Should you charge a late fee?
Only if it was agreed before the work, and only if you’ll apply it every time. A late fee nobody agreed to is a dispute, and one you waive for some clients is a favor you’ve given the rest. For most practices of one, a reminder on a schedule recovers more than a fee does.
Agreed first, applied always
Put the fee in the agreement, with the amount and when it starts. Then charge it, every time, to everybody. A rule applied to some clients and not others turns into an argument with the ones it’s applied to.
In the UK, for business clients
When a business pays a business late, the law lets you claim interest at 8% above the Bank of England base rate, plus a fixed sum of £40, £70 or £100 depending on the size of the debt. It doesn’t apply to individuals paying for themselves.
In the US
It depends on the state and on what your agreement says. Some states cap the interest you can charge, so check before you set a figure.
What works better
Most late invoices are forgotten, not refused. A reminder the day before it’s due and another a few days after does more than a fee, and keeps the client. On WorkWith, reminders go out from your own name after the days you set, and WorkWith doesn’t add a fee to anything.
This is how things stand, in outline. Your state or country, the size of the debt and the client can each change the answer.
Sources: GOV.UK, Late commercial payments: charging interest and debt recovery. Checked 2026-10-11.