Collection letter template
By Justin Winter · Updated August 20, 2026
You can send a past-due invoice collection letter online in about two minutes: we typeset your letter and mail it USPS Certified with electronic Return Receipt for $14.99 all-in, so you have a dated, delivered first notice on record before you escalate to a collections agency.
A past-due invoice buried in email gets ignored. A physical letter reads as a genuine escalation, and it gives you a delivery-verified paper trail — useful if the account eventually goes to a collections agency or small claims court.
First notice vs. final notice
For a first notice, some businesses start with plain First-Class ($1.99) and keep the tone professional. Save Certified + Return Receipt for a final notice before referring the account to collections — that is when proof of exactly when it was received starts to matter.
How it works
- Open the template, add the invoice number, amount, and due date.
- Pay $14.99 (Certified + Return Receipt) — mailed the next business day.
- Keep the delivery record if the account escalates further.
This template is a tool, not legal advice.
Common questions
Why send a formal letter instead of just emailing?
A physical letter reads as a genuine escalation, not another email in a crowded inbox, and it creates a delivery-verified paper trail — useful if the account later goes to collections or small claims.
What should a first collection letter include?
The invoice number, amount, and due date; a specific new deadline; and an offer to discuss if there is a dispute or hardship. Keep the tone professional — save firmer language for a follow-up notice if this one is ignored.
Certified Mail or plain First-Class?
For a first notice, some businesses start with First-Class ($1.99) and reserve Certified with Return Receipt ($14.99) for a final notice before referring the account to collections — the delivery proof matters most closer to that decision.