Free — no sign-up, no watermark

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 · Nov 17, 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

Edit this template Free, no account, no watermark — download the PDF when you are done.

Need to price it first? Start with the Private Investigator Estimate Template

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.

Guides for this job

How to invoice for hourly workDetail, rounding and unexpected hours — billing time without inviting a line-by-line argument.
How to invoice as a freelancerWhat to bill for, how to word it, and how to stop being the supplier who gets paid last.
Invoice payment terms explainedNet 30, due on receipt, EOM and early-payment discounts — what each means and when to use it.

About the free invoice generator

Is this invoice generator really free?

Yes. There is no fee, no trial period and no watermark on the PDF. Nothing on this page requires a credit card.

Do I need to create an account?

No. Fill in the form and download the PDF directly — there is no sign-up and no login for this tool.

What file do I get?

A standard PDF, ready to attach to an email or print.

Can I add my own logo and bank details?

Yes. The seller section accepts a logo image and bank transfer details, which are printed on the invoice so your client knows how to pay you.

Is my data stored anywhere?

Nothing leaves your browser except when you download a PDF or save the invoice to an account. A draft is kept locally in your browser so it's still here if you come back, but there is no account behind this page and nothing is ever sent to our servers until you choose to.

Can I use this for any currency or country?

Yes. Choose any currency and country for either party — the totals and formatting follow your selection.

Ready to bill for it?

The template opens in the free invoice generator with these lines already on it. Change what you like, download the PDF.

To send it from an account, with a pay-by-card button on it, your first three invoices are free. Pricing the job before you bill it? Start with the free estimate generator.

Edit this template

Other trades

Real Estate Commission Invoice Template Listing side commission · Buyer side compensation · Referral fee — outbound
Tax Preparation Invoice Template Form 1040 with Schedule A · Schedule C — sole proprietorship · Schedule E — rental properties
Translation Invoice Template Translation ES>EN — witness statements · Second-linguist revision · Certification
Appraisal Invoice Template Single-family appraisal — full interior · Complexity — acreage and outbuildings · Second trip
Property Management Invoice Template Management fee — 8% of rent collected · Leasing commission — unit 4 · Maintenance — Hartley Plumbing
PR Agency Invoice Template Monthly retainer · Launch project — Series B announcement · Wire distribution
Recruitment Agency Invoice Template Permanent placement fee — Operations Manager · Retained search — completion instalment · Advertising recharged at cost
Roofing Invoice Template Tear-off — existing asphalt shingle · Architectural shingle, weathered wood · Decking replacement

Browse all 123 invoice templates