Towing Invoice Template
A towing company invoice bills tow, lists services, labour and fees on separate lines and states the terms (Due on release of the vehicle). This template is pre-filled for winch a sedan out of a roadside ditch at night, hold it two days in the yard, then flatbed it to the owner's repair shop: 8 lines totalling $655.00 before tax. Edit it and download the PDF.
Pre-filled for a towing: winch a sedan out of a roadside ditch at night, hold it two days in the yard, then flatbed it to the owner's repair shop. Example prices: replace them with your own.
From
Maple Row Towing
315 Market Street
Fairview, OR 97024
billing@example.com
(512) 555-0115
Invoice
Bill to
Jamie Ortiz
9 Willow Court
Franklin, TN 37064
client@example.com
| Description | Qty | Rate | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light-duty flatbed hook-up feeRollback, vehicle secured with four-point wheel straps | 1 tow | $125.00 | $125.00 |
| Loaded mileage, scene to storage yard | 11 mile | $5.00 | $55.00 |
| Winching and recovery from ditchVehicle off pavement on a slope, snatch-block pull | 1 hr | $150.00 | $150.00 |
| After-hours dispatch surchargeCall received 11:40 pm | 1 call | $60.00 | $60.00 |
| Scene cleanup: oil absorbent and glass sweep | 1 each | $45.00 | $45.00 |
| Secured yard storage | 2 day | $45.00 | $90.00 |
| Second tow, storage yard to repair shop | 1 tow | $95.00 | $95.00 |
| Loaded mileage, yard to repair shop | 7 mile | $5.00 | $35.00 |
- Subtotal
- $655.00
- Balance due
- $655.00
Notes
Thank you for choosing Maple Row Towing. Terms: Due on release of the vehicle.
Payment details
Bank transfer or card. Please quote the invoice number.
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Towing invoice at a glance
| Typical job | Winch a sedan out of a roadside ditch at night, hold it two days in the yard, then flatbed it to the owner's repair shop |
|---|---|
| Main billing unit | tow |
| Usual payment terms | Due on release of the vehicle |
| Sample lines | 8 lines, $655.00 before tax |
| Largest line | Winching and recovery from ditch: $150.00 (23%) |
| Labour hours billed | 1 h, $150.00 |
| Trade-specific fields | Vehicle year, make and model, Plate and VIN, Pickup location, Drop-off location, Motor club or police call no., Time in yard / time released |
Sample towing invoice line items
Winch a sedan out of a roadside ditch at night, hold it two days in the yard, then flatbed it to the owner's repair shop: 8 lines adding up to $655.00, split into services $265.00 (40%), labour $150.00 (23%) and fees $150.00 (23%).
| Item | Qty | Rate | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light-duty flatbed hook-up fee (Rollback, vehicle secured with four-point wheel straps) | 1 tow | $125.00 | $125.00 |
| Loaded mileage, scene to storage yard | 11 mile | $5.00 | $55.00 |
| Winching and recovery from ditch (Vehicle off pavement on a slope, snatch-block pull) | 1 hr | $150.00 | $150.00 |
| After-hours dispatch surcharge (Call received 11:40 pm) | 1 call | $60.00 | $60.00 |
| Scene cleanup: oil absorbent and glass sweep | 1 each | $45.00 | $45.00 |
| Secured yard storage | 2 day | $45.00 | $90.00 |
| Second tow, storage yard to repair shop | 1 tow | $95.00 | $95.00 |
| Loaded mileage, yard to repair shop | 7 mile | $5.00 | $35.00 |
| Subtotal | $655.00 | ||
| Total before tax | $655.00 |
What a towing invoice should include
- Your towing company name, address, phone and email, plus a tax ID if you are registered
- The customer's name and billing address (Jamie Ortiz in the sample)
- A unique invoice number (INV-5081) and the issue date
- Payment terms and a due date: Due on release of the vehicle
- Vehicle year, make and model: for example 2019 Ford Transit, VIN ending 9804
- Plate and VIN: for example 2019 Ford Transit, VIN ending 7097
- Pickup location: for example 9 Willow Court
- Drop-off location: for example 9 Willow Court
- Line items in tow or per item, each with quantity, rate and amount
- How to pay you: bank details, card link or cheque payee
How towing companies bill
Charges a hook-up fee per tow plus a rate per loaded mile, with winching, after-hours dispatch and daily yard storage added as separate lines.
Towing companies commonly use "Due on release of the vehicle".
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024: median hourly wage of Light Truck Drivers $21.22 (employees, not contractor rates). The sample's $150.00 per hour for "Winching and recovery from ditch" is 7.1 times that employee figure; a business rate also has to cover insurance, tools, travel, unbilled admin time and profit.
Towing invoicing tips
- Count only the loaded miles from pickup point to drop-off point unless your posted rate sheet also charges the run out to the car, and print both addresses so the customer can check the distance on a map.
- When a motor club or auto insurer covers part of the tow, show its covered amount and the driver's out-of-pocket balance on separate lines with the club's dispatch number, so nobody pays the same miles twice.
- Print the time the car entered the yard and the time it was released, and say whether storage is counted per calendar day or per 24-hour period, because that choice alone can change the storage total by a day.
- Police-ordered and private-property tows are often rate-regulated by the city or state, so on those invoices name the rate schedule you billed under instead of your private-call price list.
Towing billing disputes to head off
- Owners who find a scratch after a tow tend to blame the operator. Referencing the pre-hook condition photos (how many and when they were taken) on the invoice ties any damage claim to evidence rather than memory.
- Storage keeps accruing while an owner sorts out insurance; putting the daily storage rate and its start date on the first notice heads off the 'nobody told me' argument at the gate.
Work a towing can bill for
Core tasks of Light Truck Drivers (O*NET 53-3033.00, O*NET 29.x task statements, CC BY 4.0). Each can become a line on the invoice.
- Obey traffic laws and follow established traffic and transportation procedures.
- Inspect and maintain vehicle supplies and equipment, such as gas, oil, water, tires, lights, or brakes, to ensure that vehicles are in proper working condition.
- Report any mechanical problems encountered with vehicles.
- Present bills and receipts and collect payments for goods delivered or loaded.
- Load and unload trucks, vans, or automobiles.
- Verify the contents of inventory loads against shipping papers.
How to make a towing invoice
-
Add both parties
Enter Maple Row Towing (your business) and the customer, Jamie Ortiz, then vehicle year, make and model.
-
Number and terms
Give it a unique number such as INV-5081 and set the terms to Due on release of the vehicle.
-
List the work
One line per item: the sample runs from "Light-duty flatbed hook-up fee" (1 tow) to "Loaded mileage, yard to repair shop" (7 mile).
-
Check the total
The 8 lines come to $655.00; add sales tax only if your state taxes towing and vehicle recovery.
-
Download and send
Download the PDF or print it, then keep a copy with the towing and vehicle recovery records.
Frequently asked questions
How do I make a towing invoice?
Add your towing company details, the customer, vehicle year, make and model, plate and vin, pickup location and drop-off location, then one line per item with quantity and rate. The template above is pre-filled with 8 lines for winch a sedan out of a roadside ditch at night, hold it two days in the yard, then flatbed it to the owner's repair shop totalling $655.00; change the prices and download the PDF.
How do towing companies charge?
Mostly tow. Charges a hook-up fee per tow plus a rate per loaded mile, with winching, after-hours dispatch and daily yard storage added as separate lines.
When should a towing invoice be paid?
Due on release of the vehicle is the usual arrangement. Put the terms and the due date on the invoice so there is no doubt.
How much do towing companies earn per hour?
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024: median hourly wage of Light Truck Drivers $21.22 (employees, not contractor rates). Self-employed rates are usually higher because they cover overhead and unbilled time.