How to follow up on an unpaid invoice
A late invoice may get paid after a reminder or two. Sometimes the customer forgot, the invoice got buried, or paying it took more effort than it should. A calm, steady follow-up gets you paid without burning the relationship.
This is general guidance, not legal advice. Rules on late fees, interest, liens, small claims limits, and how you may contact people about money they owe differ by state. Check your state's rules, or talk to a lawyer, before you charge a fee or take formal action.
1. Make the first invoice easy to pay
The best follow-up is the one you never send. Send the invoice the day the job is done, write a real due date ("Due by October 30"), and put your business's own payment link or business profile handle right next to the balance due. Our guide to writing an invoice that gets paid on time covers the details. For due-date and payment wording you can copy, see invoice payment terms.
2. First reminder: a day or two after the due date
Keep it short and friendly, and assume it's an honest slip. Send it the way the customer answers you, whether that's a text or an email. Include the invoice number, the amount, the date it was due, and the payment link again so they can pay without digging for the original.
3. Second reminder: about a week later
Resend the invoice itself, not just a note. Ask if anything is wrong with the work or the bill. Sometimes a customer holds off because of a question they haven't asked, and it's better to hear it now.
4. Call
If two written reminders get no answer, pick up the phone. A short, polite call can settle it faster than another message. Be specific: the amount, the invoice number, and when you'd like it paid. Write down what they say and send a one-line text or email afterward confirming it.
5. Offer a plan if they're stuck
If the customer says they can't pay it all at once, a simple plan in writing can be better than waiting. List the amounts and dates, say how they'll pay, and ask them to reply "Agreed." Keep a copy with the invoice. Give a receipt for each part payment so the balance stays clear; the payment receipt template works it out for you.
6. Final notice: firm, and only promise what you'll do
When you send a last notice, say what happens next and by what date. Only name a step you're actually prepared to take and that's allowed in your state, such as filing in small claims court. Stay polite and factual. A calm final notice reads much better later, to a judge or anyone else, than an angry one.
7. Know your next steps before you need them
If reminders don't work, options include small claims court, a mechanic's or construction lien where your trade and state allow it, or handing the account to a collection agency. Liens in particular can have strict notice rules and deadlines that start when you begin or finish the work, so look up your state's rules early, not after the invoice is months old.
8. What not to do
- Don't threaten something you can't or won't do, or something the law doesn't allow.
- Don't add a late fee or interest that wasn't agreed in writing before the job.
- Don't message at odd hours, flood them with texts, or contact their employer, family, or neighbors about the debt.
- Don't post about the customer or the debt online.
- Don't stop sending a clear record. Every reminder should repeat the invoice number, amount, and due date.
Wording you can copy
Example only: change the names, numbers, dates, and terms to match your job and your state's rules.
First reminder: "Hi Pat, just a friendly reminder that invoice #1042 for the vanity install ($500.00) was due Friday. You can pay here: [your payment link]. Thanks again for the work!"
Second reminder: "Hi Pat, following up on invoice #1042 ($500.00, due October 30). I've attached it again. If anything about the job or the bill doesn't look right, let me know and I'll make it right. Otherwise you can pay here: [your payment link]."
Payment plan: "Happy to split it up. How about $250.00 by November 15 and $250.00 by November 30, paid here: [your payment link]? Reply 'Agreed' and I'll note it on the invoice."
Final notice: "Hi Pat, invoice #1042 ($500.00) is now 30 days past due and I haven't been able to reach you. Please pay by November 30 or call me to set up a plan. If I don't hear from you by then, I plan to file in small claims court. I'd much rather settle it with you directly."
Keep a simple record
For each late invoice, note the date of every reminder, how you sent it, and any reply. If it ever goes to small claims, that record and a copy of the signed estimate and invoice are what you'll need. Our free invoice template and the trade invoice templates on the invoice templates page print with the invoice number and due date, so every reminder can point to one clear page.
Want this on your phone?
Pencilslip is an estimates and invoices app for solo tradespeople. The free version works today in a web browser, including at phone size (tested in Chrome at phone width; testing on a real iPhone is still to come): estimates, invoices, job photos, your own payment link, and a PDF you can send. No account needed. Free: no cap on the number of estimates or invoices on this device. It saves only in this browser on this device, so download a backup from Settings now and then.
The full app isn't out yet. Founding access is open: pre-order your first year of Pencilslip for $29, with a full refund automatically if early access isn't open by December 15, 2026 and you haven't agreed to a new date. Your year starts the day early access opens. We plan to open it by December 15, 2026. See Pencilslip pricing for both options. Not ready to pre-order? Join the free waitlist below to get an email when the full app opens. You don't need it to use the free version.