The answer depends on where you are, what you agreed to, and whether you put it in writing. In most cases, the payment timeline is whatever your invoice or contract says — not a fixed legal number.
The US: no federal payment deadline
In the United States, there is no federal law that sets a default payment deadline for commercial invoices. The deadline is what you agreed to. If your contract says Net 30, the client has 30 days. If your invoice says Net 14, the client has 14 days. If you didn’t specify terms, the deadline is whatever a court would consider “reasonable” — typically 30 days, but that’s not codified.
This means your invoice and contract language is your primary protection. Without stated terms, chasing a late payment involves proving what a “reasonable” timeframe was, which is vaguer and harder to enforce.
Some states have their own laws for specific contexts (government contracts, construction, subcontractor payments), but for general B2B freelance invoices, federal law doesn’t set a deadline.
The UK: 30-day statutory default
The UK’s Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 sets a 30-day default payment period for B2B transactions when no other payment period is agreed. If your invoice has no stated terms, the client has 30 days to pay by law.
Once the invoice is overdue, statutory interest applies automatically at 8% above the Bank of England base rate — and you don’t need to have included a late fee clause on the invoice to claim it. You can also claim a fixed debt recovery fee (£40–£100 depending on invoice size) for the administrative cost of chasing the debt.
If your contract specifies payment terms longer than 60 days, those terms must be shown to be fair — terms that are “grossly unfair” to the supplier can be challenged.
The EU: Late Payment Directive
The EU’s Late Payment Directive (2011/7/EU) sets a similar 30-day default for B2B transactions, extendable to 60 days by agreement. Statutory interest applies from the day after the payment deadline, at 8% above the European Central Bank reference rate.
Individual EU member states have implemented this differently, but the 30-day default and statutory interest provisions apply broadly across the EU.
What this means for your freelance invoices
Regardless of jurisdiction, these practical rules apply:
State your terms on every invoice. “Payment due within 14 days” or “Net 30” written on the invoice creates a clear, enforceable deadline. Without it, you’re relying on statutory defaults that vary by location and are harder to cite in a dispute.
Include a late fee clause. In the US, this is your primary leverage for overdue invoices. In the UK and EU, statutory interest applies even without it — but having your own clause often gets clients to pay before you have to invoke the statutory rates.
Calculate and display the due date. Write “Payment due: June 10, 2025” rather than just “Net 14.” The specific date removes all ambiguity.
Use automated reminders. Waco3 sends payment reminders based on the due date you set — three days before, on the due date, and after it passes. This is more reliable than manually tracking which invoices are overdue and often prevents late payment before it happens.
What to do when an invoice is overdue
- Send a polite overdue notice the day after the due date
- Send a firmer notice at 7 days overdue, citing your late fee clause
- At 14 days overdue, make direct contact — call, don’t just email
- At 30+ days overdue, consult a collections agency or small claims court depending on the amount
Most overdue invoices are paid after the first or second reminder. Systematic follow-up — not legal threats — resolves the majority of late payment situations.
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