# Free Payment Reminder Text and Email Generator

A payment reminder is a short message that tells a customer an invoice is coming due or overdue and makes it easy to pay. The reminders that work start friendly before the due date and get firmer at 7, 15 and 30 days late, while staying factual: invoice number, amount, due date, a payment link and a way to talk.

## Key takeaways

- Send the first reminder before the due date. A lot of late invoices are simply forgotten.
- Every reminder includes the invoice number, amount, due date and the easiest way to pay.
- Get firmer over time, never threatening. No legal claims, no shaming, no fake deadlines.
- Late fees and collection rules vary by state. Put any late fee in your signed terms before the job, not in a reminder after it.

With the default inputs, the 7-days-overdue text reads: "Hi Dana, invoice #1042 for $640 was due Nov 15 and still shows open. Could you take care of it this week? - Sample Plumbing" That's 123 characters, one SMS. Add a payment link and every reminder includes it.

## When should you send payment reminders?

Send a friendly reminder a few days before the due date, one on the due date, and then firmer reminders at 7, 15 and 30 days past due. That schedule catches customers who simply forgot before the invoice goes stale, and it gives you a clear record if you have to escalate later.

**The payment reminder schedule, polite to firm**

| When | Tone | What it says |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3 days before due | Friendly | A heads-up with the amount, due date and payment link. |
| Due today | Friendly | It's due today, here's how to pay, ignore this if you've paid. |
| 7 days overdue | Polite, direct | It still shows open; could you take care of it this week? Invites them to flag a problem. |
| 15 days overdue | Firm | Second notice. Asks for payment by a date or a date they can commit to. |
| 30 days overdue | Firm, final | Asks for payment within 7 days or a call to set up a payment plan. Says you want to settle it directly. |

After 30 days, stop automated reminders and call. A phone call finds out whether there's a complaint about the work, a cash problem, or a wrong address, and each needs a different fix. [How to collect unpaid invoices](https://www.brix.so/learn/how-to-collect-unpaid-invoices) covers what to do next, from payment plans to small claims.

## What should a payment reminder say?

- **Who it's from.** Business name first, so it isn't mistaken for a scam text.
- **The invoice number, amount and due date.** The customer shouldn't have to dig for the original invoice.
- **How to pay.** A payment link is the single biggest help. If you don't have one, say how you accept payment.
- **A way to raise a problem.** "If something doesn't look right, reply and we'll sort it out" brings disputes out early, while they're still small.
- **Nothing else.** No upsells, no review requests, no lecture about small businesses.

Here's the 30-days-overdue email the generator writes with the defaults: "Subject: Final reminder: invoice #1042 is 30 days past due Hi Dana, Invoice #1042 for $640 is now 30 days past due, and we haven't been able to reach you about it. Please pay within 7 days, or contact us to set up a payment plan. We'd like to settle this directly with you. If you have a question about the work or the amount, tell us and we'll look into it right away. Sample Plumbing"

## How firm can a payment reminder be?

Firm means clear and specific: the amount, how late it is, and the date you need payment or a plan. It never means threats, insults or legal claims you aren't prepared to back up. The generator's templates leave out late fees, interest, collections agencies and court on purpose, because whether you can charge or threaten any of those depends on your contract and your state.

- **Federal collection law mostly targets collectors, not you.** The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act defines a debt collector to exclude a creditor's own employees collecting in the creditor's name, but it does cover a business collecting its own debts under a different name that suggests a third party is involved. Don't send reminders as "Recovery Department" if that's really you.
- **Your state may cover you anyway.** California's Rosenthal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, for example, defines a debt collector as anyone who regularly collects debts "on behalf of that person or others," which reaches businesses collecting their own consumer debts. Other states have their own rules.
- **Use reasonable hours.** Federal Regulation F treats contact before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m. local time as inconvenient for debt collectors. It's a good limit for your own reminders too.
- **Honor "stop texting me."** The FCC says consumers can opt out of automated texts at any time and in any reasonable manner. Switch to email, mail or a phone call.

> This is general information, not legal advice. Late fees, interest, collection rules and lien rights vary by state and depend on your contract. Ask a local attorney before charging a late fee or threatening any legal step.

## Can you charge a late fee?

Maybe, but the place to set it is your estimate or contract, before the work starts, not in a reminder after the fact. States limit late fees and interest differently, and some cap them for consumer accounts. If you want a late fee, write it into your terms, check your state's rules with an attorney and show it on every invoice. The [contractor invoice template](https://www.brix.so/templates/invoice-template) has a payment-terms section, and [contractor deposit laws](https://www.brix.so/learn/contractor-deposit-laws) covers the related rules on upfront payments.

## Payment reminders by trade

**Where late payments come from in each trade**

| Trade | Typical late invoice | What helps |
| --- | --- | --- |
| HVAC and plumbing | Repair bills paid by a landlord or property manager | Send reminders to whoever approved the work, and ask for their AP email upfront. |
| Roofing | Final payment held until an insurance check arrives | Put the insurance timeline in writing, and remind on the date the check was expected. |
| Lawn care and cleaning | Small recurring invoices that pile up | Card on file or autopay. A $45 visit isn't worth chasing four times. |
| Electrical and general contracting | Progress payments on bigger jobs | Bill at each milestone and pause work if a draw is overdue, as your contract allows. See [progress billing](https://www.brix.so/learn/progress-billing). |

## Common payment reminder mistakes

1. **Waiting until it's 30 days late to say anything.** The first reminder should go out before the due date.
2. **No payment link.** Every extra step (find the invoice, call the office, mail a check) delays payment.
3. **Threatening what you won't do.** An empty threat of court or collections costs you credibility and may break your state's rules.
4. **Shaming the customer.** Public posts, messages to their neighbors or calls to their employer can create real legal trouble and won't get you paid faster.
5. **Reminding someone who already paid.** Reconcile payments before you send. Syncing invoices and payments with your books prevents it.

Track how long invoices stay open with the [DSO calculator](https://www.brix.so/tools/dso-calculator), and read [how to get paid faster](https://www.brix.so/learn/how-to-get-paid-faster-as-a-contractor) for ways to shorten the wait before you ever need a reminder.

## Frequently asked questions

### How do you politely remind a customer to pay an invoice?

Send a short, friendly message with your business name, the invoice number, the amount, the due date and a payment link. Assume they forgot, not that they're avoiding you, and invite them to reply if something about the invoice looks wrong.

### When should I send a payment reminder?

Send the first a few days before the due date and another on the due date. If it's still unpaid, send firmer reminders at 7, 15 and 30 days past due, then call. Early reminders prevent most late payments.

### What do you say when a customer hasn't paid after 30 days?

State the invoice number, amount and that it's 30 days past due, ask for payment within a set number of days or a call to arrange a payment plan, and say you'd like to settle it directly. Then follow up by phone. Don't threaten steps you won't take.

### Can I text customers about unpaid invoices?

Generally yes, for customers you've done work for, as long as the messages are about their invoice, sent at reasonable hours and stop if they ask. Rules vary by state, and automated texts have extra FCC consent rules, so keep reminders informational and check with an attorney if you're unsure.

### Can I add a late fee to a payment reminder?

Only if your signed contract or invoice terms already allow it and your state permits it. A reminder isn't the place to invent a new fee. Write late fees into your terms before the work starts and check your state's limits.

### Does this payment reminder generator use AI?

No. It fills in reviewed templates with your business name, invoice number, amount, due date and payment link in your browser. Nothing you type is sent anywhere or stored.

## Related

- [How to Collect Unpaid Invoices (A Contractor's Escalation Plan)](https://www.brix.so/learn/how-to-collect-unpaid-invoices)
- [How to Get Paid Faster as a Contractor](https://www.brix.so/learn/how-to-get-paid-faster-as-a-contractor)
- [What Is Accounts Receivable?](https://www.brix.so/learn/accounts-receivable)
- [Days Sales Outstanding (DSO) Calculator for Contractors](https://www.brix.so/tools/dso-calculator)
- [Contractor Invoice Template](https://www.brix.so/templates/invoice-template)
- [Contractor invoicing software that sends the invoice and chases the money](https://www.brix.so/features/invoicing-payments)
- [Contractor Deposit Laws: How Much Can You Collect Up Front?](https://www.brix.so/learn/contractor-deposit-laws)
- [Free Estimate Follow-Up Email and Text Generator](https://www.brix.so/generators/estimate-follow-up)
- [Free Price Increase Letter Generator](https://www.brix.so/generators/price-increase-letter)
- [Bookkeeping for contractors that keeps your books tax-ready all year](https://www.brix.so/features/bookkeeping-taxes)

## Sources

- [FTC, Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (text), §803(6) definition of debt collector](https://www.ftc.gov/legal-library/browse/rules/fair-debt-collection-practices-act-text) (checked 2026-10-24)
- [eCFR, 12 CFR 1006.6, Communications in connection with debt collection (Regulation F)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-12/chapter-X/part-1006/subpart-B/section-1006.6) (checked 2026-10-24)
- [California Legislative Information, Civil Code §1788.2 (Rosenthal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act definitions)](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=CIV&sectionNum=1788.2) (checked 2026-10-24)
- [FCC, Stop Unwanted Robocalls and Texts (consumer guide)](https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/stop-unwanted-robocalls-and-texts) (checked 2026-10-24)

Talk to BRIX: call or text (518) 588-1122, email eeharris2004@gmail.com, or book a 15-minute call at https://cal.com/ethanharris/15min.

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Written by BRIX Editorial Team. Last updated 2026-10-24.
Canonical: https://www.brix.so/generators/payment-reminder