Late Fee Policy Reminder Email Templates

Mentioning late fees works best when it’s factual and tied to written terms. Use these templates to reference your policy, request payment, and secure a pay date—without picking a fight.

When to use / when to send

• Use when the invoice is overdue and late fees were agreed in writing (contract, terms, or signed proposal).
• Best around day 7–14 overdue, when gentle reminders haven’t produced payment.
• Use to prompt action before you actually apply a fee or escalate further.
• Avoid if the client is disputing the work—resolve the dispute first.
• If they ignore this, move to a deadline email using {{DeadlineDate}} and a channel switch (call/voicemail).

Checklist / what to include

• Invoice #{{InvoiceNumber}}, amount {{Amount}}, due {{DueDate}}
• Reference that late fees apply per your agreed terms
• Clear request: pay via {{PayLink}} or confirm payment date
• Reply deadline: please confirm by {{ReplyByDate}}
• A calm offer to resolve issues quickly via {{Phone}}

Copy/paste templates

Recommended timing / follow-up plan

• Send policy reminder once per invoice stage (don’t repeat daily)
• If no reply in 24–48 hours, call and request the scheduled pay date
• If they commit to a date, confirm it in writing the same day
• If they miss the committed date, set a new deadline ({{DeadlineDate}}) and escalate
• If they dispute the fee policy, keep discussion factual and move to written terms

Best practices / common mistakes

• Do: reference “agreed terms” instead of arguing about fairness
• Do: use late fees as a nudge, not a threat
• Don’t: apply a fee you won’t enforce consistently
• Don’t: mention late fees if they were never agreed in writing
• Do: keep the next action simple: pay link or exact payment date

FAQ

Related templates

• 7 day overdue invoice reminder email
• Collections warning email before collections
• Payment plan request email
• Accounts payable status check email