How to Invoice as a Tattoo Artist
To invoice as a tattoo artist, decide hourly vs flat-session pricing before the appointment, put the piece and placement on the invoice, credit the non-refundable deposit to the balance, and itemize design time, touch-ups, and supplies separately — then take card payment before the client leaves. ShowTheReceipts saves each piece as a reusable line, credits the booking deposit automatically, and takes a card or payment link on site.
Decide the pricing model first
Everything else on the invoice follows from this one call:
- Hourly — for large, multi-session, or open-ended pieces. Rate × hours.
- Flat session — for smaller, defined work. One number, agreed before the needle.
Whichever you pick, write it on the invoice. Switching from flat to hourly halfway through is the single most common source of tattoo billing disputes.
The lines a tattoo invoice needs
- Session — hourly × hours, or flat session rate
- Design / drawing time — included amount stated, big redraws billed
- Deposit applied — the booking deposit, credited to the balance
- Touch-up — $0 inside the window, billed after
- Supplies / setup — only if you itemize it
- Additional session — for multi-session pieces
Credit the deposit in plain sight
Show the full price, subtract the deposit, show the balance. A client who paid $150 to book should see that $150 come off — not do the math in their head and wonder if they’re being double-charged.
The deposit isn’t a separate transaction. It’s the first payment on this invoice.
Get paid before they leave
Tap-to-pay on your phone or a payment link on theirs. The work is permanent the moment it’s done; the payment shouldn’t be the one thing that’s still pending.
What not to do
- Don’t switch pricing models mid-session
- Don’t leave the deposit off the invoice — credit it visibly
- Don’t give away unlimited redraws under “design time”
- Don’t let the client walk out with the balance unpaid and no card on file
Frequently asked questions
Should I bill tattoos hourly or as a flat rate?
Hourly suits large or open-ended pieces where you can't predict the time; a flat session rate suits smaller, well-defined work and gives the client a number they can say yes to. Pick one before you start and put it on the invoice — switching midway is the fastest way to a dispute.
How do I credit the deposit on the invoice?
Show the full session price, then a 'deposit applied' line subtracting what was paid at booking, then the remaining balance. Seeing the deposit credited in black and white removes the 'wait, didn't I already pay?' conversation.
Do I charge for design time?
Roll a set amount of drawing into the deposit and bill significant custom illustration or repeated redraws as a separate line. State it up front so a third revision isn't unpaid work you can't recover.
How do I take payment in the shop?
Tap-to-pay on your phone or a payment link the client opens on theirs — both settle before they walk out. Waiting on cash or a transfer after the session is how tattoo artists end up chasing money for work already on someone's skin.