What to include on a contractor invoice in Ontario
A good contractor invoice answers every question a client could ask: who did the work, what exactly was done, what it cost, and when payment is due. Start with your legal business name, address, phone, and email, plus the client’s name and site address. Give every invoice a unique number and show both the invoice date and the due date.
Itemize the work in two groups, exactly as the template below is set up: labour as hours × your hourly rate, and materials as individual lines with quantities and unit costs. Vague one-line invoices (“renovation work — $8,000”) invite disputes; an itemized breakdown shows the client what they paid for and protects you if a payment ever goes to collections or small claims.
On tax: if you are registered for GST/HST — and most established contractors are, since the small-supplier threshold is $30,000 in revenue over four consecutive quarters — charge HST at 13% in Ontario on the taxable total, and show your GST/HST registration number on the invoice. Working in Alberta, BC, Manitoba, or Saskatchewan? Switch the tax selector below to GST 5%. The HST you paid on materials generally comes back to you as input tax credits on your return.
Finally, state your payment terms in writing on the invoice: Net 15 or Net 30 is standard for residential work, and any late fee should be disclosed upfront to be enforceable. For larger jobs, record any deposit already paid as a line item so the balance owing is unambiguous. When you are sending invoices every week, dedicated invoicing software can automate reminders and recurring bills — but for the document itself, the free generator below does the job.