Overdue Invoice Email: 6 Templates by Days Late (Copy and Paste)

An overdue invoice email tells a client that a payment is late and asks them to pay. Send the first one 1 day after the due date. Make each next email a little more direct. Below are 6 templates, one for each stage, plus subject lines and what to change on the invoice itself.

Most late invoices are not refused. They are lost in an inbox, stuck in an approval step or simply forgotten. So the first emails assume good faith. The later ones are formal, because by then you need a clear record.

What to put in every overdue invoice email

• The invoice number, so the client can find it in their system.
• The amount due and the currency.
• The original due date and how many days late the payment is.
• One clear way to pay: a bank transfer reference, a payment link or the payment details from the invoice.
• The invoice itself, attached again or linked. Never make the client search for it.
• A next step: a date, a question or an offer to help.

Overdue invoice email templates by days late

Change the words in [brackets]. Send each email as a reply in the same thread, so the history stays in one place.

1 day overdue: the friendly nudge

Keep it light. The client probably just missed it.

Subject: Reminder: invoice [INV-2026-014] was due yesterday

Hi [Client name],

A quick reminder that invoice [INV-2026-014] for [amount] was due yesterday, [due date]. I have attached it again in case it got buried.

You can pay by [payment method]. Let me know if you need anything from me to process it.

Thanks,
[Your name]

7 days overdue: the clear reminder

Name the number of days. Ask a question, so the client has a reason to reply.

Subject: Invoice [INV-2026-014] is 7 days past due

Hi [Client name],

Invoice [INV-2026-014] for [amount] is now 7 days past due. It was due on [due date].

Could you let me know when I can expect payment? If something is holding it up, such as a missing purchase order number, tell me and I will fix it today.

Thanks,
[Your name]

14 days overdue: the direct follow-up

Be plain about what you need and by when. Mention a late fee only if your contract or invoice terms include one.

Subject: Second reminder: invoice [INV-2026-014] is 14 days overdue

Hi [Client name],

I have not received payment for invoice [INV-2026-014] for [amount], due on [due date]. It is now 14 days overdue.

Please pay by [date, 3 to 5 business days from now]. [As our agreement states, a late fee of [rate] applies to payments more than [X] days late.]

If you have already sent it, please send me the payment reference so I can match it.

Thanks,
[Your name]

30 days overdue: the formal notice

Now the email is a record as much as a request. Copy in the person who approved the work or the accounts team, and say what happens to ongoing work.

Subject: Past due notice: invoice [INV-2026-014], 30 days overdue

Dear [Client name],

This is a formal notice that invoice [INV-2026-014] for [amount], due on [due date], is now 30 days overdue. I have sent reminders on [dates].

Please pay the full amount by [date]. Until the invoice is paid, I will pause new work on [project].

If there is a problem with the invoice or the work, please reply so we can sort it out.

Regards,
[Your name]

45 or more days overdue: the final notice

State the final date and the next step you will take. Only name steps you will actually take.

Subject: Final notice: invoice [INV-2026-014] — payment due by [final date]

Dear [Client name],

Invoice [INV-2026-014] for [amount] is now [X] days overdue. I have not had a reply to my reminders of [dates].

If I do not receive payment by [final date], I will [pass the debt to a collections agency / file a small claim / add the late fees set out in our agreement].

I would much rather settle this directly. If you need a payment plan, reply before [final date] and we can agree one.

Regards,
[Your name]

After a partial payment: the balance reminder

Subject: Remaining balance on invoice [INV-2026-014]

Hi [Client name],

Thank you for your payment of [amount paid] on [date]. The remaining balance on invoice [INV-2026-014] is [amount left], and it is now past due.

Could you let me know when the balance will be paid?

Thanks,
[Your name]

Need a reminder for before the due date, or a short message for chat? See the payment reminder email templates.

Overdue invoice subject lines

Put the invoice number in every subject line. It makes the email easy to find and hard to ignore.

Past due invoice template: what to change on the invoice

You can send the same invoice again. But a past due copy makes the situation clear at a glance. Change these parts:

• Add PAST DUE near the top, with the number of days late.
• Keep the original invoice number and due date. Do not issue a new number for the same work.
• Add a late fee line only if your contract allows it, and show the new total.
• Repeat the payment details and your contact details.

You can make a clean copy in the free invoice generator: keep the same number and dates, and put the past due note in the Notes field.

Overdue or past due: is there a difference?

No. Both mean the due date has passed and the invoice is unpaid. "Past due" sounds a little softer and is common in the US. "Overdue" is more common in the UK and in formal notices. Use either one.

Tips that get overdue invoices paid faster

• Check that the client got the invoice. A wrong email address or a spam folder causes more late payments than you think.
• Send on a weekday morning, when accounts teams work through their inbox.
• Keep it about the invoice, not the person. Facts and dates, no blame.
• Call after 2 emails with no reply. A 5-minute call often finds the real problem.
• Set terms before the next project. A deposit and clear payment terms prevent the next late invoice.

Send overdue reminders automatically

Writing these emails by hand is slow, and it is easy to forget one. On the Due On Time Starter plan ($12/month), you email the invoice from the app and pick a reminder schedule. Due On Time sends up to 3 reminders per invoice after the due date, and stops when you mark the invoice paid. You can also see when the client opened the invoice. The Pro plan adds unlimited reminders, your own schedule and an AI reminder writer. Compare plans.

For what to do when reminders do not work, read what to do when a client will not pay.