Short answer: send a friendly reminder a few days before the due date, a polite note the day after it passes, and firmer reminders at about 7, 14 and 30 days overdue. Every reminder should repeat the invoice number, the amount, the original due date and how to pay. Keep the tone factual and make paying the easiest thing to do. A late invoice can be stuck on paperwork, such as a missing PO number or a wrong address.
Below are 7 payment reminder email templates for freelancers and small finance teams. Fill in the brackets and attach the invoice to each one.
A reminder schedule you can copy
| When | Template | Tone |
|---|---|---|
| 3 to 5 days before the due date | 1. Upcoming payment | Friendly heads-up |
| 1 day after the due date | 2. Just overdue | Polite, assumes a mix-up |
| 7 days overdue | 3. Second reminder | Clear, asks for a date |
| 14 days overdue | 4. Firm reminder | Direct, names next steps |
| 30 days overdue | 5. Final notice | Formal, states consequences |
| Any time the client replies with a problem | 6. Payment plan, 7. Missing PO | Helpful |
Adjust the gaps to your payment terms. A client on 60-day terms needs a different calendar from one on 14-day terms.
What every payment reminder should include
- Invoice number and date, so the client's finance team can find it.
- Amount due and currency.
- Original due date and how many days overdue it is.
- How to pay, with bank details, a payment link or the portal you invoice through.
- The invoice itself as an attachment, even if you sent it before.
- A named contact for questions.
Leave one out and the reminder can bounce between departments while someone looks for it.
7 payment reminder email templates
1. Friendly reminder before the due date
Subject: Invoice [number] due on [date]
Hi [Name],
A quick heads-up that invoice [number] for [amount] is due on [date]. I've attached it again for convenience.
You can pay by [bank transfer to account details / this payment link]. Tell me if anything on it needs to change before then.
Thanks, [Your name]
2. Payment just overdue
Subject: Invoice [number] is now past due
Hi [Name],
Our records show invoice [number] for [amount], due on [date], is still open. If it's already on its way, please ignore this note.
If not, could you let me know when we can expect payment? The invoice is attached.
Best, [Your name]
3. Second reminder, 7 days overdue
Subject: Second reminder: invoice [number], 7 days overdue
Hi [Name],
Invoice [number] for [amount] is now 7 days past its due date of [date]. Could you confirm a payment date by [day]?
If there's a problem with the invoice, tell me what it is and I'll fix it today.
Thanks, [Your name]
4. Firm reminder, 14 days overdue
Subject: Action needed: invoice [number], 14 days overdue
Hi [Name],
We still haven't received payment for invoice [number] ([amount], due [date]). This is our third reminder.
Please arrange payment by [date] or reply with a date you can commit to. If we don't hear back, [next step from your terms, such as "we'll pause further work on the project"].
Regards, [Your name]
5. Final notice, 30 days overdue
Send this only if you are ready to do what it says. Copy in the client's accounts payable address if you have it.
Subject: Final notice: invoice [number], [amount] overdue
Dear [Name],
Invoice [number] for [amount], due on [date], is now 30 days overdue. We have sent reminders on [dates].
Please pay in full by [date]. After that date we will [add late-payment interest as set out in our terms / refer the debt to collection / take the next step you are entitled to].
If you are unable to pay in full, contact me before [date] to agree a plan.
Regards, [Your name] [Company and contact details]
6. When the client asks for a payment plan
Subject: Re: Invoice [number]
Hi [Name],
Thanks for letting me know. We can split the [amount] into [number] payments of [amount each], due on [dates]. Does that work for you?
If you agree, I'll send updated invoices today.
Best, [Your name]
7. When the client asks for a PO number or new details
Subject: Re: Invoice [number], updated with PO
Hi [Name],
Here is invoice [number] reissued with PO [number] and [the other detail they asked for]. The amount and due date are unchanged.
Could you confirm it has gone to your accounts team?
Thanks, [Your name]
Interest and late fees: check your terms and the law
What you can add to an overdue invoice depends on your contract and your country. Put late-payment terms in the contract and on the invoice before work starts, and quote them in your reminders.
Take the UK. A business owed money by another business can charge statutory interest of 8% plus the Bank of England base rate. A different rate in the contract replaces it. It can also claim a fixed recovery sum of £40, £70 or £100 depending on the size of the debt (GOV.UK on interest, GOV.UK on recovery costs). If no payment date was agreed, GOV.UK says a payment is late 30 days after the customer gets the invoice. If the work is delivered later, the 30 days run from delivery (when a payment becomes late). Rules elsewhere differ, so ask your accountant or lawyer before you threaten fees.
How to save time on payment reminders in Gmail and Outlook
Save templates 1 to 5 once and reuse them:
- Gmail: enable Templates under Settings, Advanced, then save a draft as a template (Google's steps).
- Outlook: use My Templates in a new message (Microsoft's steps).
Reply to the thread where you sent the invoice. Don't start a new one. The client sees the original invoice and every reminder in one place.
How Jace helps with invoice follow-ups
Jace is an AI email assistant for Gmail and Outlook. It doesn't connect to your accounting software, send invoices or collect payments. It handles the email around them.
- Catches invoices nobody answered. When you send an invoice and the client doesn't reply, the thread sits in Jace's Waiting label. 3 days after your last email, Jace prepares a reminder draft in the same thread, with the invoice details it finds there.
- Drafts replies when clients write back. "Can we pay next month?" or "Please add our PO number" get a reply draft that uses the thread and the attached invoice. Jace reads PDF, Word, Excel and CSV attachments.
- Follows your rules. Add rules such as "when handling emails about invoices, ask for a PO number before confirming" or "always include our bank details in payment reminders" (rules).
- Leaves sending to you. Every reminder is a draft in your Drafts folder. Auto-send is off by default (drafting).
For accountants and bookkeepers handling many clients, see the AI email assistant for accountants page. For consultants who invoice several clients, see Jace for consultants.
Related templates
FAQ
How do I politely remind a client about an unpaid invoice? Reply in the invoice thread, restate the invoice number, amount and due date, attach the invoice and ask when you can expect payment. Assume a mix-up in the first reminder.
When should I send a payment reminder email? A common schedule is a few days before the due date, the day after it, and then about 7, 14 and 30 days overdue. Match the gaps to your payment terms.
What should the subject line of a payment reminder say? Put the invoice number and status in the subject, for example "Invoice 1042 is now past due". Finance teams search by invoice number.
Can I charge interest on a late invoice? It depends on your contract and where you and the client are. In the UK, businesses can charge statutory interest of 8% plus the Bank of England base rate on late business-to-business payments unless the contract says otherwise. Check local rules before adding fees.
What do I do if the client still doesn't pay after a final notice? Do what the final notice said: pause work, add the fees in your terms, or use a collection agency or small-claims process. Get advice before legal action.
Can Jace send payment reminders automatically? Jace drafts a reminder when an invoice thread in its Waiting label has had no reply for 3 days after your last email, and you send it. Auto-send is an opt-in setting per label. Jace does not connect to accounting or invoicing software.
Try it on your invoice threads
Start a free 7-day Jace trial on the inbox you bill from. Plans are on the pricing page.
