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Late document fee calculator
Work out what one late client really costs you, then pick a fee you can defend. Enter your rate and the extra time a late cycle takes. Nothing you type is sent to our server.
The figures above are examples; replace them with your own. This is a cost estimate, not legal or tax advice. Whether and how you may charge a late fee depends on your jurisdiction, professional body and engagement letter.
How to use the number
The result is a floor, not a price list: it is what a late client costs you in time you could have billed. A flat fee near that figure is easy to explain and hard to argue with. For the three common structures (flat, hourly surcharge, percentage uplift) and wording for the clause, read late document fee: how much to charge clients. To put the clause in a letter, use the engagement letter generator.
Cheaper than charging the fee
Most of the cost above is the chasing itself. Four follow-ups at eight minutes each is already half an hour a cycle, before any rework. A single private upload link with automatic reminders removes most of those follow-ups, so fewer cycles are late in the first place. See the reminder email sequence you can send by hand, or click through the 60-second demo to see the automatic version.
Stop paying for the chasing
Send the list as a DocNag request: your client uploads through one link and gets automatic reminders that quote the due date. Free plan, no card.
Create a request See the client view firstFrequently asked questions
How much should a late document fee be?
Start from what a late cycle costs you: extra follow-ups, rework and rescheduling at your effective hourly rate. A fee near that cost is easy to justify. There is no standard amount.
Is a late document fee allowed?
It depends on your jurisdiction, your professional body and what your engagement letter says. Check those before you charge one, and put the clause in writing before the work starts.
Flat fee or hourly surcharge?
A flat fee is simpler to explain and invoice. An hourly surcharge scales with how messy the delivery is. The guide linked above compares them.
Does this calculator store my numbers?
No. The calculation runs in your browser and nothing is sent to our server.