Quote vs Invoice in NZ: What's the Difference (and When to Send Each)
A quote is the offer you make before a job. An invoice is the bill you send after it. Here is when to send each, what NZ tradies put on them, and where GST fits.
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Quote vs invoice: the short answer
A quote asks the customer to say yes. An invoice asks them to pay. Most jobs need both, and the numbers should match unless something changed.
| Topic | Quote | Invoice |
|---|---|---|
| TopicWhen you send it | QuoteBefore the work starts | InvoiceAfter the work is done, or at an agreed stage |
| TopicWhat it does | QuoteOffers a price and scope so the customer can say yes | InvoiceAsks for payment and records the sale |
| TopicDates that matter | QuoteAn expiry date, the last day the offer stands | InvoiceAn issue date and a due date |
| TopicGST | QuoteIf you are registered, show GST or say the price includes it | InvoiceA GST-registered seller issues a tax invoice that shows the GST |
| TopicDeposit | QuoteAsk for it here, as a percentage or a fixed amount | InvoiceShow what has been paid and what is left |
When to send a quote first
A quote is worth the few minutes whenever your customer cannot guess the price. That is most jobs bigger than a call-out: a bathroom, a deck, a repaint, a rewire.
The scope could grow
Write down what is in and what is out, so extra work does not become an argument.
You buy materials first
A deposit on the quote lets you order materials without carrying the cost.
The customer is comparing
A clear written price is easy to compare and easy to say yes to.
For small repeat jobs, where the customer already knows your rate, you can invoice when the work is done. A quote is a business choice, not a tax document.
On bigger building jobs, progress claims, variations and retentions matter as much as the quote. Our builder invoice template page walks through them. Large jobs can bring extra rules, so check the official guidance before you quote.
What a quote should include
A good quote answers every question your customer would otherwise ask later. Here is what it should carry.
This is practical advice from us, not a legal checklist.
What an invoice must include in NZ
An invoice asks for payment. For a GST-registered business it is usually a tax invoice, and IRD sets what it must carry, which IRD calls taxable supply information. The rules step up with the size of the sale.
Checked against IRD's tax invoice page on 7 October 2026. Our tax invoice requirements page has the full checklist, and the free invoice template has the fields laid out.
Quote or estimate: say which one you mean
A quote is a price you stand behind. An estimate is a best guess. Customers do not always know the difference, so label the document and say what could move the price.
The government's consumerprotection.govt.nz tells customers that a quote is an offer to do a job for a specified price, and that once they accept it the provider cannot charge more unless they agree to extra work or the scope changes. It says an estimate is the provider's best guess, and that the final price should generally be within 10-15% of it (Quotes and estimates, checked 7 October 2026).
So label the document. Write Quote or Estimate at the top, and if the price depends on something you cannot see yet, such as what is behind a wall, say so before the work starts.
Deposits and progress payments: how a quote becomes an invoice
On a job with a deposit, one price runs through three documents. Keep the numbers the same all the way and nobody has to ask where an amount came from.
Quote with a deposit
Put the deposit on the quote as a percentage or a fixed amount, and show the balance that follows.
Customer accepts
Once they say yes, the price, scope and deposit are agreed. Keep the accepted quote with the job.
Invoice for the deposit
Ask for the deposit before you start. The invoice shows the deposit and what is still to pay.
Progress payments and the final invoice
On a long job, split the price into stages and invoice at each one. The final invoice shows what has been paid and what is left.
Builders will find progress claims and retentions on the builder invoice template page. If you are GST registered, ask your accountant how GST on a deposit is reported under your accounting method.
Quote to invoice in Invio
Invio keeps the quote, the deposit and the invoice in one chain, so you type the job once.
QU-0042Accepted
Total$4,600.00
Deposit to get started$1,380.00
Convert to invoice, check it, send it
INV-0107Sent
Total$4,600.00
Deposit due now$1,380.00
Sample numbers for one job, for illustration.
See what each plan includes on the pricing page.
Quote vs invoice questions
Common questions from NZ tradies and sole traders about quotes and invoices.