A pet store's billing looks nothing like a coffee shop's. On any given day you might ring up a $22 bag of dog food at the register, send a $1,400 wholesale food order to a vet clinic on Net 30, invoice a walk-in customer for a full-service groom, hold a deposit on a live aquarium fish, and bill a boarding stay that ran three nights over a holiday weekend. Each of those transactions has different tax treatment, different payment timing, and different paperwork.

Use this page to build pet store invoices for retail sales, wholesale orders, grooming, boarding, recurring plans, and live animal deposits, with notes on sales tax, payment timing, and reconciliation.

What should a pet store invoice include?

A pet store invoice must include the seller's legal name, tax ID, a unique invoice number, itemized line items, applicable sales tax, and payment terms. Miss any of these and you'll either get pushback from a wholesale buyer's accounts-payable team or you'll create problems for yourself at tax time.

The full checklist:

• Your business identity. Legal business name (not just the DBA on your storefront), physical address, phone, email, and EIN or tax ID. If you're a sole proprietor without an EIN, use your SSN only if you have to; an EIN is free from the IRS and keeps your Social off vendor files.
• Customer details. Buyer's name, billing address, shipping address if different, and an account number for repeat wholesale buyers so you can pull their history quickly.
• Invoice metadata. A unique invoice number, issue date, and payment due date. Number invoices sequentially (e.g., 2025-0001, 2025-0002) so nothing goes missing.
• Itemized lines. SKU, product or service description, quantity, unit price, and line total. For grooming or boarding, describe the package (for example, "Full groom, medium breed, nail trim included") and the pet's name.
• Tax and totals. Subtotal, sales tax line (with rate shown), any resale-certificate exemption noted, shipping if applicable, and a grand total.
• Payment instructions. Accepted methods (ACH, card, check), remittance address or account details, and late-fee terms.

Which free pet store invoice template should you use?

You need five templates, not one. Below is a plain-text starter for a wholesale invoice, which is the format most likely to get pushback from AP departments if it is incomplete.

INVOICE

[Your Legal Business Name]
[Address, City, State ZIP]
EIN: [XX-XXXXXXX]
[email]  |  [phone]

BILL TO:                          INVOICE #: 2025-0142
[Customer Legal Name]             ISSUE DATE: [MM/DD/YYYY]
[AP Contact Name]                 DUE DATE:   [MM/DD/YYYY] (Net 30)
[Address]                         PO #: [if provided]
[email]

------------------------------------------------------------------
SKU        DESCRIPTION                    QTY   UNIT       TOTAL
------------------------------------------------------------------
PF-2440    Science Diet Adult 30lb         12   $48.00   $576.00
PF-1120    Purina Pro Plan Puppy 18lb       8   $34.50   $276.00
SUP-8891   Nylon Slip Leash 6ft            24    $6.25   $150.00
------------------------------------------------------------------
                                     SUBTOTAL           $1,002.00
                                     RESALE EXEMPT      -    Tax
                                     SHIPPING             $ 24.00
                                     TOTAL DUE         $1,026.00

Resale Certificate on file: [State] #[XXXXXXXX]

PAYMENT: ACH preferred (routing/account below), card accepted;
any processing surcharge must be disclosed and permitted by
applicable card-network rules and state law. Check payable to
[Business Name]. Late fee: 1.5% per month on balances past due,
where permitted.

To turn the template into a spreadsheet, copy the fields into Google Sheets or Excel, add formulas for line totals, subtotal, sales tax, and grand total, and save a plain-text version for email.

Short starter lines for the other four formats:

Retail sales receipt (in-store):

RECEIPT #R-2025-08421   [Date/Time]
[Store Name]  |  [Address]
SKU        DESCRIPTION           QTY  PRICE   TOTAL
CT-0031    Feline Chow 7lb         1  $18.99  $18.99
TR-2210    Nylon Cat Toy           2   $4.50   $9.00
                    SUBTOTAL              $27.99
                    SALES TAX (6.5%)       $1.82
                    TOTAL                 $29.81
                    PAID: Visa ****4421

Grooming/boarding service invoice:

INVOICE #G-2025-0311   [Date of Service]
Pet: Bailey (Golden Retriever, 65 lb)
Owner: [Name, phone, email]
SERVICE                                     TOTAL
Full groom (bath, brush, nails, ears)      $85.00
De-shed add-on                             $20.00
                    SUBTOTAL              $105.00
                    SALES TAX (if state)    varies
                    TOTAL DUE AT PICKUP   $105.00

Recurring invoice (subscription):

INVOICE #S-2025-0088   Billing cycle: Monthly
Plan: 30-lb kibble auto-ship + monthly flea treatment
Next charge: [MM/DD/YYYY]  |  Payment: card on file
Line 1: Kibble 30lb                        $52.00
Line 2: Flea treatment (3-pack)            $36.00
                    SUBTOTAL               $88.00
                    SALES TAX               $5.72
                    TOTAL                  $93.72

Deposit invoice (special order or live animal):

INVOICE #D-2025-0057   [Date]
Item: Bearded dragon reservation + starter enclosure
Total order value:                        $475.00
Deposit due today (30%):                  $142.50
Balance due at pickup:                    $332.50
Refundable? [Yes/No, conditions]
Health guarantee terms: see attached addendum

The five templates every pet store needs:

1. Retail sales receipt for in-store product purchases. Point-of-sale collects payment on the spot; the receipt is your record.
2. Wholesale invoice for breeders, groomers, and vet clinics buying supplies on terms.
3. Grooming and boarding service invoice with appointment date, pet name, breed, and package description.
4. Recurring invoice for subscription food, flea-treatment plans, or monthly grooming memberships. If you also handle recurring business payments going out to distributors, keep the same cadence discipline on both sides.
5. Deposit invoice for special orders such as custom aquariums, large cages, or live animal reservations.

How do pet stores invoice for products vs. services?

Product and service invoices look different, and mixing them on one document without clean separation causes tax errors.

Product invoices should show SKU, weight or size (a 30-lb bag of food is a different SKU than the 15-lb bag), quantity, and unit price. Sales tax applies as tangible goods in most states.

Service invoices for grooming, boarding, or training should describe the package, the pet, and the date of service. A grooming line item might read: "Full groom, golden retriever (Bailey), 08/14/2025, including bath, brush, nail trim, and ear cleaning." Boarding shows check-in and check-out dates and the nightly rate.

Bundled invoices happen constantly: a customer boards their dog for four nights and buys a bag of food on pickup. Separate taxable goods from services on distinct line items so your bookkeeper can categorize revenue correctly and so the sales tax line ties out to the right subtotal.

Live animal sales need more than a standard invoice. Include the health guarantee terms, breeder or seller documentation, vaccination records where applicable, and any state-required transfer paperwork. Some states require specific disclosures on the sale of dogs, cats, or exotic animals, so a plain product line such as "Bearded dragon, $175" is not enough. Attach the guarantee as a signed addendum and reference it on the invoice.

Shipping and delivery. In some states, shipping is taxable if the goods are taxable; in others it's exempt if shown as a separate line. Verify with your state's department of revenue before you set the default in your invoicing tool.

Sales tax rules pet store owners should know

Sales tax treatment of pet food, prescription pet medications, grooming, and boarding is set by each state and should be verified with the state's department of revenue before setting invoice tax codes. There is no federal sales tax on pet products; state tax agencies administer sales tax rules.

What varies by state:

• Retail pet food, supplies, and live animal sales are taxed as tangible goods in most states.
• Prescription pet medications are taxed differently than food and supplies in many states, sometimes at a reduced rate or exempt as with human prescriptions. Confirm the rule with your state's department of revenue before setting SKU tax codes.
• Grooming and boarding services are taxable in some states and exempt in others. Rules on service labor versus tangible products transferred during the service (shampoo, flea treatment) also differ, so pull the specific guidance for your state before setting your grooming tax code.
• Wholesale buyers with a valid resale certificate should be invoiced tax-free, and you must keep the certificate on file. If you're ever audited, you produce the certificate to justify the exempt sale.

State rules vary and are administered by each state's tax authority. The Federation of Tax Administrators maintains a directory of every state tax agency, which is a fast way to find your state's rule on grooming, boarding, or prescription meds.

What payment terms should pet stores use?

Net 30 is a common payment term for business-to-business wholesale pet supply invoices, while retail transactions are typically collected at point of sale. Beyond that split, a few working rules:

• Wholesale invoices to vet clinics, groomers, and breeders default to Net 15 or Net 30. Larger accounts sometimes push for Net 45. You can accept that, or offer a 2% discount for payment in 10 days (written on the invoice as "2/10 Net 30").
• Retail sales should be collected at the register, not invoiced. If a walk-in customer wants to "put it on their account," that's a wholesale relationship, and it needs a signed terms agreement.
• Grooming and boarding. Collect grooming and boarding invoices at pickup so payment is handled before the customer leaves.
• Late fees. State any late fee clearly on the invoice and in your customer terms, and confirm the fee is permitted in your state. A typical rate is 1.5% per month.

On payment methods, the math matters at wholesale volume.

ACH transfer costs are typically lower than card processing fees, which can add up on larger wholesale invoices. Many card processors publish rates near 2.9% plus a fixed per-transaction fee, which would work out to roughly $29.30 on a $1,000 wholesale invoice at that illustrative rate; your actual card rate depends on your provider and plan. ACH fees vary by provider; confirm pricing with your bank or payment processor.

ACH payments in the United States are governed by the NACHA Operating Rules, which set the standards for ACH credits and debits including B2B invoice payments. Your customer's bank and your bank both plug into that network. For a plain-English walkthrough of how ACH transfers actually clear and settle, see our separate guide. ACH settlement timing varies by bank, transaction type, and cutoff time, so confirm expected timing with your bank or payment provider.

What invoicing workflow works for a small pet store?

The workflow that actually holds up week to week:

1. Number invoices sequentially so nothing goes missing at tax time. If a customer disputes an invoice number that doesn't exist, that's the signal something got skipped or double-issued.
2. Send invoices immediately after service. Grooming and boarding same-day at pickup. Wholesale orders on delivery, or on the day the order ships if you ship. Sending late is a common reason wholesale invoices sit unpaid.
3. Keep digital copies for at least three years from the date you filed the return, per IRS recordkeeping guidance. Records tied to property, depreciation, or employment taxes may need to be kept longer.

1. Reconcile weekly. Once a week, match the payments that hit your checking account against the invoices you sent. This catches missed payments before month-end, when they turn into 45-day-old problems.
2. Tag invoices by category (retail, grooming, boarding, wholesale) so you can pull clean reports for your bookkeeper and see which side of the business is actually driving revenue. If you want to go a step further, use business sub-accounts to bucket sales-tax collected, wholesale receipts, and grooming revenue separately.
3. Pick invoicing tools that deposit payments directly into your business checking, so you're not moving money between apps and waiting on transfers.

The SBA advises small businesses to establish clear written payment terms and to separate business finances from personal finances. Both matter here: written terms give you standing to enforce late fees, and a separate business checking account gives you a clean audit trail when the IRS or a state auditor asks how a specific invoice was paid.

How does Novo help pet store owners invoice and get paid?

Novo business checking includes unlimited invoicing with no monthly maintenance fee on the checking account, and invoice payments deposit into your Novo checking account so you can reconcile customer payments against supplier ACH, rent, and payroll from one account. What that looks like for a pet store:

• Send unlimited invoices from one account. Invoice a vet clinic for a wholesale food order and send a separate grooming invoice to a walk-in customer, both from the same Novo account, with no per-invoice or monthly maintenance fee on the checking account.
• Accept ACH and card payments on your invoices. Invoice payments deposit into your Novo checking account, so you can reconcile customer payments against supplier ACH, rent, and payroll from one account.
• Connect Shopify and QuickBooks. Novo connects with Stripe, Shopify, and QuickBooks so pet stores can pull online orders in and push invoice records to their bookkeeper without re-keying, and Novo does not accept cash deposits. Online pet supply orders from Shopify flow into Novo automatically; grooming and wholesale invoices sync to QuickBooks so your bookkeeper isn't retyping receipts at month-end.
• No-cost incoming wires when a distributor or wholesale buyer pays by wire. Useful for larger recurring supply orders or manufacturer rebates.
• No cash deposits. Novo does not accept cash deposits, so a pet store with meaningful cash volume on the retail floor will need a separate cash-handling process. One common approach is to keep a local bank account for cash drops and run everything else through Novo.

For a deeper look at how Novo fits pet retail specifically, see our guide to the best bank for pet store owners.

Pet store invoicing FAQs

Do I charge sales tax on dog grooming?

It depends on your state. Grooming labor is taxable in some states and exempt in others, and rules on tangible products transferred during the service (shampoo, flea treatment) differ as well. Check your state's department of revenue before setting your grooming tax code. If you sell shampoo, flea treatment, or other products as separate line items, that portion may be taxable as tangible goods depending on your state's rules.

How do I invoice a vet clinic buying wholesale supplies?

Use a wholesale invoice with the clinic's legal business name, their resale certificate number if they have one, itemized SKUs with quantities and unit prices, Net 15 or Net 30 terms, and ACH remittance instructions. Skip sales tax if the resale certificate is valid and on file. Send the invoice on delivery, not at month-end. The sooner it reaches their AP inbox, the sooner it can be approved for payment.

What should a pet boarding invoice include?

Pet name, breed, owner name, check-in and check-out dates, nightly rate, any add-ons (medication administration, extra walks, bath before pickup), applicable state sales tax, and total due. Collect at pickup. If the stay ran long or the owner is a repeat customer on a monthly plan, issue the invoice the day of pickup and give a same-day payment window.

Can I invoice a deposit for a live animal sale?

Yes, and you should. A deposit invoice for a live animal sale reserves the animal, secures partial payment, and creates a paper trail. Invoices for live animal sales should include health guarantee terms, breeder or seller documentation, and any state-required transfer paperwork alongside the standard invoice line items. Note whether the deposit is refundable and under what conditions.

How long do I need to keep pet store invoices for the IRS?

The IRS generally advises small businesses to keep records that support income and deductions for at least three years from the date the return was filed. Records tied to property, depreciation, or employment taxes may need to be kept longer. Digital copies count, so scan or export from your invoicing tool and back them up.

Does Novo work for pet store invoicing, and can I accept cash through Novo?

Yes for invoicing, no for cash. Novo business checking includes unlimited invoicing, ACH and card acceptance, Shopify and QuickBooks integrations, and no-cost incoming wires. Novo does not accept cash deposits, so a pet store with meaningful cash volume on the retail floor will need a separate cash-handling process. One option is to keep a local bank account for cash drops and use Novo for non-cash payments.

Disclosures

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