A petty cash receipt is a written record that proves someone paid a small expense in cash and took money from the petty cash box to do it.
The receipt documents three things: what was bought, how much was spent, and who approved taking the cash. It is not a receipt from a store. It is an internal form that your business, nonprofit, or organization uses to track where petty cash went. Without it, there is no proof the money left the box for a legitimate reason instead of disappearing.
Petty cash is typically used for small, routine expenses that do not warrant a check or credit card: office supplies under $25, postage, parking, coffee for a meeting, or emergency supplies. The receipt stays with the petty cash box or gets filed in a folder so that when someone counts the box at month's end, they can match the cash remaining plus all the receipts to the amount that started there.
Key Takeaways
- A petty cash receipt records the date, amount, what was bought, and who took the money—it is an internal document, not a store receipt.
- The person who spent the cash fills out the form and attaches any store receipt or invoice to it as proof of the purchase.
- Receipts are kept in the petty cash box or a designated folder so the cash can be reconciled at the end of each month.
- If a receipt is missing, the person who took the cash may have to repay it from their own pocket, depending on your organization's policy.
- Petty cash forms vary by organization, but all of them require the same core information: date, amount, description, and authorization.
What information goes on a petty cash receipt
A petty cash receipt typically includes a date, the amount of cash taken, a description of what was purchased, and the name of the person who took the money. Some forms also ask for a category (office supplies, travel, meals) and the signature or initials of whoever approved the withdrawal. The form may be a printed slip, a carbon-copy pad, or a digital entry in a spreadsheet or accounting system.
The person who spent the cash is responsible for filling it out immediately after the purchase. They write down what they bought, attach the store receipt or invoice to the petty cash form, and put both in the box or hand them to whoever manages the petty cash fund. If there is no store receipt—for example, if they paid cash for parking—they write a brief description of the expense and the date it occurred.
The level of detail depends on your organization's rules. A small business might ask only for the amount and a one-line description. A nonprofit or government office might require a category code, a project number, or the name of the person or department the expense benefits.
Why petty cash receipts matter for accounting
Petty cash is real money, and accounting rules require proof that it was spent legitimately. Without receipts, the money is unaccounted for. If an audit happens—whether internal or external—missing receipts create gaps that auditors flag as a control problem. In some cases, the organization may require the person who took the cash to repay it if no receipt exists.
Receipts also protect the person who spent the money. If someone later questions whether the expense was real or appropriate, the receipt and the attached store receipt prove it was. This is especially important in organizations where multiple people access the petty cash box or where spending is tracked by department or project.
For tax purposes, if your organization is a nonprofit or a business, petty cash expenses must be documented to support deductions or grant spending. The IRS and other regulators expect to see receipts, not just a list of amounts. A petty cash receipt paired with a store receipt creates a paper trail that satisfies that requirement.
How to fill out a petty cash form correctly
Write the date the cash was taken, not the date of the purchase if they are different. Enter the exact amount of cash withdrawn. Write a clear, specific description: "Office Depot—printer paper and folders" is better than "supplies." If there is a category field, select the one that matches the expense. Sign or initial the form.
Attach the store receipt, invoice, or other proof of purchase to the form. If the store receipt is long or bulky, tape it to the back of the petty cash form or staple it to a separate sheet. Do not lose the receipt—it is the only proof the expense actually happened and cost what you say it did.
If you are the person managing the petty cash box, review each receipt when it is turned in. Check that the amount on the receipt matches the amount written on the petty cash form. If they do not match, ask the person who spent the money to explain the difference. If the receipt is missing or illegible, ask them to provide it or, if that is not possible, to repay the cash from their own pocket.
What happens if a petty cash receipt is missing
If someone took cash but did not fill out a receipt, the money is unaccounted for. When you reconcile the petty cash box at the end of the month, the cash on hand plus the receipts will not equal the starting balance. The missing amount is a discrepancy.
Most organizations handle this by asking the person who took the cash to either produce the receipt or repay the amount. Some policies allow a small number of missing receipts per year if the amounts are tiny (under $5), but most require documentation for every withdrawal. If the same person repeatedly fails to provide receipts, it may trigger a conversation with a manager or a review of who has access to the box.
In a business or nonprofit setting, repeated missing receipts can be a red flag for fraud or carelessness. Even if the expense was legitimate, the lack of documentation makes it impossible to verify. For that reason, many organizations treat a missing receipt as seriously as a missing dollar bill.
Petty cash receipt forms and templates
There is no single standard petty cash receipt form. Your organization may use a printed pad, a carbon-copy book, a spreadsheet template, or an entry in accounting software like QuickBooks or Xero. The form you use depends on the size of your organization and how formal your accounting needs to be.
A small business or nonprofit might use a simple printed form with blanks for date, amount, description, and signature. A larger organization might use a digital form that feeds into an accounting system and automatically categorizes expenses. Some organizations use a spreadsheet where each row is one withdrawal and columns track the date, amount, category, and person who took the cash.
If your organization does not have a petty cash form, you can create one using a template from an accounting software provider or a business resource site. The form should include at minimum: date, amount, description, category (if used), person's name, and a space to attach the receipt. Print copies and keep them in a pad or folder next to the petty cash box.
Reconciling petty cash with receipts at month's end
At the end of each month (or week, depending on your policy), count the cash in the box and gather all the receipts. Add up the amounts on the receipts. The cash remaining plus the total of the receipts should equal the amount you started with at the beginning of the period.
If the numbers match, petty cash is reconciled. If there is a difference, investigate. Look for receipts that are missing, amounts that do not match, or cash that was taken but not documented. Once you find the discrepancy, decide whether to ask someone to repay it, adjust your records, or investigate further.
Keep all petty cash receipts for at least one year, or longer if your organization's policy requires it. Store them in a folder or envelope labeled with the month and year. If an audit happens, you will need to produce these receipts as proof that the petty cash was spent appropriately.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to keep the store receipt if I have a petty cash form?
Yes. The petty cash form documents that someone took cash from the box; the store receipt proves what they bought and how much it cost. Together, they create a complete record. If you lose the store receipt, the petty cash form alone is not enough proof for accounting or audit purposes.
What if I spent less than the cash I took from the box?
Return the change to the petty cash box immediately and adjust the amount on the receipt to match what you actually spent. For example, if you took $20 but only spent $17, write $17 on the receipt and put $3 back in the box. Do not keep the change as a tip or a personal loan.
Can I use a credit card receipt instead of a petty cash receipt?
No. A petty cash receipt documents that cash was withdrawn from the box. If you used a credit card, that transaction does not involve petty cash and should be recorded separately in your accounting system. Petty cash is only for cash expenses.
Who should sign a petty cash receipt?
The person who took the cash should sign or initial it. Some organizations also require a manager or the petty cash custodian to sign to approve the withdrawal. Check your organization's policy to see if both signatures are needed.
What if someone else spent the cash on my behalf?
The person who actually spent the money should fill out the receipt and attach the store receipt. If you took the cash from the box but someone else made the purchase, have them provide you with the receipt and a note explaining what was bought, then you fill out the petty cash form with their information and attach both documents.