Screen printers run small shops or home studios that print designs on apparel, tote bags, posters, and promotional items for businesses, schools, teams, bands, and events. Invoices usually cover printed garments by the piece, setup charges for screens and art, ink color counts, and extras like folding, bagging, or rush turnaround.
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Most screen printers price per printed piece, with the price dropping as quantity goes up and rising with each additional ink color and each print location. Setup fees cover screen burning, film output, and press setup, and are charged per color or per screen. Art or vectorization time is billed as a flat fee or hourly. Blank garments are either included in the per-piece price or itemized separately, often with a markup of 20 to 50 percent over wholesale cost. Many shops set a minimum order (commonly 12 to 24 pieces) and add surcharges for specialty inks (water-based, discharge, metallic, puff), oversized prints, dark garments needing an underbase, extended sizes (2XL and up), and rush jobs. Reorders with the same art often waive setup fees if screens are still on file or the reorder happens within a set window.
| Service | Priced | Typical range |
|---|---|---|
| Standard 1-color front print on tee (24-48 pcs, print only) | per piece | $2-5 |
| Additional ink color or print location | per piece, per color or location | $0.50-2 |
| Screen setup | per screen | $15-35 |
| Art cleanup or vectorization | per hour | $40-85 |
| Blank garments (basic cotton tee, supplied by shop) | per piece | $3-8 |
| Extended size upcharge (2XL and up) | per piece | $1-4 |
| Specialty ink (puff, metallic, discharge) | per piece surcharge | $0.50-2 |
| Rush fee (under 5 business days) | percent of order | 15-50% |
Typical US ranges. Rates vary by region, experience, and job size.
| Description | Qty | Rate | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Short sleeve tees, heather navy, sizes S-XL (blank garments) | 72 pieces | $4.75 | $342.00 |
| Front chest print, 2 colors, white and orange | 72 pieces | $3.25 | $234.00 |
| Back print, 1 color, white (large format) | 72 pieces | $2.50 | $180.00 |
| Screen setup, 3 screens | 3 screens | $25.00 | $75.00 |
| Art cleanup and vectorization of logo | 1 hours | $60.00 | $60.00 |
| Individual folding and polybagging | 72 pieces | $0.40 | $28.80 |
| Total | $919.80 | ||
Notes: 50% deposit paid at approval. Balance due on pickup or within 14 days of delivery. Proof approved by client on 03/04. Reorders with the same art within 12 months will not be charged screen setup. Claims for printing defects must be made within 7 days of receipt.
Blanks vary in price and quality, and clients often forget which style they chose when reordering or disputing cost.
Extended sizes cost more and a size count prevents arguments about shortages or wrong sizes.
Each location and color changes the price, and listing them documents exactly what was approved.
Clients often assume setup is included, and itemizing shows what they avoid on a reorder.
A record of the signed proof protects you if the client later disputes colors, placement, or spelling.
Shows how much has been paid and prevents confusion on custom goods that cannot be resold.
In many states apparel for resale is exempt with a valid certificate, while end-use sales are taxable. Check your local rules.
Custom printed goods cannot be resold, so most shops require a deposit of 50 percent before ordering blanks or burning screens, and sometimes full payment up front for small or first-time orders. The balance is typically due at pickup or net 14 to net 30 for repeat business customers, schools, and corporate accounts. Many shops charge a late fee of 1.5 percent per month or a flat fee on overdue balances, stated on the quote. Payment is commonly accepted by card, ACH, check, or cash, and some shops pass on card processing fees where allowed. Large or recurring accounts may issue purchase orders, so include the PO number on the invoice.
Once garments are ordered and printed, you cannot return them. A 50 percent deposit covers blank costs and protects you if a client disappears or changes their mind.
Send a mockup showing size, placement, colors, and spelling, and get a written approval before burning screens. Keep it with the invoice so reprint disputes are easy to resolve.
Industry practice commonly allows a 2 to 5 percent variance in quantity because of spoilage. State that you may bill for the actual number of acceptable pieces delivered.
Pantone matching, ink mixing, and storing screens take time and space. Bill a mix fee or screen storage fee, and say how long screens are kept.
If a client brings their own blanks, bill a handling fee and add a spoilage allowance, since you will not replace garments you did not source.
Either works, but listing blanks and printing as separate lines is clearer. It makes it easy to adjust if the client changes garment style and lets customers who supply their own blanks see the print-only price.
Many shops waive setup when the same art and ink colors are reordered within a set window, such as 6 to 12 months. State your policy on the quote and invoice, and charge again if screens were reclaimed or the art changed.
Reprint your own mistakes at no charge and do not bill for unacceptable pieces. If the error came from client art, wrong spelling in approved proofs, or client-supplied garments, you can charge for the reprint and replacement blanks.
It depends on the state and the buyer. Many states tax sales to end users and exempt sales to resellers who give you a valid resale certificate. Some states also treat printing as a taxable service. Check with your state revenue department.
Put a pickup window and storage policy on the quote, such as 30 days before a storage fee applies. Send a final invoice and written notice, and keep the deposit terms and proof approval on file.
Send a Screen Printing estimate for approval, then turn it into an invoice when the work is done.
Screen Printing estimate template