When an invoice sails past its due date, resending the original does not do much, and what gets a client to act is a past due invoice that clearly shows the payment is late, how late, and any fee that has been added. A good past due invoice restates the original charge, marks it overdue, applies the late fee your terms allow, and sets a firm new due date. Here is what to put on a past due invoice, a sample you can copy, and how to send it so you actually get paid.
What a past due invoice is
A past due invoice is a follow-up version of an invoice that was not paid by its due date. It carries the same core details as the original, the invoice number, the work, and the amount, but adds the overdue status, the number of days late, any late fee your terms permit, and a new, firm due date.
It is different from a payment reminder email. The email is the message that nudges the client, and the past due invoice is the updated document you attach to it, showing the revised amount with the late fee. Sending both together, a short firm email with the updated invoice, is what moves an overdue payment, since the client sees the new total in a formal document rather than just a note asking for money.
What to include on a past due invoice
A past due invoice needs the original invoice's details plus the overdue specifics.
A clear "Past due" label:: stated at the top, so the status is unmistakable.
The original invoice number and date:: so the client can match it to the first invoice.
The original work and amount:: the same line items as before.
The original due date:: and how many days the payment is now overdue.
A late fee, if your terms allow:: the fee applied, as a flat amount or a percentage.
The new total:: the original amount plus the late fee.
A firm new due date:: a specific date to pay by, not "as soon as possible."
Payment methods:: how to pay, made as easy as possible.
Your details and the client's:: unchanged from the original.
The overdue status, the late fee, and the firm new due date are what make a past due invoice work, since they turn a quiet unpaid invoice into a document with clear consequences and a deadline.
Sample past due invoice line items
Here is what realistic past due invoice line items look like, for an invoice a month overdue with a late fee.
| Description | Qty | Rate | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Original invoice #1042 (net 30, issued Jun 15) | 1 | $2,400 | $2,400 |
| Late fee (1.5% per month overdue) | 1 | $36 | $36 |
Original due date: Jul 15 · 31 days overdue · New total: $2,436 · Pay by: Aug 22
Restating the original invoice, adding the late fee your terms allow, and setting a firm new due date shows the client the payment is late and what it now costs, which is what a plain resend of the original never does.
Build your past due invoice for free
You do not need to build this from scratch. Our free invoice generator lays out every field above, does the math including the late fee, and downloads a professional PDF in minutes, with no signup. Restate the original, add the fee, set the new date, and send.
The free tool is ideal for a one-off past due invoice. What it does not do is watch your due dates and chase overdue invoices for you. FileCurrent tracks which invoices are late and sends the reminders automatically, so most invoices get followed up the day they are overdue, before they ever reach a hardened past due stage.
How to send a past due invoice
The document matters, but so does how and when you send it.
Send the past due invoice the day the payment is late, with a short, firm, polite email, and follow up on a schedule rather than waiting and hoping. The how to follow up on an unpaid invoice guide walks through the sequence, and the invoice reminder email template gives you wording to attach it to. Apply only the late fee your original terms and contract allow, which the late fees on invoices guide covers, so the fee is enforceable and fair.
Frequently asked questions
What is a past due invoice?
It is a follow-up version of an unpaid invoice that has passed its due date. It restates the original invoice number, work, and amount, and adds the overdue status, the days late, any permitted late fee, the new total, and a firm new due date. It is the updated document you send to prompt payment on an invoice that was not paid on time.
What should a past due invoice include?
A clear "past due" label, the original invoice number and date, the same work and amount, the original due date and days overdue, a late fee if your terms allow, the new total, a firm new due date, and easy payment methods. The overdue status, the fee, and the firm deadline are what make it work.
How do I add a late fee to a past due invoice?
Apply only the late fee your original invoice terms and contract allow, commonly a flat amount or a percentage per month overdue, such as 1.5 percent. Add it as its own line, show the new total including it, and set a firm new due date. Because the fee was agreed in your terms up front, it is enforceable and fair rather than a surprise.
What is the difference between a past due invoice and a reminder email?
The reminder email is the message that nudges the client to pay, and the past due invoice is the updated document you attach, showing the overdue status and the new total with any late fee. They work together: a short firm email with the revised invoice moves payment better than either alone, since the client sees a formal document, not just a request.
How do I make a past due invoice?
Restate the original invoice's number, work, and amount, mark it "past due," add the original due date and days overdue, apply any late fee your terms allow, show the new total, and set a firm new due date with easy payment options. A free invoice generator handles the layout and math, and a dedicated tool chases overdue invoices for you automatically.
A clear past due invoice shows a client the payment is late and what it now costs, and it gets results a plain resend does not. Better still, FileCurrent chases invoices the day they are overdue and applies your late fees automatically, so most never reach the past due stage at all. $15/month or $129/year. 7-day free trial, no card required.