Graphic designer invoice template
Design work goes wrong on the invoice for one of two reasons: a revision round nobody agreed was extra, or a font licence the client assumed came free with the logo. This template bills projects, days and out-of-scope work as distinct lines, and the notes below cover the rights questions that decide who owns what at the end.
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Invoice details
Your business
Non-VAT mode: no VAT is shown. Correct if your turnover is under £90,000.
Stored on your device only and embedded in the PDF. PNG or JPG, under 1MB.
Bill to (your client)
CIS (construction)
Appearance
Items
Discount, deposit & payment
Receiving a deposit can create a VAT tax point. Check HMRC guidance if unsure.
Your business name
Invoice
INV-0001
Not VAT registered
No VAT is charged on this invoice
Bill to
Client name
- Invoice date
- 01/10/2026
| Description | Qty | Unit | Net |
|---|---|---|---|
| — | 1 | £0.00 | £0.00 |
- Net total
- £0.00
- Total
- £0.00
Project fee or day rate — and bill it in halves
A fixed project fee is what most clients want to hear, and it works when the scope is genuinely defined: deliverables listed, rounds counted, a delivery date. Day rates suit open-ended or collaborative work where the client is still deciding. Don't mix them silently — an invoice that quotes a project fee and then adds days reads as a bill that grew.
Split anything substantial: 50% on commission and 50% on delivery, or across defined stages for longer identity work. Each half is its own invoice with its own number, and the second should show the first as a deduction. Staged billing does more than protect cash flow — a client who has paid half is markedly more decisive about approving a direction than one who hasn't paid anything yet.
Revisions are only extra if you said so first
Write the number of rounds into the quote — "three concepts, two rounds of amends on the selected route" — because "out of scope" has no meaning unless the scope was stated. Once it is, billing beyond it is a straightforward, unembarrassing line item: "Third round of amends (out of scope) — 4 hours @ £55".
Invoice extras as they happen rather than saving them for the end. A client who sees a £220 line in month two adjusts their behaviour; the same client presented with £900 of accumulated extras at delivery disputes all of it. If a project is cancelled part way, a kill fee covering work completed should be agreed up front and invoiced against the work actually done, described honestly.
Fonts, stock and who ends up owning the artwork
Here's the one designers get caught by. A desktop font licence covers you, not your client — it generally can't be handed over with the artwork, and a client who wants to set their own headlines in that typeface needs their own licence. The same goes for stock images. Either buy the licence in the client's name and rebill it at cost as its own line, or tell them in writing what they'll need to buy. A line reading "Font licence (purchased in client's name, rebilled at cost) — £90" prevents a genuinely awkward conversation a year later.
For the artwork itself, the common arrangement is that rights transfer on final payment — say so on the invoice. And be precise about what transfers: a full assignment of copyright has to be in writing and signed, whereas "you can use this for anything" in an email is at best an implied licence. Editable source files are a separate question again, and if they're included, list them.
VAT when your clients can reclaim it
Most independent designers work below the £90,000 threshold and invoice with no VAT, which is where this template starts. But design is one of the trades where voluntary registration can genuinely pay: if your clients are VAT-registered businesses, the VAT you add costs them nothing — they reclaim it — while you start reclaiming the VAT on software subscriptions, hardware, stock and fonts.
The calculation flips if you work for startups, charities, sole traders and consumers who can't reclaim, because then your prices really do rise by 20%. It's a genuine trade-off rather than an obvious win, and the registration guide weighs both sides. Turning VAT on here is a single toggle when you decide.
A typical graphic designer invoice
Example line items you might add:
- Brand identity — 3 concepts, 2 rounds of amends — fixed £1,200
- Third round of amends (out of scope) — 4 hours @ £55
- Font licence (purchased in client's name, at cost) — £90
- Editable source files & rights transfer on final payment
Frequently asked questions
How should I bill a design project?
As a fixed fee where the scope is defined, or a day rate where it is not — and split anything substantial into 50% on commission and 50% on delivery, each as its own invoice, with the second showing the first as a deduction.
How do I charge for extra revisions?
State the included rounds in the quote, then invoice anything beyond them as a named out-of-scope line at your hourly rate, as it happens. Extras saved up until delivery get disputed as a block; a small line billed in the moment rarely does.
Can I pass my font licence on to the client?
Usually not. A desktop font licence covers you rather than your client, so a client who wants to use the typeface themselves needs their own. Either buy it in their name and rebill at cost as a separate line, or tell them in writing what they need to purchase.
When does the client own the design?
Whenever you agreed — commonly on final payment, which is worth stating on the invoice. Note that a full assignment of copyright must be in writing and signed; loose wording gives the client an implied licence rather than ownership.
Should a graphic designer register for VAT voluntarily?
It can be worth it if your clients are VAT-registered businesses, since they reclaim what you charge while you start reclaiming VAT on software, hardware and licences. If you mostly serve consumers, charities or unregistered small businesses, it simply raises your prices.