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Private Investigator Invoice Template

Surveillance hours, database work, mileage and retainer draw-down. Free PDF, no account.

Investigation is billed against a retainer that the client watches go down, and the hours that go into it happen where the client is not. Dates, hours and what each block produced are what make the invoice credible — and if the client is a law firm, the invoice will be read against a matter number by someone who was not on the case.

Issued by

Corvid Investigations LLC

88 Vantage Street

Suite 3

95814 Sacramento, CA

United States

billing@corvidinvestigations.example

Bill to

Aldridge & Faye LLP

1200 Capitol Mall

95814 Sacramento, CA

United States

ap@aldridgefaye.example

Amount due

$1,821.04

Due in 14 days · Aug 16, 2026

Matter

Matter AF-2026-0912, your file reference 44810. California PI licence 28841. Surveillance dates and hours are itemised on the attached activity log; findings are in the report delivered separately. The retainer paid at engagement is shown as an amount already paid.

Description	Qty	Rate	Tax	Amount
Surveillance — field hours Four days, Sacramento and Roseville	26	$115.00	—	$2,990.00
Records and database research Asset and employment checks, desk rate	9	$75.00	—	$675.00
Mileage 412 miles at the standard rate	412	$0.67	—	$276.04
Report preparation Written report with time-stamped media index	4	$95.00	—	$380.00

Subtotal	$4,321.04
Total	$4,321.04
Paid to date	-$2,500.00

Amount due

$1,821.04

Terms

Net 15. Further work requires the retainer to be replenished once the balance falls below $500.

Invoice #INV-0001 · Corvid Investigations LLC · Page 1 of 1

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What to put on a private investigator invoice

The case or matter reference, and the client's file number if they gave one
Surveillance by date and hours, with the location in general terms
Database and records research separately from field time, at its own rate
Mileage and vehicle time, which is a real share of a surveillance day
The retainer applied and the balance remaining
Your investigator licence number, which most states require on client documents

Questions

How detailed should surveillance lines be?

Enough to be checkable, not enough to be a report. Date, hours and a general location; the findings belong in the report the client is paying for, not in the billing document that may end up in more hands than they expect.

Should database searches be billed at the field rate?

Usually lower, and separately. Records work is real time but it is not a surveillance day, and clients who see one blended rate assume they paid field prices for desk work.

How do I show a retainer running down?

Bill the work at full value and show the retainer as paid, leaving the balance visible. The client's real question every month is how much is left, and answering it before they ask is most of what gets a retainer topped up without friction.

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