Late payments hurt small businesses most. This tool writes a reminder you can send straight away:
Friendly: a polite nudge for customers who have simply forgotten.
Firm: cites the MSMED Act, 2006: buyers must pay micro and small enterprises within the agreed period, never more than 45 days from acceptance (15 days if there is no agreement). Late payments carry compound interest at three times the RBI bank rate.
It also reminds the buyer that, under income tax law, payments to micro and small enterprises made after this limit can’t be claimed as an expense until they are actually paid.
These protections apply to Udyam-registered micro and small manufacturers and service providers. Traders registered on Udyam are not covered.
How to fill it in
Customer nameThe person or company you are writing to.
Invoice number, amount and dateExactly as on the invoice. The message counts the days since the invoice date.
Your business nameHow you sign off.
Udyam numberOptional. Adding it in the firm version shows the buyer you are a registered micro or small enterprise.
ToneStart with Friendly. Switch to Firm once the payment is past your agreed credit period.
Reading the results
Message preview
The reminder, ready to send. Edit the wording after pasting if you want.
Days since the invoice
Counted from the invoice date. The legal 45 days run from the day the buyer accepts the goods or services, which is usually the delivery date.
Send on WhatsApp
Opens WhatsApp with the message filled in; you pick the contact.
Copy text
Copies the message for email or SMS.
Example: If a firm reminder doesn’t work, a micro or small enterprise can file a delayed-payment case online. Since 15 October 2025, all new cases go through the MSME Ministry’s Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) portal, which refers them to the state Facilitation Council for conciliation and, if needed, arbitration.
Recent changes
Rule carried into the new Income-tax Act
The 45-day deduction rule (formerly section 43B(h)) continues as section 37(2)(g) of the Income-tax Act, 2025, the government confirmed in the Rajya Sabha on 21 July 2026.
Delayed-payment cases move online
All new delayed-payment cases must be filed on the MSME ODR portal, which went live on 27 June 2025.
Late payment no longer deductible
Buyers can claim payments to micro and small enterprises as an expense only in the year they actually pay, if they pay after the MSMED Act time limit.
Last reviewed on 16 October 2026. Results are estimates to help you plan, not legal or tax advice. Check notifications on the official portals before you file or pay.