Free Receipt Generator
A receipt is a written record that a payment was received. Use this free receipt maker to record who paid, what for, how, and whether it was paid in full, then download a printable PDF receipt to give your customer and keep a copy.
Reviewed by M. Humza. Updated October 4, 2026. Fill in the form
How do I make a receipt?
- Add your business. The receipt comes from whoever received the payment.
- Add the customer. Who paid you.
- Enter the date paid and method. Cash, check, card or transfer, with a check or reference number.
- List what was paid for. Items or services with quantity and price, plus tax if you charged it.
- Full or partial. Leave Paid in full ticked, or enter the amount received to show the balance left.
- Confirm and download. Confirm the payment is real, then download the PDF or print it.
What a receipt shows
A receipt made here carries every part below. A receipt paid in full prints a PAID stamp; a partial payment shows the balance remaining instead.
| Part | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Receipt number | A unique number for each receipt, so payments are easy to match. |
| Date paid | The day the money was received. |
| Received from | The customer, tenant or client who paid. |
| Received by | Your business name and contact details. |
| What it was for | Each item or service paid for, with quantity, price and any tax. |
| Amount | The amount received, in figures and in words. |
| Payment method | Cash, check, card or transfer, with a check number, the last four digits of a card or a transfer ID. |
| Paid in full or balance | Whether the payment settled the bill or what is still owed. |
Receipt example: a deposit paid by check
A print shop in Columbus, Ohio takes a $200.00 deposit by check on a $496.53 order of printed tote bags. The order includes a 5% discount, delivery and sales tax at 8%. Because the deposit does not settle the bill, the receipt shows it as a partial payment with the balance still owed.
| Line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Order total, after discount, delivery and tax | $496.53 |
| Amount received, check no. 2231 | $200.00 |
| Balance remaining | $296.53 |
The receipt reads: received from Harbor Cafe LLC the sum of Two hundred and 00/100 dollars, as partial payment. The invoice example shows how the order total was worked out. The names are invented for the example.
Free receipt templates: Word, Excel and PDF
Prefer a file? These blank receipts have the same parts as the generator. They are free, with no signup.
Each one works as a cash receipt, rent receipt or sales receipt template: fill in who paid, what for, the amount and how it was paid.
- Word receipt template Editable DOCX with the item table and totals laid out.
- Excel receipt template Line amounts, tax, total and balance worked out by formulas.
- Blank receipt PDF Print it and fill it in by hand.
- Fillable receipt PDF Type into the fields in a PDF reader, then save or print.
Why keep receipts, and for how long?
A receipt protects both sides: the customer can prove they paid, and you have a record of income received. The IRS lists receipt books and invoices among the documents a business should keep to support the gross receipts it reports. Keep a copy of every receipt you issue, especially for cash.
Keep receipts at least 3 years after you file the return they support, which is the general IRS period of limitations.
It is 6 years if income left off a return is more than 25% of the gross income shown, and 7 years for a bad debt or worthless securities claim (IRS, how long to keep records).
Cash, check and card receipts
Cash leaves no bank trail, so a receipt is often the only record; give one every time (see cash receipts). For checks, put the check number in the reference field. For cards and transfers, the last four digits of the card or the transfer ID is enough.
Never write a full card or account number on a receipt. Federal law limits printed card receipts to the last five digits and no expiration date (15 U.S.C. 1681c(g)), and four is safer.
Partial payments and deposits
When a customer pays part of a bill or a deposit, untick Paid in full and enter the amount. The receipt says it was a partial payment and shows what is still owed.
A second receipt covers the balance when it is paid. To bill the balance, use the invoice generator and record the deposit under payments received.
Rent and donation receipts
For rent, put the property address and the month covered in the line description, or start from the rent preset. Some states require a landlord to give one: New York does for rent paid in cash or by money order (New York Attorney General tenants guide). Landlords can also download a rent receipt template for Word, Excel or PDF.
For a donation, the IRS sets what a written acknowledgment must say, including whether the donor got anything in return. Add that statement in the notes, and read the IRS written acknowledgment rules.
Sources
- IRS, What kind of records should I keep
- IRS, How long should I keep records?
- 15 U.S.C. 1681c(g), truncation of card numbers on receipts
- New York Attorney General, Residential Tenants' Rights Guide
- IRS, Charitable contributions: written acknowledgments
This page is general information, not legal or tax advice.