How to Invoice as a Bookkeeper in Washington

How to invoice as a bookkeeper in Washington: WA sales tax 6.50% (applies to services), late fees capped at 1.5%/mo under Wash. Rev. Code §19.52.020. Step-by-step guide with a free template.

State sales tax
6.5%
Late fee cap
1.5%/mo
Net terms
15 days
Deposit
0%
Create your first invoice freeSee pricing

1. Washington-specific invoice requirements

  • Sales tax line: 6.50% state rate. Services billed to WA customers must include sales tax. State 6.5%; many services taxable. Combined commonly 8.5-10.5%.
  • Late-fee cap: Washington statute Wash. Rev. Code §19.52.020 caps interest on unpaid invoices at 1.5% per month. Spell out the rate in writing on every invoice and in your contract — courts won't enforce undisclosed fees.
  • Right-to-cancel notice: Customers in Washington get 72-hour cancellation rights on certain home-services contracts. Disclose this in your terms.

2. Bookkeeper line items + standard terms

Every bookkeeper invoice in Washington should itemize work clearly. Standard bookkeepers use Net 15 terms with no deposit required.

  • Monthly bookkeeping — billed by month (~$350 default).
  • Catch-up work — billed by hour (~$65 default).
  • Year-end / 1099 prep — billed by flat.

3. Bookkeeper licensing in Washington

No license required. Some clients may request CPB (AIPB) or QB ProAdvisor credentials.

4. Send and follow up

Send the invoice the same day work completes. Use software that records open events and offers a one-click online payment so you don't need to chase a check by mail. Washington customers expect digital payment options today — accepting card and ACH typically reduces days-to-paid by 30–50%.

Average invoice
$685
State
WA
Net terms
15 days
Deposit
0%

Washington metro guides

Metro-specific guides include the combined sales-tax rate and local pricing benchmarks.

Related