How to Invoice as a Courier
How to bill deliveries clearly: a line for each rate, rush and waiting-time charges shown separately, a weekly invoice for regular business clients, and follow-up when payment is late.
A courier invoice should let the client check every charge against their own records: the delivery dates, the number of drops at each rate, and any rush or waiting-time charges, each on its own line.
A business client can ask you for Form W-9 before your first payment. In the US, the IRS page for the form, with a review or update date of June 27, 2026, states "Use Form W-9 to provide your correct Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) to the person who is required to file an information return with the IRS to report, for example: Income paid to you." Check with your accountant if you're unsure what to give.
Worked example (these are sample figures): in one week a courier makes 18 standard deliveries for a pharmacy at $14.00 each, 18 × $14.00 = $252.00, plus 6 same-day rush charges at $10.00, 6 × $10.00 = $60.00, and 45 minutes of waiting time at $24.00 an hour, 0.75 × $24.00 = $18.00. The weekly invoice has three lines: $252.00 + $60.00 + $18.00 = $330.00.
Step-by-step invoicing guide
- 1
Set your rates in writing
Before the first job, write down your per-delivery rate, rush charge and waiting-time rate and send them to the client, so nothing on the invoice should come as a surprise.
- 2
Save each rate once
Billed's invoice software page says you can "save the products and services you sell so you can pull them into an invoice instead of retyping them."
- 3
Give each rate its own line
Show the number of deliveries at each rate, then the rush and waiting-time charges. Billed's help center says you can "fill this section to charge against new items and services".
- 4
Build the invoice from the road
Billed's mobile app page says "Build a professional invoice from your phone the moment a job wraps. Add line items, your logo, and tax, then send by email or share a link before you leave the site."
- 5
Add the due date
Billed's invoice software page says "Set a due date on each invoice so your client knows when to pay." Use the payment terms you and the client settled.
- 6
Record payments and chase late ones
Billed's invoice software page says "When a client pays by check or cash, record it as an offline payment so all your income is in one place." Billed's help center says "You can set a schedule of payment reminders before and after the invoice's due date."
Tips for courier invoicing
- Keep a delivery log with dates, pickup and drop-off points and times, and share it with the invoice if the client asks.
- Bill regular business clients on the same day each week, so their accounts team knows when to expect it.
- Show waiting time in minutes and the hourly rate, so the client can check the sum.
- Log fuel and parking you pay for: Billed's expenses page says "An expense in Billed records who you paid, when, how much and which category it belongs to, with the receipt attached to the same entry."
- Confirm each payment with a receipt: Billed's invoice software page says "After a client pays, you can send them a payment receipt."
Common invoicing mistakes to avoid
- Putting a whole week of deliveries in a single total the client can't check against their records.
- Adding rush or waiting-time charges the client didn't know about in advance.
- Writing invoices from memory weeks later instead of from your delivery log.
- Sending an invoice with no due date on it.
- Not recording cash payments, so invoices that are paid still show as unpaid.
How this works in Billed
Invoices from your phone
Billed's mobile app page says "Build a professional invoice from your phone the moment a job wraps. Add line items, your logo, and tax, then send by email or share a link before you leave the site."
Saved rates
Billed's invoice software page says you can "save the products and services you sell so you can pull them into an invoice instead of retyping them."
Card, PayPal and cash payments
Billed's mobile app page says "Invoices carry a pay button when Stripe or PayPal is connected, so clients can pay by card the minute they receive it." Billed's invoice software page covers cash and checks: "When a client pays by check or cash, record it as an offline payment so all your income is in one place."
Reminders
Billed's help center says "You can set a schedule of payment reminders before and after the invoice's due date." It also says "You can send up to three reminders."
Who has paid
Billed's invoice software page says "Invoice reports show which invoices are paid, partially paid or past due, and you can see who owes you money and send them a payment reminder."
Frequently asked questions
Start Invoicing With Billed
Set up your account and send your first invoice with Billed.
At a glance
| Charge | How it appears |
|---|---|
| Standard deliveries | The count and the rate on one line |
| Rush deliveries | Their own line with the rush charge |
| Waiting time | Minutes and the hourly rate on their own line |
| Fuel or parking you paid | Recorded as an expense |
When this isn't for you
If your delivery invoices already go out and get paid without trouble, there's no need to switch.