What Is Net 45 Payment Terms?

Net 45 payment terms mean the client must pay the invoice within 45 calendar days from the invoice date.

If you send an invoice on May 1, payment is due by June 15. If that due date falls on a weekend, most clients will process payment on the preceding Friday or the following Monday, depending on their internal policy.

How Net 45 Works

Net 45 starts counting from the invoice date — not the date the client receives it, not the date they approve it, not the date the work was completed. The invoice date printed on the document is the starting point.

Example:

• Invoice date: June 1
• Net 45 due date: July 16

In practice, the gap between due date and actual payment is often larger than expected. Most companies run payment batches twice a month rather than individual transfers. If your due date lands between payment runs, you'll wait until the next one.

This is why a Net 45 invoice often results in 50–60 days of actual wait time.

Calculate your exact due date

Use the Net 30 / Net 45 / Net 60 Due Date Calculator to instantly find your payment due date and estimated AP payment run date.

Net 45 vs Net 30 vs Net 60

Net 45 sits between Net 30 and Net 60. It's standard enough to appear in many vendor agreements without being called out specifically — which is why it catches freelancers off guard.

For a full comparison of how these terms interact with corporate payment cycles, see Invoice Payment Terms: Net 30, Net 45, Net 60 and More. You can also dive deeper into our guides on Net 30 payment terms and Net 60 payment terms.

When Clients Use Net 45

Net 45 is typically a company policy, not a negotiating choice. It shows up in these situations:

Bi-weekly payment cycles. Many companies release payments on the 1st and 15th of each month. Net 45 gives them two full payment cycles to process your invoice before it's overdue — if they miss the first run, they still have time to catch the second.

Multi-step approvals. Larger projects need sign-off from the project manager, finance team, and sometimes a department head before AP releases payment. Net 45 builds in time for that chain without the invoice ever going officially late.

New vendor onboarding. First-time vendors sometimes get Net 45 as a default while AP completes setup: W-9 collection, bank account verification, vendor ID assignment. This often normalizes to Net 30 after the second or third invoice.

Industry norms. Healthcare, manufacturing, and agency work often run on Net 45 to Net 60 as a baseline — not because of any specific client, but because it's standard in those industries.

When to Use Net 45 on Your Own Invoices

Most freelancers shouldn't default to Net 45 — it extends your wait without benefit to you. Use Net 30 unless:

• The client specifically requires Net 45 in their vendor agreement or purchase order
• The industry standard is explicitly Net 45 or longer
• You've negotiated a higher rate to offset the extended payment window

If a client insists on Net 45, that's a legitimate business decision on their end. The key is to price accordingly.

How to Accept Net 45 Without Hurting Cash Flow

Price it in. A 45-day payment window means you're financing six weeks of work before you see a dime. Some freelancers add 10–15% to their standard rate for Net 45 or longer clients to account for the cost of waiting.

Use milestone invoicing. Instead of one invoice at project completion, invoice at 50% completion and 100% completion. This staggers the cash flow so you're never waiting 45 days for the full project value.

Clarify when the clock starts. Make sure the client agrees that Net 45 runs from the invoice date, not from when they "receive and approve" it. Some clients try to reset the clock on receipt — clarify this before the project starts.

Add the explicit due date. "Net 45 — Due July 16" is clearer than "Net 45" alone and gives you a specific date to reference in follow-up emails.

How to Add Net 45 to Your Invoice

The payment terms field on your invoice should clearly state "Net 45." In InvoiceCraft, Net 45 is one of the built-in options in the Payment Terms dropdown, alongside Net 30, Net 60, Due on Receipt, and Net 15. The term prints clearly on the PDF so your client's AP department can process it without confusion.

If your invoice generator doesn't include Net 45 as an option, type it directly into the payment terms field. There's no special format required — "Net 45" is universally understood.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Net 45 mean on an invoice?

Net 45 means the client must pay within 45 calendar days from the invoice date. An invoice dated June 1 is due July 16 under Net 45 terms.

Is Net 45 the same as 45 days net?

Yes. "Net 45" and "45 days net" mean the same thing. "Net" refers to the net amount due after any discounts, not a modifier on the payment window itself.

What's the difference between Net 30 and Net 45?

Net 30 gives the client 30 days to pay; Net 45 gives them 45 days — two extra weeks. For a freelancer, this is a meaningful difference in cash flow, especially on larger invoices.

Can I negotiate Net 45 down to Net 30?

Yes, and it's worth trying before you sign. The best time to negotiate payment terms is before the contract or PO is finalized. Once a purchase order is issued with Net 45, AP will follow those terms regardless of what your invoice says.

Does Net 45 start from the invoice date or when the client receives it?

From the invoice date, by convention and in most contracts. To eliminate ambiguity, add the explicit due date to your invoice: "Net 45 — Due [date]." If a client tries to argue the clock starts on receipt, that's a red flag worth addressing before work begins.

What happens if the client pays after the Net 45 due date?

Payment is late. Send a polite reminder on day 1 past due, a firmer follow-up at 7 days, and escalate at 15–30 days. If your contract includes a late payment clause (e.g., 1.5% monthly interest on overdue balances), mention it at the 15-day mark. See Invoice Payment Terms Explained for the full late payment playbook.

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Need to add Net 45 to your invoices? InvoiceCraft includes Net 45, Net 30, Net 60, and other standard terms as built-in options — no setup required. Free, no signup.