Accounts receivable email templates are ready-made messages for chasing payment on invoices, from a friendly reminder before the due date to a firm final notice once an invoice is well overdue. This page gives six, one for each stage: pre-due reminder, due-date note, first overdue, second reminder, statement, and final notice.
Each template has a subject line and body with merge fields. Copy them from the page or download all six as a CSV. For a complete follow-up schedule, see our AR action plan template.
If your invoices are in Xero or QuickBooks Online, Paidnice sends emails like these automatically, on the schedule you set for each customer group.
Key facts
- The six emails go out 3 days before the due date, on it, then 3, 7, 14 and 30 days after.
- The final notice gives 7 days to pay before further action.
- UK law treats payment as late 30 days after the customer gets the invoice if no date was agreed (gov.uk).
The golden rule: stay polite and helpful early, get firmer over time, and always make it easy to pay with a payment link.
The 6 collections email templates
Copy, paste and personalize. Replace the {{fields}} with your details, or download all six as a CSV below.
When to send: 3 days before the due date
Tone: Friendly heads-up
Subject: Your invoice {{invoice}} is due on {{due_date}}
Hi {{name}},
A quick reminder that invoice {{invoice}} for {{amount}} is due on {{due_date}}. You can pay online here: {{pay_link}}.
Thank you,
{{your_name}}
When to send: On the due date
Tone: Polite and light
Subject: Invoice {{invoice}} is due today
Hi {{name}},
Just a note that invoice {{invoice}} for {{amount}} is due today. If you have already paid, thank you and please ignore this. Otherwise you can pay here: {{pay_link}}.
Best,
{{your_name}}
When to send: 3 days after the due date
Tone: Polite; ask for a payment date
Subject: Invoice {{invoice}} is now overdue
Hi {{name}},
Invoice {{invoice}} for {{amount}} was due on {{due_date}} and is now overdue. Could you let me know when we can expect payment, or pay online here: {{pay_link}}?
Thank you,
{{your_name}}
When to send: 7 days after the due date
Tone: Direct; offer to fix any invoice query
Subject: Following up on overdue invoice {{invoice}}
Hi {{name}},
I am following up on invoice {{invoice}} for {{amount}}, now 7 days overdue. If there is an issue with the invoice please let me know; otherwise a payment date would be appreciated. Pay link: {{pay_link}}.
Regards,
{{your_name}}
When to send: 14 days after the due date
Tone: Firm; set a short payment window
Subject: Overdue account: invoice {{invoice}}
Hi {{name}},
Our records show invoice {{invoice}} for {{amount}} remains unpaid, 14 days past its due date of {{due_date}}. Please arrange payment within the next few days, or contact me to discuss. Pay link: {{pay_link}}.
Thank you,
{{your_name}}
When to send: 30 days after the due date
Tone: Formal; give a deadline and the next step
Subject: Final notice before further action: invoice {{invoice}}
Hi {{name}},
Despite previous reminders, invoice {{invoice}} for {{amount}} remains unpaid and is now 30 days overdue. Please settle the balance within 7 days to avoid late fees or further action under our terms. Pay link: {{pay_link}}.
Regards,
{{your_name}}
Example: one invoice through the sequence
Invoice INV-1042 for $2,400 is due 12 Jun. The final notice on 12 Jul asks for payment by 19 Jul.
| Send date | Days from due date | |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-due reminder | 9 Jun | 3 days before |
| Due today | 12 Jun | Due date |
| First overdue | 15 Jun | 3 days |
| Second reminder | 19 Jun | 7 days |
| Statement / firm reminder | 26 Jun | 14 days |
| Final notice | 12 Jul | 30 days |
How do I write a payment reminder email?
Keep it short and friendly: greet the customer, state the invoice number, amount and due date, and include a payment link. Before the due date it is a gentle heads-up; after it, a clear request for a payment date.How do I write a final notice for an overdue invoice?
Be formal and specific: reference the invoice and the previous reminders, state how overdue it is, give a deadline (for example 7 days), and name the next step under your terms.Should collections emails be automated?
Automating the sequence keeps it consistent and saves hours, while you still personalize the high-value or sensitive accounts manually. Accounts receivable software can send these on a schedule; see our software guide.What is a good collections email sequence?
A pre-due reminder a few days before the due date, a note on the due date, then escalating overdue emails at roughly 3, 7, 14 and 30 days past due, ending in a final notice. Consistency matters more than the exact days.How do I keep a good relationship while chasing payment?
Lead with a helpful tone, assume the best (most late payments are oversights), make paying effortless with a link, and only escalate the tone gradually. Offering to resolve any invoice query also keeps things constructive.
Harry P. Smart
Harry P. Smart is a CPA based between London and New York City. Harry writes and leads the review of the software guides on Accounting.Events.
Julie Turnbridge
Julie Turnbridge is a freelance writer and bookkeeper based in the Midlands in the United Kingdom. She checks every price, review count, award and date in our guides against the primary source before a guide is marked as fact-checked.