (512) 555-0140

Sun, 10:42 pm
1180 Cedar Lane

House lockout
$110.00
After-hours surcharge
$40.00
Sales tax 8.25%
$12.38
Tip 15%
$22.50
Total
$184.88

ID and proof on this job · signed 10:31 pm

Sent by text

Rivera Lock & Key: Invoice #1061 for $184.88. Tap the link to view and pay.

  • Paid by cardYour Stripe
  • ReceiptTexted
  • QuickBooks OnlineSynced

LockCommand fee

$0.00

What a locksmith invoice should include

Rules differ by state, and some states require your license number on invoices and ads. Check yours. This list covers what most shops need.

  • Your shop

    Shop name, phone and, where your state requires it, your locksmith license number.

  • The customer

    The customer's name and the service address.

  • The vehicle

    For car jobs: year, make, model and color.

  • Each piece of work

    Labor, parts and extra keys, each on its own line.

  • The night surcharge

    The after-hours charge as its own line, not hidden in the labor.

  • Sales tax

    If your state charges it on your services.

  • How it was paid

    The payment method, and any tip.

  • When

    The date and time of the job.

Six steps from finished job to paid

  1. Confirm the price first

    Before you start, confirm the final price inside the range you quoted on the phone. Disputes start when the first number the customer hears is on the invoice.

  2. Do the work, record the proof

    ID and proof of ownership on lockouts, before and after photos on anything that could be argued about later.

  3. Send the invoice on site

    Text it while you're still at the door. A customer standing next to you pays now; one who gets an email next week might not.

  4. Take payment there

    Card through your own processor, a pay link, or cash and check recorded on the spot.

  5. Receipt and review

    Send a receipt straight away, then ask for a review once the customer has had time to settle.

  6. Into your books

    Get the invoice and payment into your accounting without typing them twice.

Ways to take payment, compared

Most shops take more than one. What matters is that each payment ends up matched to its job.
Locksmith payment methods compared
QuestionWhen you get the moneyFeesWatch for
CashOn the spotNoneCarrying cash at night; record it right away so the books match
CheckWhen it clearsUsually noneBounced checks; get the customer's ID on the job
Card through your own processorPer your processor's payout scheduleYour processor's card feesExtra fees some software adds on top of the processor's
Venmo, Cash App, Zelle, PayPal.meUsually fastDepends on the app and account typeEach app's rules for business payments; matching the payment to the job
Invoice paid laterWhen the customer gets to itSame as the method they pickChasing unpaid invoices; better for commercial accounts you trust

The invoice lives on the job

The invoice starts from the job, with your tax rate. The ID check, photos and texts sit on the same job, so a dispute is one screen, not a search through your phone.
  • Invoice by text with a link to view and pay
  • Card payments into your own Stripe, Square or PayPal, marked paid on their own
  • PayPal.me, Venmo and Cash App links with the amount filled in, plus your Zelle details
  • Cash, check and app payments recorded on site, with tips
  • Invoices and payments copied to QuickBooks Online, plus CSV exports

Every setting is on the payments page.

Rivera Lock & Key

Invoice #1048

$124.49

Pay by cardVenmoCash AppPayPalZelle

Paid straight to Rivera Lock & Key.

No fee on what you invoice

Every plan invoices and takes payment. LockCommand adds nothing on top of your payment provider's own fee.

Solo

One locksmith on the road, doing the calls and the work.

$149.99/ month

Billed monthly. Cancel any time.

Get early access
  • 200 AI minutes every month
  • Just you, one user
  • AI receptionist on your own local number
  • Texts, invoices, pay links and ID checks
  • Reports and QuickBooks Online sync

Dispatch 3

Most shops

A small shop with someone on the board and a couple of techs.

$349.99/ month

Billed monthly. Cancel any time.

Get early access
  • 800 AI minutes every month
  • Up to 3 users, any mix of roles
  • Live map and the dispatch board
  • AI dispatch: Suggest, Offer or Auto
  • Everything in Solo

Every plan, minute price and add-on is on the pricing page.

Invoicing questions

What should a locksmith invoice include?
Your shop name and phone, your license number if your state requires it, the customer and service address, the vehicle for car jobs, each piece of work on its own line, any after-hours surcharge as its own line, tax, how it was paid and the date. Check your state's rules for anything else it requires.
Can I send a locksmith invoice by text?
Yes, and on site it's usually the fastest way to get paid. In LockCommand the customer gets a text with the invoice number, the amount and a link to view and pay.
Should the after-hours charge be a separate line?
Yes. It matches what you said on the phone, it's easier for the customer to understand, and it keeps your reports honest about what nights earn.
Does LockCommand charge a fee on invoices?
No. Customers pay into your own Stripe, Square or PayPal account, or your own pay links. LockCommand adds no processing fee. Your provider's own fees still apply.

Keep reading

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