Musician & DJ Invoice Template — Performance, Travel
Performance fees, deposits, travel, gear hire, residency contracts, session work. The template handles solo and band invoicing with rider pass-throughs.
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What goes on a gig invoice
●Booking deposit (non-refundable). Typically 25–50% to hold the date.
●Performance fee. State duration: 'Two 45-minute sets'.
●Travel + accommodation. Per actual costs or fixed allowance.
●Gear hire (PA, lighting). If you supply — pass-through with admin.
●Session / studio fee. Per hour or per song.
●Residency / monthly retainer. Recurring fee for regular gigs.
●Buyout / recording use. If the recording or stream is licensed.
How performers usually bill
Wedding / event: deposit to book + balance ~7 days before, or on the night.
Corporate / commercial: standard PO + 30-day invoice terms.
Sessions: invoice on completion or against an agreed retainer.
Always note the venue address as the work address — the bill-to is the client/agency, which is often different.
Tax notes
Performance income is taxable. International performances often involve withholding tax — check the venue's tax treatment. Royalties (PRS, SoundExchange) are separate from performance income.
Frequently asked questions
How do I bill a wedding gig?
Deposit invoice on contract signing (non-refundable), final invoice for balance ~7 days before the event. Often paid by bank transfer or card.
How do I split fees within a band?
Invoice the client as the band (one invoice). Internally split per the band's agreement. The client doesn't see internal splits — keep it clean.
Should I invoice for soundcheck and travel?
Soundcheck is usually included in the performance fee. Travel beyond local is usually itemised — state in the quote whether it's included or separate.
How do I invoice a residency?
Monthly invoice for the agreed residency fee. Each performance date is logged but doesn't generate a separate invoice — the residency covers it.
A sample performance invoice
Realistic, copy-and-paste-ready line items musicians and djs typically use. Fees swing hugely with reputation and region, so read these as a starting point rather than a fixed scale.
●Performance fee — 90-minute set, 4-piece jazz quartet (per-member rate × 4): $1,800
●Rehearsal — 2-hour pre-event rehearsal at venue (per AFM scale or band rate): $400
●Equipment hire — backline (drum kit, bass amp, keyboard amp) (rental + delivery): $325
●PA system — 2-speaker system for 150-person venue, with engineer (pass-through + setup): $485
●Travel and per-diem — out-of-town venue, 2 nights (receipts attached): $640
●Mechanical/sync licensing — original-composition performance (per ASCAP/BMI venue agreement): pass-through
●Setlist and final mix delivered for venue records (included): no charge
Notes: 50% retainer due on signed contract; balance due day-of-event before downbeat. Cancellation within 30 days forfeits retainer; within 7 days bills 100% of performance fee. Rider attached (technical requirements, hospitality). AFM Local 802 members where applicable; W-9 on file.
When the fee actually lands
Live performance pays in stages: 50% retainer to book the date, balance day-of-event in cash, certified cheque, or pre-approved card. Never play before the balance is in hand — wedding receptions, private parties, and corporate events all have a 5% no-pay rate after the show. Venue performances (clubs, restaurants, hotel lounges) work on different terms: typically pay-the-band-after-the-set in cash, or 7-14 day post-event for venues that run on contracted entertainment.
Session work — studio recording — is its own structure. AFM scale for union sessions, project flat-fees for non-union. Pay typically follows the producer's project timeline; advances paid at session, balance on mix-down. Songwriter and composer royalties (mechanical, sync, public performance) are entirely separate from live-performance income and flow through ASCAP/BMI/SESAC and mechanical-licensing services — those statements come quarterly with 90-180 day delays from the use that generated them.
Five billing mistakes that cost performers their fee
●Booking a gig without a signed contract. Verbal bookings are how musicians get cancelled with no recourse. Always a written contract: date, venue, set length, fee, retainer, cancellation terms. Email confirmation is fine for small gigs; PDF contract for anything above $1,500.
●Forgetting the cancellation clause. Without a cancellation clause, the cancelled client owes you nothing and you lose the night you held for them. Standard structure: 30+ days out, retainer forfeited; 7-29 days, 50% of total fee; less than 7 days, 100%. State it on the retainer invoice.
●Not specifying the technical rider. Power requirements, stage size, soundcheck timing, hospitality — the rider prevents the wedding venue from putting your quartet on a 4x4 stage with one outlet. Attach the rider to every contract.
●Quoting per-band-leader instead of per-musician. Bandleaders who quote a flat band fee absorb the gig out-of-scope. Quote per-member with the leader's premium built in: 'Performance fee: 4 musicians × $400 = $1,600 + bandleader admin $200 = $1,800.' Saves the argument when the second trumpet doesn't show and the client expects a discount.
●Skipping the equipment-hire line. Backline rental, PA system rental, lighting rental — these are pass-through plus a margin. Quote them separately, attach receipts. Otherwise the client sees the total and tries to negotiate down the band fee, not the rental.
US tax notes for musicians and djs
Performance and session-work services are non-taxable in most states (professional service). Hawaii, New Mexico, South Dakota, and Washington apply general service taxes. Most musicians are 1099-NEC contractors — both the gig payer and the session producer should issue 1099s above $600. Royalty income (ASCAP/BMI/SESAC, mechanical, sync, streaming) is also self-employment income; SE tax applies at 15.3% above and beyond income tax.
Musician deductibles often missed: instrument purchase and repair (Section 179 for major purchases; maintenance ongoing), travel and per-diem on out-of-town gigs, equipment cases and transportation (gig bags, road cases, vehicle for transport), continuing-ed (lessons, workshops, masterclasses — yes, even at advanced level), recording-studio costs for demos and EPs, marketing (photographer, website, music-streaming distribution), agent and manager commissions, union dues (AFM), and the under-claimed line — concert and live-music attendance which qualifies as professional development and reference for working musicians.
Not tax advice — confirm specifics with your CPA or state department of revenue.
A few more questions from the bandstand
How do I price a wedding band gig vs. a club gig?
Wedding (4-hour reception with dinner break) typically $1,500-6,000+ for 4-6 musicians depending on band reputation. Club gig (90-minute set, 2 sets in a 4-hour evening) typically $400-1,500 for the same band. Weddings pay better because the client is one-time; clubs pay less because the venue is repeat. Adjust based on travel, equipment, and notoriety.
Should I charge for travel time or only mileage?
Both — and specify which. Mileage at the IRS standard rate ($0.67/mile in 2024) reimburses the vehicle cost. Travel time at a discounted hourly ('travel rate') reimburses the band's time. For out-of-town gigs, also bill per-diem ($50-100/musician/day depending on duration) and lodging at receipt.
How do I invoice for a gig where the venue requires the artist to wait to be paid until they collect from the audience?
Don't accept this structure. Venues that don't pay the band until the door receipts come in are venues that don't pay the band when ticket sales are weak. Always negotiate a guaranteed minimum: 'Door split: 70% of net door above $1,500 minimum, paid same-night.' Guaranteed minimums protect you from a no-show audience.
Can I bill for original-music performance vs. covers?
Same performance fee, but the rights structure differs. Cover songs require the venue to pay ASCAP/BMI/SESAC blanket licences (the venue's problem, not yours). Original-music performance generates your own ASCAP/BMI public-performance royalties — track every set with the original tracks performed and submit to your PRO for accurate royalty distribution.
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