Many late invoices are not refused at all. They are forgotten, stuck in an approval queue or sitting in the wrong inbox. A well-timed, well-written reminder email resolves many of those cases without a single phone call. Here is a reminder sequence you can set up this week, the principles behind it, and six templates you can copy and adapt.
Principles that make reminders work
Before the templates, a few rules that apply to every email in the sequence.
Put the facts in the subject line. Include the invoice number, the amount and, where it helps, the due date. “Invoice 10452: $3,200 due 15 March” can be found, forwarded and actioned. “Friendly reminder” gets lost.
Ask for one clear action. Each email should ask the reader to do one thing: pay, confirm a payment date or tell you what is holding things up. Several requests in one email usually get none of them done.
Attach the invoice every time. Do not make the customer search for it. If you also send a statement of account, attach it as well, but keep the invoice attached on its own.
Include a payment link or full payment details. Make paying the easiest option. Show bank details for transfers (BACS or Faster Payments in the UK, ACH or wire in the US, EFT in Canada) and a card or online payment link if you offer one. If you still accept checks (cheques in the UK and Canada), give the mailing address.
Send from a named person. A reminder signed by a real person, with a job title and a direct phone number, gets more replies than one from a no-reply address. It also makes the later, firmer emails feel like part of a conversation rather than a threat out of nowhere.
Escalate the tone gradually. Early emails assume an oversight. Later emails are direct about consequences. Neither should be rude. For more on keeping relationships intact while you chase, see building strong relationships with customers to improve payment cycles.
The reminder sequence
Here is a sequence that works for most businesses on 30-day terms. Adjust the timing to your terms and your credit control policy.
| When | Tone | |
|---|---|---|
| 5 days before due date | Courtesy reminder | Helpful |
| On the due date | Due today | Polite, factual |
| 7 days overdue | First overdue reminder | Polite, direct |
| 14 days overdue | Second overdue reminder | Firm |
| 30 days overdue | Account at risk | Firm, states consequences |
| 45 days overdue (or per policy) | Final notice | Formal |
Pair the emails with phone calls from 14 days overdue onward. Email is efficient, but a conversation is often what finally moves a stuck invoice. And stop the sequence for any invoice the customer disputes: resolve the dispute first, then resume.
Six templates
Replace everything in square brackets. Keep the emails short. The customer should be able to read each one in under 30 seconds.
1. Before the due date
Subject: Invoice [Invoice number]: [Amount] due [Due date]
Hi [Customer name],
A quick note that invoice [Invoice number] for [Amount] is due on [Due date]. I’ve attached a copy for your records.
You can pay here: [Payment link]. Bank details are on the invoice.
If anything on the invoice needs correcting, please let me know now so it doesn’t hold up payment.
Thanks,
[Your name]
[Job title] | [Phone number]
2. On the due date
Subject: Invoice [Invoice number]: [Amount] due today
Hi [Customer name],
Invoice [Invoice number] for [Amount] is due today. A copy is attached.
If it’s already scheduled, thank you, and please ignore this email. If not, you can pay here: [Payment link].
Kind regards,
[Your name]
3. Seven days overdue
Subject: Overdue: Invoice [Invoice number], [Amount], due [Due date]
Hi [Customer name],
Our records show invoice [Invoice number] for [Amount], due on [Due date], is still unpaid. I’ve attached it again in case it went astray.
Could you let me know the date payment will be made? If there’s an issue with the invoice, reply to this email and I’ll sort it out.
Pay online: [Payment link]
Thanks,
[Your name] | [Phone number]
4. Fourteen days overdue
Subject: Second reminder: Invoice [Invoice number], [Amount] now 14 days overdue
Hi [Customer name],
Invoice [Invoice number] for [Amount] is now 14 days overdue, and we haven’t received a payment date. A copy is attached.
Please arrange payment by [Date, about 5 working days from now], or reply with the date you expect to pay. I’ll call you on [Day] to confirm.
Pay online: [Payment link]
Regards,
[Your name] | [Phone number]
5. Thirty days overdue
Subject: Action needed: Invoice [Invoice number], [Amount], 30 days overdue
Hi [Customer name],
Invoice [Invoice number] for [Amount] is now 30 days overdue. We’ve sent reminders on [Dates] and haven’t received payment or a reason for the delay.
Under our terms, accounts with invoices more than [Number] days overdue are placed on hold, which means we can’t process new orders. I’d like to avoid that. Please pay by [Date] or call me on [Phone number] today to agree a plan.
Pay online: [Payment link]
Regards,
[Your name]
[Job title]
6. Final notice
Subject: Final notice: Invoice [Invoice number], [Amount]
Dear [Customer name],
Despite previous reminders on [Dates], invoice [Invoice number] for [Amount], due on [Due date], remains unpaid. A copy is attached.
If we do not receive payment in full by [Date, typically 7 to 14 days from now], we will [refer the debt to a collection agency / begin legal recovery], and any further orders will remain on hold. [If your terms allow it: We may also add interest and recovery costs as set out in our terms.]
If you believe this amount is not owed, or you need to discuss a payment plan, contact me before [Date] on [Phone number].
Yours sincerely,
[Your name]
[Job title]
Making the templates work
- Use your own consequences only. Never threaten an action you will not take, such as legal action on a small balance. Customers notice, and every later email loses force.
- Check your terms before mentioning interest or fees. Rules on charging interest and recovery costs for late payment differ between the UK, the US and Canada (and between US states and Canadian provinces). Confirm what applies to you with a qualified adviser.
- Send at sensible times. A weekday morning in the customer’s time zone works better than a Friday evening.
- Log every email and reply. If the debt ends up with an agency or in court, a clear history of reminders matters.
For wider fixes that reduce how many reminders you need at all, read our guide on how to reduce payment delays.
Key takeaways
- Start before the due date: a courtesy reminder catches invoice errors while there is still time to fix them.
- Put the invoice number, amount and due date in every subject line, and attach the invoice every time.
- Ask for one clear action per email and make paying as easy as clicking a link.
- Send from a named person and escalate the tone steadily, from helpful to formal.
- Only state consequences you will actually carry out.
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