Free Trucking Invoice Templates

Whether you’re an independent trucker or the owner of a trucking business, you need a simple way to invoice your suppliers and customers. Ease your administrative load with our free invoice templates that are equal parts professional and customizable for your logistics needs.

To get paid even faster, get Lili Smart and simplify your invoicing management using the Lili platform!

Free invoice templates for truckers

What Should Be Included in an Invoice for Truckers?

Regardless of what you’re shipping, trucking invoices involve listing a lot of items and services. Your invoice template should have slots for everything you might charge for as a trucking business.

Every invoice should include contact information for both parties, a unique invoice number, the invoicing date, and the word “invoice” in order to be legally valid. In addition, a trucking invoice should have a very detailed description of the services and other costs you are invoicing your customer for. Stay in accordance with federal motor carrier safety regulations by including the following information on your invoice:

  • Names of consignor and consignee (sender and receiver of shipment)
  • Locations, both starting point and destination
  • Number of packages
  • Description of freight
  • Weight, volume, or measurement of freight (if applicable to rating)
  • Exact rate(s) assessed
  • Total charges due (including special service charges and their service locations)
  • Route details and names of participating carriers
  • All transfer points through which shipment was moved
  • Billing address or address of your principal place of business

Deliver your invoice to the person who is directly responsible for paying the bill—either the shipper or receiver—and keep a copy for your own records. Include detailed steps guiding your client in submitting payment, whether through an external payment method or via ACH. With Lili’s Invoicing Software, you can connect Stripe, Venmo, Cash App, PayPal, or share your banking information for customers to pay via ACH and get paid even faster.

Download Free Trucking Invoice Templates

Lili Invoicing Software

FTL & LTL

When invoicing for both full truckload (FTL) and less-than-truckload (LTL) you need an invoice template that allows you to detail every step of the process, from weight and size of freight to transfer information. Customize this template easily to bear any load!

Refrigerated Freight

You are known for your temperature-controlled transportation, protecting your customers’ cargo. Cover all the necessary details relevant to your perishable freight services (from freezer type to load volume) on an invoice that’s as reliable as your refrigeration.

Dump Truckers

Your top priority is to take care of your customer’s waste so they don’t have to, not managing administrative busywork! Don’t waste time – lighten your own load with this easily customizable, professional invoice template so you can focus more energy on the haul.

Special Cargo

Special cargo requires special expertise—and your customers rely on you to safely transport their fragile or even dangerous cargo from A to B. This professional invoice template demonstrates every precaution you have taken to ensure a safe delivery so you can get paid for your efforts.

Tow Trucks

Whether towing a long-distance load or helping a frazzled teen get their car out of a ditch, you need an invoice that identifies services rendered to your customers. This free invoice template lifts the burden of invoicing off your shoulders for a professional-grade experience all around.

Why Should Truckers Send Professional Invoices?

Your trucking invoice is the last step in your transaction with a customer. The road has been traveled, the load has been hauled, and you’re ready to collect payment. Now is your chance to really set yourself apart from competitors with an impressive, professional invoice that gives customers all the information they need to be confident in your logistics skills and attentive care for their cargo.

Send professional invoices with Lili and make getting paid the smoothest part of your business!

Common Mistakes Truckers Should Avoid When Writing an Invoice

  • Incorrect contact and carrier details risks passing shipment onto the wrong truck. Double check all information to make sure you are transporting and billing correctly!
  • Wrong quantity calculations may result in you over- or under-charging for your P&D services.
  • Not including payment terms, especially if you’re billing after services are completed, may result in late payments (or not getting paid at all!)
    Confusing line items and categories may make your invoice difficult for customers to understand (and difficult for you to fill out accurately). Make sure your itemized list aligns properly with the bill of lading.
  • Not backing up invoices in a virtual cloud system makes it difficult to access them from any location. When transporting freight long distances, being able to pull up invoices anytime, anywhere is a must!
  • Lack of employee training on proper invoice procedures may result in lost or incorrectly filled out invoices. Make sure all of your truck drivers know how to fill out and deliver invoices for completed hauls!
  • Not defining a due date means your customer can pay you anytime. If you don’t want to be paid for your trucking services six months after completing them, provide a specific due date.
  • Neglecting to proofread may result in you sending your client a sloppy invoice full of errors and typos. If these errors are in the carrier details or load quantities, this can even affect your ability to get paid correctly!
  • Not using invoicing software to ensure high-quality, accurate invoices that guarantee a professional experience from pickup to delivery.

Which Invoice Format is Better for Trucking?

Once you understand how to create an invoice, you should consider which format is best for you and your unique trucking business. From word processors to spreadsheets, templates are available in a variety of formats to suit your trucking invoice needs.

Word and Google Docs Invoice Templates

Customizable invoice templates in these word processing applications include pre-built fields and lines that are easy to fill and send, though you must manually input all information yourself due to a lack of formula capabilities. As a trucking company, you often need to calculate weight and cost totals, making a manual process less than ideal.

Excel and Google Sheets Invoice Templates

These spreadsheet platforms have free invoice templates with an element of automation, as they include formula functions to easily calculate quantities and totals. With so many categories of costs and quantities to fill, formulas can save you a lot of time in the invoice creation process.

PDF Invoice Templates

PDF invoice templates are convenient for emailing or printing your invoice as they provide reliable, consistent formatting to keep your invoice clean and professional. This can be a great option for trucking companies that consistently list items in the same categories, but may not be ideal for those that require further customization and calculations.

Lili's Invoicing Software vs. Free Invoice Templates

Undecided about what invoicing solution to choose? You can save time and take your business to the next level by using Lili’s Invoicing Software. Here’s a useful comparison between the two invoicing options:

Printable for clients
Email invoices to clients
Generate custom invoices
Accept any payment methods
Track invoice payment status
Automated payment reminders
Mobile invoice management
Lili Invoicing Software
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Free Invoice Templates
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Send professional trucking invoices with Lili and simplify getting paid!

How Invoicing Software Helps Truckers

Custom invoices in a few clicks

When it comes to transportation and logistics, timing is everything. Save time with Lili’s Invoicing Software! In a few simple steps, you can generate a professional, detailed invoice, ready to be delivered to your customer.

Customer and invoice management

Keep your invoices organized and easily accessible from anywhere with Lili’s Invoicing Software. Save customer details so you can issue corrections on the fly and seamlessly generate new invoices for repeat customers.

Accept any payment method

Get paid faster in any way your customer prefers! With the ability to collect payments via debit & credit cards, ACH, Venmo, Cash App, PayPal, and even checks, you’ll avoid gridlock when it comes to getting paid!

Invoicing software will help your trucking business to go the distance with professional tools and easy integrations right at your fingertips. Here are just a few of the key benefits:

  • Invoicing integrated with your other financial software
  • Easily customizable to professionally showcase your branding
  • Automatically generates invoice numbers for accounting ease
  • Saves details for repeat customers
  • Ability to send invoices via multiple channels to suit varying customer needs
  • Connects with payment apps for ease of processing
  • Unlimited invoice creation and storage
Lili Invoicing Software and Invoice Generator
Simplify your invoicing and collect payment easily with Lili's Invoicing Software!

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I create a trucking invoice?
How do I invoice as an owner operator?
How long does a carrier have to submit an invoice?
How much do trucks charge per mile?

You can create a trucking invoice by following the steps below:

  1. Add your logo, branding, and contact information for your trucking business
  2. Add sender and receiver details and contact information
  3. Assign a unique invoice number
  4. Input the invoice issue date and due date
  5. Provide detailed information on the weight and quantity of the freight, distance traveled, and services rendered. Calculate corresponding costs.
  6. Total all costs and fees, including taxes, to determine the payment due.
  7. Include payment terms and any other necessary information
  8. Deliver completed invoice to either the shipper or receiver of the freight—whichever is responsible for payment.