Net 45 Payment Terms: Meaning, Due Dates and When to Use Them

Net 45 means the full amount on an invoice is due within 45 calendar days of the invoice date. An invoice dated June 1, 2026 on net 45 terms is due July 16, 2026. It sits between net 30 and net 60, and it often comes up as the compromise when a client asks for 60 days and you want 30.

Net 45 is one of several common invoice payment terms. This guide shows how to work out a net 45 due date, why the day you send the invoice matters more than usual, and how to write the term on an invoice. For the terms on either side, see net 30 payment terms and net 60 payment terms.

What does net 45 mean?

Net 45 is a payment term that gives the client 45 days to pay the full invoice amount. "Net" means the total owed, with no early-payment discount taken off. You will also see it written as "45 days net" or "net 45 days."

The rules match the other net terms:

• The clock starts on the invoice date. Delivery, the day the client opens the email, and the day their finance team approves the invoice do not move it, unless your contract says so.
• Days are calendar days. Weekends and public holidays count.
• Day 45 is the deadline. The client can pay sooner, but expect a client who asked for 45 days to use them.

How do you calculate a net 45 due date?

Add 45 days to the invoice date. That is about a month and a half, but the exact date depends on how many days are left in the invoice month and how long the next month is.

February is the month to watch. An invoice dated January 15, 2026 is due on March 1, because February 2026 has only 28 days. "Mid-March" would be the wrong guess.

Write the actual date next to the term, for example "Net 45, due March 1, 2026." Then nobody has to count.

Net 45 vs net 30 vs net 60

Each step adds 15 days to the time your money sits in the client's account.

The last column uses the same simplified model as our net 30 and net 60 guides: you invoice $4,000 a month, bill evenly through the month, and every client pays exactly on the due date. Clients who pay late make the real numbers bigger.

Why the invoice date matters more on net 45

Net 30 almost always pays out the next month, and net 60 almost always pays out two months later. Net 45 lands in between, so the day of the month you send the invoice decides which month you get paid.

Here is the same $4,000 invoice, sent on two different days in March 2026:

Sent on March 10, net 45 pays in April, the same month as net 30. Sent on March 20, it pays in May, the same month as net 60.

Over a few months the difference adds up. Say you start with a new client in January 2026 and send a $4,000 invoice on the 20th of every month. This is the cash you receive each month, assuming the client pays on the due date:

Billing on the 20th makes net 45 behave like net 60 in this model. Move the same invoices to the 10th and the first net 45 payment is due February 24, so you receive $12,000 by April 30, the same as net 30. If a client wants net 45, send your invoices in the first half of the month.

Who uses net 45?

Net 45 shows up where a buyer pays suppliers on a monthly cycle and needs more than 30 days to get an invoice through approval. You will most often see it from:

• Mid-size companies with a formal accounts payable process, where invoices need a purchase order match and a manager's sign-off before anyone pays them.
• Some government agencies. Under the California Prompt Payment Act, state agencies are expected to pay undisputed invoices within 45 days of receiving them. US federal agencies work to a shorter clock: under the Prompt Payment Act rules, payment is generally due 30 days after the agency receives a proper invoice. Check the rules for the agency you are billing, because both count from receipt, not from the date on your invoice.
• Clients negotiating down from net 60. If a client opens with net 60, net 45 is a fair counter that cuts your wait by two weeks.

For a freelancer or small business, net 45 is a term to accept from a client you want to keep. It rarely makes sense to offer it first.

How do you write net 45 on an invoice?

Put the term and the actual due date on the invoice where the client will see them.

Invoice date: June 1, 2026 Payment terms: Net 45 Payment due: July 16, 2026

If you agreed a late fee, add it on the same line:

Payment terms: Net 45. Payment due July 16, 2026. Balances unpaid after the due date incur a late fee of 1.5% per month.

If you offer an early payment discount, spell out both dates:

Payment terms: 2/15 net 45. Take a 2% discount if paid by June 16, 2026. Otherwise the full amount is due July 16, 2026.

A late fee clause has to be agreed before the invoice goes out, so put it in your contract or proposal as well. Rules on late fees and interest differ by country and state, and some places cap them. For how early payment discounts work and what they cost you, see our guide to 2/10 net 30.

How do you get paid on time under net 45?

Forty-five days is long enough for an invoice to get lost in an approval queue. These steps keep it moving:

1. Send the invoice in the first half of the month. As the table above shows, an invoice sent on the 10th can be paid a month earlier than one sent on the 20th.
2. Get the purchase order number before you invoice. Accounts payable teams often hold invoices that lack one.
3. Confirm the invoice was received. For clients whose terms count from receipt, a confirmation email from their accounts team gives you the date the clock started.
4. Remind the client before the due date. A short note a week ahead catches invoices that are stuck waiting for approval.
5. Follow up the day after it is late. Start polite, then get firmer. Our guide to handling late-paying clients has email templates for each stage.

SolidInvoice puts a pay link on every invoice, so the client's accounts team can pay by card or PayPal as soon as the invoice is approved. You can also record check and bank transfer payments against the invoice. On Pro and higher plans, payment reminders go out automatically on the schedule you set. See pricing for what each plan includes.

Net 45 payment terms FAQ

What does net 45 mean?

Net 45 means the client must pay the full invoice amount within 45 days of the invoice date. An invoice dated June 1, 2026 on net 45 terms is due July 16, 2026. "Net" means the total owed, with no discount taken off.

Is net 45 calendar days?

Yes. Net 45 counts calendar days, so weekends and public holidays are included. If the due date falls on a weekend, agree in advance whether payment on the next business day counts as on time, and put the exact due date on the invoice.

What is the difference between net 45 and net 30?

Net 45 gives the client 15 more days to pay than net 30. An invoice dated June 1, 2026 is due July 1 on net 30 and July 16 on net 45. If you bill $4,000 a month, net 45 adds about $2,000 to the amount you are waiting on at any time.

Can I offer an early payment discount on net 45?

Yes. A common version is 2/15 net 45: the client takes 2% off if they pay within 15 days, or pays the full amount by day 45. Work out what the discount costs you first. In simple annual terms, 2/15 net 45 costs about 24.8% a year.

Should a small business accept net 45?

Accept net 45 from a reliable client if you can cover about six weeks without that income. It is a reasonable counter when a client asks for net 60. For new clients, small jobs, or tight cash, ask for net 30 or a deposit instead.

Send invoices with the due date on them, and let reminders do the chasing. Start a free 14-day trial of SolidInvoice.