Jira & Confluence 
Bitrix24 Freelance · invoice not paid
Client not paying your invoice — reminder, final demand and a written contract
Short answer. Enter the invoice amount, date and payment terms: the calculator shows the due date, the days overdue and what to ask for. Written contract (New York): required for $800 or more, alone or together with other contracts with the same client within 120 days: the work, the pay and the payment date. Both sides keep a copy (NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection; NY State Freelance Isn’t Free Act).
- Friendly remindertype the date
- Firm remindertype 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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Freelance · client not paying
How late the payment is — and the letters in order
Enter the invoice amount, the 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 written contract with an advance.
Want a reminder on the day to send each letter? We send it on the date.
The calendar file works without an account. Reminders need a free account to know where to send them.- Send the friendly reminder the day after the due date, with the invoice attached.
- A week later the firm reminder; after two weeks the final demand with a date to pay.
- For the next client use the contract below: the work, the fee, the payment date and an advance before you start.
Arithmetic only. The due date and any interest come from your contract or invoice: 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. New York rules (NYC DCWP and the state Freelance Isn’t Free Act): written contract for $800 or more, payment by the contract date or within 30 days after the work is done. Other states have their own rules. Not legal advice.
Lida, Layers template assistant
Keep it calm and exact: invoice number, amount, due date, days overdue. Clients pay facts faster than feelings.
Next time put it in writing first — the work, the pay, the date — and take an advance.
Deadlines
The rules, with the source
| What | Deadline | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Written contract (New York) | Required for $800 or more, alone or together with other contracts with the same client within 120 days: the work, the pay and the payment date. Both sides keep a copy | NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection; NY State Freelance Isn’t Free Act |
| When pay is due (New York) | On the date in the contract; with no date — within 30 days after you finish the work | NYC DCWP; NY State Senate |
| If they pay late (New York City) | You may collect double the unpaid amount, damages for retaliation, attorneys’ fees and costs; retaliation is illegal | NYC DCWP |
| Where to complain | New York City: DCWP online, freelancer@dcwp.nyc.gov or 311. New York State: the Attorney General enforces the state law | NYC DCWP; NY State Senate |
| Other states | Rules differ — the due date and any interest come from your contract | Your contract |
Keep the contract, every invoice, every message and proof of delivery: they are your evidence at every step.
Step by step
What to do, in order
1
Check the invoice
Amount, date, payment terms and what you delivered.
2
Friendly reminder
The day after the due date, with the invoice attached.
3
Firm reminder
A week later: the amount, the days overdue and a date to pay.
4
Final demand
After two weeks: seven days to pay, and what you will do next.
5
Complaint
In New York: NYC DCWP or the NY Attorney General. Elsewhere: your state’s rules or small claims court.
6
Next client: contract and advance
The contract below has the work, the fee, the payment date and an advance before you start.
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.
When is payment due if my contract has no date?
In New York — within 30 days after you finish the work. In other states it depends on your contract and state law.
Do I need a written contract?
In New York, yes for $800 or more (including contracts with the same client that add up to $800 within 120 days). Elsewhere it is still the best evidence you have.
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.
This is a calculation and ready letters, not legal advice.