Tattoo Artist Deposit and Invoice Template
A tattoo invoice should state the piece and placement, the non-refundable booking deposit and how it credits the balance, whether the session is billed hourly or as a flat rate, and separate lines for design time, touch-ups, and supplies — with signed consent and reference images kept on the job. ShowTheReceipts holds the deposit at booking with a stated cancellation window, credits it to the final balance automatically, and takes payment before the client leaves the chair.
Header block
- Studio or artist name, license / registration, phone
- Client name and contact
- Piece description, placement, and session number of total
- Invoice number, deposit reference, payment method
Session lines
- Tattoo session — hourly rate × hours, or flat session rate for the piece
- Design / drawing time — included amount stated, significant redraws billed
- Included touch-up — shown at $0 with the window written out
- Supplies / setup fee — only if you itemize it separately
- Deposit applied — the booking deposit credited to the balance
- Additional session — for multi-session pieces, priced the same way
Deposit and terms
| Item | Standard |
|---|---|
| Booking deposit | Non-refundable, applied to the final balance |
| Reschedule | Once, inside a stated window (e.g. 48 hours’ notice) |
| Touch-up window | 4–8 weeks, stated on the invoice |
| No-show / late cancel | Deposit forfeited |
The deposit is what makes a booked session real. Write it down once and never renegotiate it in DMs.
Records attached to the job
Signed consent and aftercare acknowledgment, reference images, and before/after photos. Keep them with the appointment record rather than in a camera roll you can’t search in a year.
What not to do
- Don’t leave the touch-up policy verbal — it’s the number one source of tattoo disputes
- Don’t refund a deposit for a same-week cancellation because the conversation is awkward
- Don’t start custom drawing before the deposit clears
- Don’t bill a flat-rate piece by the hour halfway through, or the reverse
Frequently asked questions
How much should a tattoo deposit be?
Enough to cover the time you'd lose to a no-show — commonly a flat $50–$200 depending on size, or 20–30% of the estimated total for larger pieces. A deposit smaller than a session's worth of your time is a formality, and clients treat it exactly that way.
Should the deposit be non-refundable?
Yes, and stated plainly at booking. You block out hours, turn away other clients, and often draw the piece in advance; a refundable deposit is a reservation the client can cancel at your expense, not a deposit.
How do I bill design time?
Decide it once and write it on the invoice. Many artists roll a set amount of drawing time into the deposit and bill significant redraws or custom illustration as a separate line — what causes disputes is leaving it unwritten until the client asks for a third revision.
Do I charge for touch-ups?
State a window. Most artists include one free touch-up inside a stated period — commonly 4–8 weeks — and bill anything after it, or anything caused by poor aftercare, as its own line. Put the policy on the invoice so it isn't a conversation later.