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Freelance · invoice not paid

Client not paying your invoice — reminder, demand and a contract with an advance

Short answer. Enter the invoice amount, date and payment terms: the calculator shows the due date, the days overdue and what to ask for. Due date and interest: Set by your invoice or contract; without an interest clause, ask for the invoice amount (Your contract).

  • Friendly reminder: type the date
  • Firm reminder: type the date
  • Final demand (7 days to pay): type the date

Check your own case.

These are our planning steps, not legal terms.

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Client not paying your invoice: first page
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Freelance · client not paying

How late the payment is, what you can ask for — and the letters in order

Enter the invoice amount, its date and the payment terms. You get the due date, the days overdue, interest only if your contract has it, and the dates for the reminder, the firm reminder and the final demand. For the next client: a contract with an advance.

Download the invoice tracker (Excel) Download the letters and the contract (Word) Save + reminder

  1. Send the friendly reminder the day after the due date, with the invoice attached.
  2. A week later the firm reminder; after two weeks the final demand with a date to pay.
  3. For the next client use the contract below: scope, milestones and an advance before you start.

Arithmetic only. The due date and any interest come from your invoice or contract: without an interest clause, ask for the invoice amount. Interest = amount × rate a month × days overdue ÷ 30. The days between letters are our suggestions, not legal terms. If you are registered on Udyam as a micro or small enterprise and the client is a business, see the MSME delayed-payment notice.

Meera, Layers template assistant

Meera, Layers template assistant

Keep it calm and exact: invoice number, amount, due date, days overdue. Clients pay facts faster than feelings.

Next time take an advance before you start. Half up front is common for small projects.

An illustrated character, not a lawyer.

Deadlines

The rules, with the source

WhatDeadlineSource
Due date and interestSet by your invoice or contract; without an interest clause, ask for the invoice amountYour contract
Micro or small enterpriseIf you are registered on Udyam and the client is a business, the MSME delayed-payment rules may apply — see the MSME notice pageUdyam registration: udyamregistration.gov.in

Keep every message, the invoice and proof of delivery: they are your evidence at every step.

Step by step

What to do, in order

  1. 1

    Check the invoice

    Amount, date, payment terms and what you delivered.

  2. 2

    Friendly reminder

    The day after the due date, with the invoice attached.

  3. 3

    Firm reminder

    A week later: the amount, the days overdue and a date to pay.

  4. 4

    Final demand

    After two weeks: seven days to pay, and what you will do next.

  5. 5

    Stop and decide

    Pause further work; if you are a registered MSME and the client is a business, use the MSME route.

  6. 6

    Next client: advance

    The contract below sets the scope, the milestones and an advance before work starts.

Questions

Can I charge interest on a late invoice?

If your contract or invoice says so. Without such a clause, ask for the invoice amount; if you are a registered micro or small enterprise, see the MSME delayed-payment notice.

What should the reminder say?

The invoice number and date, the amount, the due date, the days overdue and how to pay — the letters below have them.

How do I avoid this next time?

Agree the scope and an advance in writing before you start — the contract template below.

Official sources

Other documents

Keep the papers in one place

Letters, receipts and notices in one folder you can share with family or a lawyer. The templates and the editor are free; Layers is free for up to 20 people.

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This is a calculation and ready letters, not legal advice.