Payment reminder email: three templates, when to send them and how to prevent late payment
Send the first reminder one to three days after the due date as a friendly nudge – most late invoices are oversights, not bad intent. If nothing happens, send a firmer reminder a week later and a final notice with a clear deadline a week after that. Every reminder should include the invoice number, the amount due, the original due date, payment details and the invoice attached. Below are three templates to adapt and tips to prevent late payments. Late-payment interest and debt collection are not covered here – ask an accountant or lawyer about those.
- Most late payments are oversights. The first reminder should be friendly and short.
- Rhythm: a nudge 1–3 days after the due date, a reminder after a week, a final notice a week later – with a phone call in between.
- Every reminder includes the invoice number, amount, due date, payment details and the invoice attached.
- Reminders work: in an experiment with loan repayments, a simple text before the due date raised on-time payment about as much as a 25% interest cut (Cadena & Schoar, 2011).
- The best reminder is the one you never need: clear payment terms, easy payment and invoicing straight after delivery.
When to send a payment reminder
- 1–3 days after the due date: a friendly nudge. The invoice may have been buried in an inbox or be waiting for approval. No reproach.
- 7 days after the due date: a reminder. Matter-of-fact, with a new payment date and a question whether everything is fine with the invoice.
- 14–21 days after the due date: a final notice. A clear deadline and a note that you will take further steps after it. Call before sending it – a phone call solves more than a third email.
Template 1: a friendly nudge
Subject: Friendly reminder – invoice 2026015
Hi Sam,
just a quick reminder about invoice 2026015 for €1,200, which was due on 10 November 2026. I haven’t received the payment yet – it may simply have slipped through.
I’ve attached the invoice again. Payment details: IBAN XX00 0000 0000 0000 0000, reference 2026015.
If it’s already been paid, please ignore this email.
Thanks, and have a good day,
Jane Smith
Template 2: a reminder after a week
Subject: Payment reminder – invoice 2026015 now overdue
Hi Sam,
invoice 2026015 for €1,200 was due on 10 November 2026 and is now 7 days overdue. Please arrange payment by 24 November 2026 to IBAN XX00 0000 0000 0000 0000, reference 2026015. The invoice is attached.
If something is wrong with the invoice or you need to split the payment, just let me know – happy to sort it out.
Best regards,
Jane Smith
Template 3: a final notice
Subject: Final notice – invoice 2026015
Hi Sam,
despite my reminders of 13 and 17 November, I haven’t received payment for invoice 2026015 for €1,200, due on 10 November 2026. Please make the payment by 1 December 2026 at the latest to IBAN XX00 0000 0000 0000 0000, reference 2026015.
If the payment hasn’t arrived by then, I will have to pursue it through further steps. I’d much rather agree on a solution – if there’s a problem, please call me on +44 0000 000000.
Best regards,
Jane Smith
Which “further steps” the law allows, how much late-payment interest you can claim and how debt collection works differ by country and situation. Ask an accountant or lawyer – this article is a practical guide to communication, not legal advice.
How to write reminders that work
- Short and specific. Invoice number, amount, original due date, new deadline, payment details. The client shouldn’t have to look anything up.
- Always attach the invoice. The most common reply to a reminder is “we don’t have the invoice”.
- Friendly, but no apologies. Being paid for work you’ve done is normal, not a favour.
- Offer a way forward. “Do you need to split the payment?” opens a conversation that might otherwise end in silence.
- Track it with a system, not memory. Reminders work: Ximena Cadena and Antoinette Schoar (2011) showed in an experiment with microloans that a simple text before the due date raised on-time payment about as much as a 25% interest cut, and Dean Karlan and colleagues (2016) found that reminders help people keep their own financial commitments too. If you can see your overdue invoices, you remind on time and without emotion.
How to prevent late payments
- Agree payment terms up front. Before the project starts, not just on the invoice.
- Invoice right after delivery. Every day of waiting pushes payment back. If you bill by the hour, have your hours tracked (time tracking).
- Make paying easy. Correct reference, bank details without typos, a clear total.
- Consider a deposit from new clients. Especially for larger projects.
- Nudge a few days before the due date. A short “Just a heads-up that the invoice is due on Thursday…” can save a reminder.
How much time admin like invoicing really takes is covered in non-billable time.
Try it now in CORTEX
In CORTEX (free for everyone), the Work module has an Overdue filter under Invoices and a Reminder button on every unpaid invoice. CORTEX drafts the first, second or third reminder with the invoice number, amount due, due date, days overdue and payment details, in the invoice’s language. You copy the text and send it from your own email with the PDF – CORTEX never sends anything for you. If you have an account, open Invoices.
Frequently asked questions
When should I send a payment reminder?
Send a friendly nudge one to three days after the due date, a firmer reminder about a week later and a final notice a week after that. Call the client between the second and the third.
What should a payment reminder include?
The invoice number, amount due, original due date, a new payment date, payment details and the invoice attached – plus a contact in case something is wrong with the invoice.
How do I write a polite payment reminder?
Keep it short, factual and without reproach: mention the invoice, give the payment details, attach the invoice and offer help if there’s a problem. If the client has already paid, thank them and tell them to ignore the reminder.
Can I add interest or fees to a reminder?
That’s a legal question that depends on your contract, country and type of client. Before adding anything, ask an accountant or lawyer.
Will CORTEX send the reminder for me?
No. CORTEX drafts the reminder text and shows your overdue invoices, but never sends anything for you. You send the reminder from your own email, so it comes from you and the client can reply directly.
Sources and further reading
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