What payment terms should a freelancer use?

Net 7 to Net 14 for small clients, Net 30 only for larger companies with fixed AP cycles. Shorter terms plus a stated late fee are the most common way freelancers shorten payment delay.

Can I charge a late fee on an invoice?

Yes, if the fee is stated in writing before the work starts and the rate is lawful where you operate. A common structure is interest of a few percent above the central-bank base rate, or a flat administrative fee once the invoice passes 30 days overdue.

Should I ask for a deposit upfront?

A 30-50% deposit before work begins is standard practice for freelance projects and prevents most non-payment, because a client who will not pay a deposit will usually not pay the final invoice either.

Invoice payment terms & late-fee clauses freelancers actually use

Copy-paste wording for your invoice terms box. Free, no signup, no email required — paste any of these into the Notes / Terms field of the InvoiceLeaf invoice generator.

Not legal advice. Late-fee limits and interest rates vary by country and contract — check what is lawful where you invoice.

1. Standard payment terms (short is better)

Net 30 is a habit inherited from big-company accounts payable. Independent freelancers usually get paid faster by naming a shorter window explicitly.

Payment terms: Net 14. Payment is due within 14 days of the invoice date. Please reference invoice number [INV-0001] with your payment.

2. Deposit before work starts

The single most effective prevention: a client who won't pay a deposit usually won't pay the final invoice either.

A deposit of 40% of the total project fee is payable before work begins. The remaining balance is due on delivery, Net 7. Work is scheduled only after the deposit clears.

3. Late-payment interest

Interest tied to a public base rate is easy to justify and hard to argue with.

Overdue amounts accrue interest at 8% per annum above the prevailing central-bank base rate, calculated daily from the due date until payment is received in full.

4. Flat administrative fee

Simpler than interest and often more of a deterrent, because it lands immediately.

Invoices unpaid 30 days after the due date incur a flat administrative fee of 150.00 to cover the cost of collection and follow-up, added to the outstanding balance.

5. Early-payment discount (the friendly version)

Same effect, opposite framing — useful with clients you want to keep.

2% discount if paid in full within 7 days of the invoice date (2/7 Net 30).

6. Work stoppage & delivery hold

Leverage only works while you still hold something.

Work on this project pauses on any invoice more than 14 days overdue. Final files, source assets and transfer of usage rights are released on receipt of full payment.

7. Scope-change and rush clause

Most late invoices start as a disputed invoice. Kill the dispute in advance.

Work beyond the agreed scope is billed at [rate]/hour and approved in writing before it begins. Requests requiring delivery within 48 hours are billed at 1.5x the standard rate.

Put these on a real invoice in 60 seconds

InvoiceLeaf is a free invoice and estimate generator that runs entirely in your browser. No account, no email, no upload — your client data never leaves your device, and the PDF is generated locally.

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