Letter · landlords

Late rent notice

Type the rent, the due date and the late fee. The letter adds it up, dates it and points to your lease, ready to print.

Tenant name

Your name

Property address

Rent due

Due date

Paid so far

Late fee

0 for none. Work it out

Letter date

Pay by

Lease section on late rent

The number, like 4 or 12(b). The letter points to it instead of making threats.

How to pay

Optional, like “check to the office” or “through the tenant portal”.

State

Optional. Shows the state’s grace period and late-fee cap.

Choose your state to see its grace period and late-fee cap.

Late rent notice

Your name

September 30, 2026

Tenant name
Property address

Re: Late rent, Property address

Dear Tenant name,

Rent of $1,500.00 was due on September 1, 2026 and hasn’t been received. As of September 30, 2026, it is 29 days late.

Rent due September 1, 2026	$1,500.00
Late fee under the lease	$75.00
Total now due	$1,575.00

Please pay $1,575.00 by October 7, 2026.

Section number of our lease covers late rent. If the full amount isn’t paid by October 7, 2026, the terms in that section apply.

If you can’t pay in full by then, please contact me before that date so we can talk it through. If you have already paid, thank you, and please let me know so I can check my records.

Sincerely,

Your name

Landlord or manager

Delivered on date by hand, mail or email

A template, not legal advice. Check your lease and your state’s rules.

Checklist

What this letter should include

A late notice works best when it is prompt, exact and calm. These make it all three.

01
The rent amount, the date it was due, and how many days late it is.
02
Anything already paid, the late fee your lease allows, and the total now due.
03
A clear pay-by date and how to pay.
04
The lease section that covers late rent, in place of threats.
05
Your name, a signature and the date it was delivered. Keep a copy.

FAQ

Questions people ask

When should I send a late rent notice?

As soon as the grace period in your lease, or your state’s, has passed. A prompt, friendly letter with the exact amount gets paid more often than a phone call, and it gives you a dated record.

Check your state’s rule above first: some states allow no late fee until rent is several days late.

Is this the same as a pay-or-quit notice?

No. This letter is a reminder with the numbers in it. A pay-or-quit notice is a formal step many states require before an eviction case, and it often has to follow a set form, a set number of days and set delivery rules.

If it comes to that, use your state’s or court’s own form, and get local advice.

How much can I charge as a late fee?

Only what the lease says, and no more than your state allows. Some states cap late fees, often at 5% of the rent, and some require a grace period first.

Where there is no cap, courts still expect a fee that fits the real cost of a late payment. The late fee calculator works out what a lease’s fee comes to.

Why does the letter name a section of the lease?

Because the lease is what both of you signed. Pointing to the clause on late rent keeps the letter factual and calm, and makes the next step something the tenant already agreed to, not a threat.

Look for the section on rent, late payment or default, and type its number.

Late rent notice

Late rent notice

What this letter should include

Questions people ask

Related tools

Late fee calculator

Rent receipt

Notice to vacate