Demand Letter for Payment — 2026 template

Final pre-suit demand to pay a debt or compensate a loss, suitable as the first step before small claims court

Country
United States
Category
Demand letters
Checked against the law

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What's inside

  • Summary of facts and calculation of the amount owed
  • Payment deadline and payment methods
  • Notice of intended small claims or civil suit
  • Settlement option and evidence list

Legal basis

  • [State] small claims court rules (many states require or expect a prior demand)
  • 15 U.S.C. § 1692a(6) (FDCPA does not apply to a creditor collecting its own debt in its own name)

Start of the text

This is the beginning of the template. Fields in square brackets are filled in the Legal editor.

[Your name] · [Your address] · [Your email and phone]

[Date]

Via [certified mail, return receipt requested / email]

To: [Recipient name], [Recipient address]

Re: Demand for payment of $[Amount owed] — (Short description, e.g. unpaid invoice no. [Invoice number])

1. Background

On [Date], you and I [What happened: agreement / goods or services received / incident] as follows: [Brief factual description]. Under (the agreement dated [Date] / applicable law), you were required to [Obligation], but you [Breach or failure].

2. Amount Owed

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