3D rendering invoice templates for renders that were needed yesterday.
Two free 3D rendering invoice templates for architectural visualisation work: a final invoice with every view, animation and render farm cost on its own line, and a stage payment invoice for bigger projects. Below them, what UK rules say every invoice must include and how to get paid by architects and developers on time.
Two 3D rendering invoice templates
Put each view on its own line with its resolution. When the client later asks for “one more angle”, the price of an angle is already on record.
Final invoice
INVOICE Invoice number: [INV0211] Invoice date: [date] Date of supply: [date the final renders were delivered] From: [Your name or studio] [Address] [Email] To: [Architect or developer] [Address] Purchase order: [PO number] Project: [Site name and reference] [3D model from supplied drawings, [N] storeys] ........ £[000] [Exterior still, street view, 4K] ........ £[000] [Exterior still, aerial view, 4K] ........ £[000] [Interior still, living area, 4K] ........ £[000] [Flythrough animation, 30 seconds, 1080p] ........ £[0,000] [Extra round of changes, per hour] ........ £[00] [Render farm costs] ........ £[000] Total: £[0,000] Less stage payment received on [date]: £[000] Balance due: £[0,000] Payment due by: [date] Pay to: [account name], sort code [00 00 00], account [00000000], reference [INV0211]
Stage payment invoice
STAGE PAYMENT INVOICE Invoice number: [INV0210] Invoice date: [date] From: [Your studio], [address] To: [Client], [address] Project: [Site name] Stage 1 of [3]: [model built and clay renders approved] ........ £[000] ([X]% of the agreed total of £[0,000], as set out in our agreement dated [date]) Due by: [date] Pay by: [bank details or payment link] The next stage will be invoiced on [milestone].
These templates are a practical starting point, not legal or tax advice. If a job is large or unusual, have a solicitor or accountant check the wording.
What a UK invoice must include
Under UK rules every invoice needs a unique invoice number, your name or business name and address, your client’s name and address, a clear description of what you are charging for, the date you supplied the work, the invoice date, the amounts, any VAT, and the total owed (GOV.UK: what an invoice must include). Sole traders using a business name add an address where legal documents can reach them. Limited companies use the full name on the certificate of incorporation.
Once you and your client are both VAT registered, you must send a VAT invoice. On top of the basics it shows your VAT registration number, the tax point, the VAT rate and the amount excluding VAT for each line, and the total VAT in pounds. For a supply of £250 or less, and only if the client agrees, a simplified VAT invoice is allowed (HMRC VAT Notice 700, section 16). Registration becomes compulsory once your taxable turnover passes £90,000 in a rolling 12 months; the UK VAT threshold checker shows where you stand.
Stages, purchase orders and late payers
Render projects run long and change shape. Stage payments keep cash moving: a share when the model and clay renders are approved, a share on drafts, the balance on final delivery. Ask for a purchase order number before you start; many practices cannot pay without one.
Your clients are almost always businesses, so the late payment rules apply. If you did not agree a payment date, payment is late 30 days after they receive the invoice or the work, whichever is later, and you can claim interest at 8% above the Bank of England base rate plus a fixed £40, £70 or £100 depending on the size of the debt (GOV.UK: late commercial payments).
Skip the spreadsheet
Veyra builds these invoices for you: numbered invoices, deposits and payment plans, VAT on each line once you switch it on, your studio's currency, and a payment link so clients pay by card, PayPal or bank transfer. The invoice sits on the same project as the contract and the proofs.
Renders and flythroughs go in a private gallery the client can comment on. See Veyra for 3D render artists, or price the job first with the 3D rendering pricing guide.
Questions people ask
What should a 3D rendering invoice include?
A unique invoice number, your name and address, the client’s name and address, each view or animation on its own line with its resolution, the date of delivery, the invoice date, the amounts, any VAT and the total. Add the client’s purchase order and project reference.
Should I invoice render projects in stages?
For anything larger than a couple of stills, yes. A common split is a share when the model and clay renders are approved, a share on draft renders, and the balance on final delivery. Agree the stages in your contract first.
Can I charge for render farm time?
Yes, if the contract says so. List it as its own line so the client can see where the cost comes from.
When is an architect’s payment late?
With no agreed date, a business payment is late 30 days after the invoice, and you can claim interest at 8% above the Bank of England base rate plus a fixed £40, £70 or £100.