Overdue invoice email templates (and how to chase late payment)

Before it's late: make the invoice easy to pay

The best collection work happens before the due date:

• Agree terms in writing before the job, including any late fee. Terms that first appear on the invoice are hard to enforce.
• Send the invoice to the person who pays, not just the person who hired you. In larger companies, ask for the accounts payable address and any PO number.
• Print a real due date and every payment option on the invoice.
• Check it once more: a wrong client name or missing PO number is the most common reason invoices sit unpaid.

If you use common terms like Net 30, our Net 30 guide explains how to word them.

A timeline for chasing late payment

Stay on schedule. Long gaps between reminders tell the client this invoice can wait. Keep every message short, put the invoice number in the subject line, and attach the invoice again each time so nobody has to search for it.

Four email templates you can copy

Replace the parts in square brackets.

1. Friendly reminder (a few days before the due date)

Subject: Invoice [INV-0146] due on [November 7]

Hi [Name], just a quick note that invoice [INV-0146] for [$3,050.00] is due on [November 7]. I've attached it again for convenience. Payment details are on the invoice. Thanks, and let me know if you need anything from me.

2. Polite reminder (1 day overdue)

Subject: Reminder: invoice [INV-0146] was due yesterday

Hi [Name], I haven't seen payment for invoice [INV-0146] ([$3,050.00]), which was due on [November 7]. It may simply have crossed with this email, in which case please ignore this. If not, could you let me know when to expect it? A copy is attached.

3. Firm follow-up (7–14 days overdue)

Subject: Overdue: invoice [INV-0146], now [14] days late

Hi [Name], invoice [INV-0146] for [$3,050.00] is now [14] days overdue, and I haven't had a reply to my reminder of [November 8]. Please confirm the date you will pay, or tell me if there is a problem with the invoice so I can fix it. As agreed in [our contract], a late fee of [1.5% per month] applies after [30] days.

4. Final notice (21–30 days overdue)

Subject: Final notice: invoice [INV-0146]

Hi [Name], despite my reminders of [November 8] and [November 15], invoice [INV-0146] for [$3,050.00] remains unpaid. Please pay in full by [December 5]. If I haven't received payment or heard from you by then, I will [add the agreed late fee / pass this to a collection agency / start a small claims case]. I'd much prefer to settle this directly, so please call me on [number] if there is an issue.

Only write consequences you are actually prepared to carry out.

Phone script for the 14-day call

A call often gets an answer that three emails didn't. Ask for accounts payable if it's a company.

1. "Hi, this is [your name] from [business]. I'm calling about invoice [INV-0146] for [$3,050], which was due on [November 7]."
2. "Can you check whether you've received it and whether it's been approved for payment?"
3. If there's a problem: "What do you need from me to get it paid?" Fix it the same day.
4. If it's approved: "Which payment run will it be in, and what date should I expect it?"
5. If they can't pay in full: "Could we agree a date for part of it now and the rest by [date]?"
6. Close: "Thanks. I'll email you a short summary of what we agreed."

Then send that summary. A written record of a promised date makes the final notice easier if it comes to that.

Late fees and interest

You can only charge what your agreement or the law allows. The safest route is to state a late fee in your quote or contract before the work starts and repeat it on the invoice, as in the example beside this guide. In the US, limits on late fees and interest vary by state, so check your state's rules before setting a rate.

In the UK, the late payment legislation lets a business claim from another business (not from consumers):

• Statutory interest of 8% plus the Bank of England base rate, unless your contract sets a different rate.
• A fixed sum for recovery costs, once per invoice: £40 for debts up to £999.99, £70 for £1,000 to £9,999.99, and £100 for £10,000 or more.

If no payment date was agreed, a payment counts as late 30 days after the customer receives the invoice or the goods or service, whichever is later. If you add interest, gov.uk says to send a new invoice for it.

Duebolt Pro lets you email the invoice as a link, send one-tap reminders and see when the client opened it, which is useful when someone says they never got it.

When reminders don't work

If the final deadline passes, your options depend on the amount and your country:

• Stop further work for the client until the account is settled.
• Offer a payment plan in writing if they genuinely can't pay at once.
• Use a collection agency, which keeps a share of what it recovers.
• Go to small claims court. Most countries have a simpler court process for smaller debts. In the UK, gov.uk also describes the option of a statutory demand to formally request an unpaid debt.

Whatever you choose, keep copies of the invoice, every reminder and notes of every call. And next time, consider a deposit up front or shorter terms for that client; see how to make an invoice for a pre-send checklist that prevents many of these delays.