You\'re not alone — most contractors have a folder of work they never billed. The fix is simpler than the guilt suggests: send it now, keep the note short, and put a reminder in place so the next one doesn\'t slip too.
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The longer you wait to send the invoice, the more it grows in your head. The actual recovery takes about 15 minutes. Do these three steps today.
Confirm the agreed amount, the payment terms (net 14, net 30), and whether there\'s a clause limiting how late you can invoice. Most contracts don\'t, but a few enterprise clients require billing within 30 or 60 days of work completion.
Use the original date the work was completed as the invoice date. The due date should reflect your standard terms from that point (net 30 from completion, not net 30 from today). Attach it with a one-sentence note. Don\'t wait to find the "perfect" wording.
Late invoices are more likely to bounce, get questioned, or sit. Schedule a follow-up reminder for 7 days from now. If you don\'t hear back, you already have the timing in place to send a polite nudge.
The single biggest mistake is over-explaining. The client doesn\'t need three paragraphs about a hectic quarter or a misplaced spreadsheet. They need the invoice, a brief acknowledgement, and a path to pay it.
Hi [Name],
Apologies for the delay on this — attached is invoice #1042 for the [project] work completed in [month]. Total is [amount], net 30.
Let me know if you\'d like it sent through your AP system or in a different format.
Thanks,
[Your name]
That\'s it. Six sentences. Don\'t add "I know this is late and I\'m so sorry, things have been crazy, I should have sent this in March." That kind of preamble invites the client to push back on the price or the timing.
In the US, the statute of limitations for collecting on a written services contract is typically 4 years from the date payment was due, though it ranges from 3 to 6 years by state. For oral agreements, it\'s usually 2 to 3 years. Inside that window, the invoice is legally collectible, even if it\'s embarrassing.
Practically, the cutoff is much earlier. After 90 days, the client may have closed the budget. After 6 months, they may have switched accountants or moved the project off the books. After a year, you\'ll likely have to negotiate or write it off. Send before any of those windows close.
Statute of limitations rules vary by state — when in doubt, check with a local attorney or the state bar association.
Forgetting to invoice almost always traces back to one of three failures: no fixed billing date, no system that reminds you, or no follow-up loop when the first reminder gets ignored. Calendar entries fail because they vanish the moment you dismiss them. Sticky notes fail because they live next to other sticky notes.
An email reminder that follows up if you don\'t mark it done bridges the gap. Set it for the day the project wraps, or for a fixed monthly billing day. You can\'t forget what an email keeps reminding you of. The full system is described on the contractor invoice reminder pillar, and the cost of forgetting page shows what a single missed billing cycle does to cash flow.
Almost never. In most US states, the statute of limitations on a written services contract is 4 years (6 years in some states), and 2 to 3 years for an oral agreement. Practically, the longer you wait, the harder it gets to collect — but the invoice itself is still valid weeks, months, or even a year later.
Don't over-explain. One short sentence acknowledging the delay, then the invoice. "Apologies for the delay on this — invoice attached for the [project] work completed in [month]." No paragraph-long apology. The client mostly wants the bill, not your reasoning.
No, unless the client specifically asks. Discounting an already-late invoice trains the client to expect concessions and undervalues your work. The work is what it's worth. Late billing is a process problem, not a quality problem.
Generally no, as long as you're within the statute of limitations and the work was delivered as agreed. They can push back, negotiate, or delay — but a late invoice is still legally enforceable. That said, "I forgot to bill" weakens your collection leverage if it becomes a dispute.
Same answer in reverse: usually 4 years from the date the work was completed under a written contract. After the statute of limitations expires, the debt becomes legally uncollectible. If you're a client wondering whether you have to pay a 5-year-old invoice, check your state's statute first.
Set a recurring reminder for the day you said you'd invoice — monthly, at project end, or on a fixed date. An email reminder you can't accidentally dismiss beats a calendar entry. Add a second reminder for the follow-up date, so the entire billing rhythm runs without you tracking it in your head.
Once you've sent the late invoice, set a reminder for your next billing date. The recovery is one step. The prevention is the second.
Set My Invoicing ReminderLast modified: