Invoice payment terms in South Africa: 7, 14 or 30 days, and how to word them
Short answer: choose the shortest terms your customer will accept, put them on the quote as well as the invoice, and ask for a deposit on any job with material costs. For small jobs and private customers, due on receipt or 7 days. For ongoing business clients, 14 or 30 days. The terms you agreed in writing before the work are the ones you can rely on.
On this page: the options · how to choose · deposits for jobs · wording you can copy · when payment is late · questions
The common payment terms
| Term | Meaning | Where it fits |
|---|---|---|
| Due on receipt | Pay as soon as the invoice arrives | Small jobs, private customers, one-off work |
| 7 days | Due a week after the invoice date | Quick turnaround jobs, trades, repeat private clients |
| 14 days | Due two weeks after the invoice date | A sensible default for many small businesses |
| 30 days | Due a month after the invoice date | Larger businesses, who often set this themselves |
| Deposit, then balance | Part up front, the rest on completion | Jobs with material costs, installations, anything with a long lead time |
How to choose
- Think about your cash. If you buy materials before you are paid, long terms mean you lend your client money. A deposit shortens that gap.
- Think about who is paying. A large company's accounts department may pay on a fixed monthly run. Ask what their cycle is and set your due date to land before it.
- Be specific. "Payable within 14 days of invoice date" is clearer than "Net 14", and "Due 16 November 2026" is clearer still.
- Agree terms before the work. Put them on the quote. A client who accepted a quote with the terms on it has agreed to them.
Deposits and staged payments for jobs
On a trade or project job, a deposit protects you against buying materials for a client who then changes their mind. For example, 50% to start and 50% on completion is a common split, but the right split depends on the job. For larger projects, tie payments to stages: foundations, roof on, handover.
Bill the deposit with its own invoice, and make the final invoice show the deposit already paid so nothing is billed twice. See how to write a quote that gets accepted, which covers putting the terms on the quote.
Wording you can copy
- Small job: "Payment is due on receipt of this invoice. Please use INV-0042 as your payment reference."
- Standard: "Payment is due within 14 days of the invoice date. Please use INV-0042 as your payment reference."
- Deposit: "A 50% deposit is due on acceptance of this quote. The balance is due on completion of the work."
- With interest: "Overdue amounts attract interest at [your rate]% per [month/year] from the due date until paid." Check the rate against our interest guide first; the limits differ for private customers.
When payment is late
- Send a friendly reminder a few days before the due date.
- Follow up on the day after it is overdue, politely, with the payment details again. Our late-invoice follow-up messages are ready to copy.
- Work out what interest has built up with the late payment interest calculator.
- If it stays unpaid, read how to recover it through the Small Claims Court.
Let the reminders go out for you
Zuvo shows clients how to pay and, on the trial, Growth and Business, sends polite reminders before and after the due date until the invoice is paid, if you switch them on.
Try Zuvo free for 7 days, no cardQuestions people ask
What payment terms should I put on my invoices?
Pick terms that match how you are paid and how much cash you can carry. Due on receipt or 7 days suits small jobs and individuals. 14 days is a common middle ground. 30 days is normal with larger businesses, who often insist on it. Put the terms on your quote as well as the invoice, because terms agreed before the work are the ones you can rely on.
Is there a legal default payment term in South Africa?
There is no general law that sets a default term for private-sector invoices. The terms are what you and the customer agreed. That is why it matters to state them on the quote and the invoice, and why a customer who accepted your quote has a harder time disputing them.
Can I charge interest if an invoice is paid late?
You can charge interest at an agreed rate, and for a business customer with no agreed rate the prescribed rate of interest applies. For private customers there are limits. Our interest guide and calculator set out the rules and the sources.
Should I ask for a deposit?
For a job with material costs or a long lead time, yes. A common arrangement is a deposit to start and the balance on completion. Whatever you choose, write it on the quote so the client agrees to it before work begins.
What is the best way to get paid faster?
Invoice the day the work is done, show exactly how to pay with a reference, make paying a one-step action, and follow up before and after the due date. Most late payment is not refusal, it is forgetfulness or friction.
General information, not legal advice. Which terms and interest apply depends on your agreement and your customer.