A client says they never received my invoice. What should I do?
Client says they never got your invoice — what to do and how to make sure it doesn't happen again
Short answer
Resend the invoice immediately with delivery documentation: an email with a read receipt request, or a PDF attachment plus a text message linking to it. State explicitly that the original invoice was dated [date] and the new due date is calculated from that date, not from the resend. Confirm receipt by asking for a brief reply. Most 'never received' responses resolve within 24 hours once the invoice arrives again. If this happens more than once with the same client, it is a process problem on their end or a delay tactic on yours to address.
Resend the same invoice — same invoice number, same amount, same original issue date — via email, with a short message: 'Hi [name], resending Invoice [number] for [amount] dated [original date]. Please let me know once you have received it. Payment is due [original due date].' Attach the PDF. Request a read receipt in your email client if possible. If you have their mobile number, send a brief text: 'Just resent Invoice #X to your email — please let me know it arrived.'
Do not change the due date. The due date is calculated from the original issue date, not from when the customer claims they received it. If your contract says net-30 from invoice date and the original invoice was dated May 1, the due date is May 31 regardless of when you resend. A client who says 'I never got it, so the clock starts now' is asking you to finance their delay, and you are under no obligation to agree. State the original due date clearly.
Explicitly confirm receipt. Do not assume the resend landed. A reply saying 'Got it, thanks' or 'Received' is worth asking for. If you have not heard back within 24 hours, a brief follow-up ('Checking that my resend of Invoice #X reached you — just want to confirm before the due date') is completely professional. You are not chasing them; you are confirming a document was received, which is a reasonable business ask.
If the invoice is genuinely past due even on the original date, contact them about the outstanding balance, not just the resend. Acknowledge that you are sending it again and note that payment was due [original date], so if they can get this processed quickly you would appreciate it. Keep the tone neutral. Most customers who give the 'never received' excuse in good faith move quickly once the invoice is in their inbox.
If this happens more than once with the same client, update your process. Most accounting software (QuickBooks, Xero, FreshBooks) shows whether an emailed invoice was opened. If it was opened and then the client says they never received it, that is a different conversation. If it genuinely was not delivered, the problem is usually a spam filter on their end — call them and ask for a personal email address or a different delivery method.