What an locksmith invoice is for
An invoice is not a quote with the word changed. It is a payment demand, and it needs the things that actually get you paid: a due date, accepted payment methods, a reference back to the approved quote, and late terms you are prepared to enforce.
For locksmiths selling to homeowners, landlords, businesses, and vehicle owners, the invoice is usually the only thing the customer compares side by side against two competitors. It is doing sales work whether you designed it to or not.
The unit that trips this trade up: Locksmith pricing is a service call plus per-lock work, and quoting a range over the phone then charging more is the industry's reputational wound.
What every locksmith invoice must have
- An invoice number and issue date, distinct from the quote it came from
- Payment terms and a specific due date, not just "net 30"
- Accepted payment methods and a link or QR code that lets them pay now
- A reference to the approved quote or work order it came from
- Late fee terms, stated before they are needed
What locksmiths bill for
These are the lines that show up on most locksmith invoices, with the unit each is normally priced in. Ranges are illustrative planning figures, not market data — your own costs, region, and margin decide the real number.
| Line item | Unit | Typical range |
|---|---|---|
| Service call | each | $50–$150 |
| Lockout — residential or auto | each | $75–$250 |
| Rekey per cylinder | each | $20–$60 |
| Deadbolt supplied and installed | each | $90–$300 |
| Smart lock installation | each | $150–$450 |
| Commercial panic hardware | each | $400–$1,800 |
| Master key system setup | each | $250–$2,500 |
| Car key programming | each | $120–$500 |
Typical deposit convention: Collected on completion; deposit for commercial hardware orders.
Locksmith invoice example
A realistic job, priced line by line, with the arithmetic shown the way a customer sees it:
| Description | Qty | Unit price | Line total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service call | 1 | $95.00 | $95.00 |
| Rekey cylinders — 9 locks | 9 | $35.00 | $315.00 |
| New deadbolt — front entries | 3 | $145.00 | $435.00 |
| Keys cut — 12 copies | 12 | $6.00 | $72.00 |
| Subtotal | $917.00 | ||
| Tax (7.75%) | $71.07 | ||
| Total | $988.07 | ||
Notice that every assumption is a line rather than a conversation. That is the whole difference between an invoice that holds up and one that gets renegotiated in a driveway.
Three mistakes that cost locksmiths money
Phone quotes that move on arrival
This is the single behavior that damaged the trade's reputation. Quote a firm service call and firm per-unit prices, and honor them.
Not confirming authority
Rekeying a property for someone who does not own it is a serious problem. Note the identification and authorization requirement on the document.
Hardware grade not specified
Grade 1, 2 and 3 hardware differ substantially in price and durability. Name the grade on every lock line.
How to send an locksmith invoice in about a minute
A template is only half the job — the invoice still has to reach the customer in a form they can act on. With SendQuoteNow you add the customer, add your line items, and hit send. Your customer gets a branded PDF plus a link where they approve or decline with one click, and you get an email the moment they do.
- Your branding, not ours — your logo, business name, contact details, and terms on every document.
- From your phone — build and send the invoice before you leave the customer's property.
- One-click approval — no login or account needed on your customer's side.
- Automatic math — subtotal, tax, and discounts calculated as you type.
- Invoice → invoice — convert accepted work into an invoice without retyping it.