Invoice Payment Terms Examples: Net 7, Net 14 & Net 30
Calculate the due date, copy clear wording and understand what the terms mean before you add them to a UK invoice.
What do Net 7, Net 14 and Net 30 mean?
They mean payment is due 7, 14 or 30 days after an agreed starting point, often the invoice date. The short label does not remove ambiguity: state whether you mean calendar or working days, name the starting point and show the actual due date.
Clear Net 14 example: Payment is due within 14 calendar days of the invoice date, by 15 September 2026. Please use invoice [NUMBER] as the payment reference.
Free wording builder
Calculate a due date and copy the payment terms
Choose the invoice date and agreed term. This helper uses calendar days and adds an exact date so the customer does not have to calculate it.
Due date: 18 November 2026
Payment is due within 14 calendar days of the invoice date, by 18 November 2026. Please use invoice [NUMBER] as the payment reference.
Check the agreed starting point before using the result. If your contract says working days, month-end or another trigger, calculate that separately and state the actual due date. For “due on receipt”, the date assumes the customer receives the invoice on the invoice date.
Payment terms examples at a glance
These examples assume the invoice date is the starting point and use calendar days. Replace the date and invoice number before sending.
| Term | Example due date | Wording to use |
|---|---|---|
| Due on receipt | 1 September 2026 | Payment is due on receipt of this invoice. Please pay by 1 September 2026. |
| Net 7 | 8 September 2026 | Payment is due within 7 calendar days of the invoice date, by 8 September 2026. |
| Net 14 | 15 September 2026 | Payment is due within 14 calendar days of the invoice date, by 15 September 2026. |
| Net 30 | 1 October 2026 | Payment is due within 30 calendar days of the invoice date, by 1 October 2026. |
How to write payment terms on an invoice
Write the term as an instruction the customer can act on. A useful payment-terms line contains four parts:
- The trigger: invoice date, receipt, delivery, completion or another agreed event.
- The period: a number of calendar or working days.
- The exact deadline: a date that removes the need for mental arithmetic.
- The payment action: the method and reference the customer should use.
Specific wording
Payment is due within 14 calendar days of the invoice date, by 15 September 2026. Please use invoice INV-1042 as the reference.
Wording to avoid
“Payment due soon”, “pay when convenient” or “weekly terms” leaves the deadline open to interpretation.
Invoice date, supply date and payment date are different
The invoice date is when the invoice is issued. The supply date is when the goods or services were provided. GOV.UK lists both among the information a standard invoice must include. The payment date is the agreed deadline for paying it.
A payment period does not have to start on the invoice date. Your agreement might instead use delivery, completion, acceptance, receipt of a valid invoice or month-end. Mirror the agreed trigger on the invoice and include the real due date.
Check the full official checklist in the GOV.UK invoice requirements.
What happens if no payment date was agreed?
GOV.UK says you can set your own payment terms. If you did not agree a payment date, the customer must pay within 30 days of receiving the invoice or the goods or service. Treat that as a legal backstop, not a reason to leave your invoice vague.
Read the current GOV.UK payment obligations guidance and agree the commercial terms before the work starts.
How to choose between due on receipt, Net 7, Net 14 and Net 30
There is no universally correct term. Choose a deadline both parties can follow, then record it in the quote, contract or purchase order before repeating it on the invoice.
- Check the customer’s process: ask whether they need a purchase-order number, supplier setup or a particular invoice date.
- Match the work: deposits or milestone invoices may be clearer than one distant deadline for a long project.
- Protect cash flow: do not offer a longer term by habit if it creates a gap your business cannot carry.
- Use an exact date: even familiar “Net” language can be misread when the starting point is unclear.
Late-payment rights apply differently to B2B invoices
For eligible business-to-business debts, statutory interest may be 8% a year above the Bank of England base rate, with fixed recovery compensation and certain reasonable recovery costs. Consumer debts follow different rules, and a contractual interest clause can affect the statutory route.
Check the contract and current GOV.UK late commercial payment guidance before claiming. You can also use the late-payment interest calculator for an initial eligible-B2B estimate.
Set the terms once, check each due date
Save your usual payment terms in business settings, then review the actual due date and payment instructions on each invoice.
- Agree the terms with your customer before the work starts. Use an explicit due date as well as any Net 7, Net 14 or Net 30 wording.
- Save your usual terms in Business Profile and reusable payment instructions in Invoice Settings.
- Create a draft and check the dates, currency and payment details before sending or printing it.
Invoice payment terms FAQ
What are standard invoice payment terms in the UK?
There is no single term that every UK invoice must use. You can agree a payment date with your customer. If no payment date is agreed, GOV.UK says the customer must pay within 30 days of receiving the invoice or the goods or service.
Does Net 30 mean calendar days or working days?
The short label can be ambiguous. The examples on this page use calendar days from the invoice date. Write calendar days or working days explicitly and include the actual due date.
Does Net 30 always start on the invoice date?
Only if that is what you agreed. Terms may instead start from receipt, delivery, completion, approval or month-end. Name the starting point and add the exact due date.
What does due on receipt mean on an invoice?
It means payment is expected when the customer receives the invoice. Because receipt time can be unclear, send the invoice promptly and add a specific payment date.
How should weekly payment terms be written?
State the weekly trigger and a real deadline. For example: Payment for work completed Monday to Sunday is due by the following Friday, [DATE]. Avoid writing weekly payment terms without saying which week or date applies.
Can I add late-payment interest after an invoice is overdue?
Eligible business-to-business debts may qualify for statutory interest and recovery costs, but consumer invoices follow different rules and contractual interest can affect the statutory route. Check the agreement and current GOV.UK guidance before claiming.