Demand Letter for Payment
The formal letter that asks a customer, client or borrower to pay what they owe by a set date before you go to court: the amount, what it is for, when it was due, the deadline to pay and how to pay, with the last day to start a claim and the court that fits the amount worked out from the province's own law.
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Payment demanded
| What | Details |
|---|---|
| Amount owing | $4,250.00 |
| Payment was due | August 31, 2026 |
| Pay in full by | November 17, 2026 (14 days after this letter) |
Your deadlines (for your file, not printed on the letter)
| What | When | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Last day to start a claim | September 1, 2028 (2 years from the day after payment was due, September 1, 2026) | Limitations Act, 2002 s. 4, 5 (1) |
| Outer limit, whatever happens | 15 years from the act or omission (the missed payment) | Limitations Act, 2002 s. 15 (2) |
| A part payment or a signed written acknowledgement of the debt | Under the Limitations Act, 2002, starts the period again from that day if made before it runs out | Limitations Act, 2002 s. 13 (1), (10), (11) |
| Where to file for this amount | Small Claims Court: claims up to $50,000, not counting interest and costs | Courts of Justice Act s. 23 (1); O. Reg. 626/00 s. 1 |
| Interest a court adds to a judgment | The court adds interest from the day the claim arose to the judgment under this Act; interest agreed in your contract changes that, so read the section | Courts of Justice Act s. 128 |
Counted from the dates entered. A court decides when a claim was discovered; when in doubt, start the claim sooner.
Sample figures. Change them to work out your own, no sign-up. Then start free and your demand letter opens with these details filled in: 14-day trial, nothing charged today.
What goes in it
Every demand letter from ReportDraft follows the same professional structure, so clients and reviewers find things where they expect them.
- Demand for paymentThe demand, in the standard wording filled in with your entries.
- Additional detailsAnything else the reader should know: a payment plan you will accept, invoices attached.
How it works
1. Enter the details. Names, dates and amounts, once. The next one starts from these entries.
2. Worked out for you. The pay-by date, the last day to start a claim and the court that fits the amount are worked out from your entries, and the standard wording is filled in.
3. Check, sign, keep. A completeness list shows anything missing. Sign to lock the PDF and download Word too.
Why it pays for itself
Demand letter rules by province
The key rule in each province or territory, linked to the official text. Each guide lists every rule with its sources, and each template is set up for that province or territory. Last reviewed November 3, 2026.
| Province or territory | Key rule | Official source |
|---|---|---|
| AlbertaTemplate | 2 years to sue, 10 years at most | Limitations Act, s. 3 (1) (a) |
| British ColumbiaTemplate | 2 years to sue from discovery, 15 years at most | Limitation Act, s. 6 (1) and 8 |
| ManitobaTemplate | 2 years to sue from discovery, 15 years at most | The Limitations Act, s. 6 and 7 |
| New BrunswickTemplate | 2 years to sue, 15 years at most | Limitation of Actions Act, s. 5 (1), (2) |
| Newfoundland and LabradorTemplate | 6 years to sue for a debt, 30 years at most | Limitations Act, s. 6 (1) (h) |
| Nova ScotiaTemplate | 2 years to sue from discovery, 15 years at most | Limitation of Actions Act, s. 8 (1), (2) |
| OntarioTemplate | 2 years to sue from discovery, 15 years at most | Limitations Act, 2002, s. 4 and 5 (1) |
Template preview
Questions
What goes in a demand letter?
The formal letter that asks a customer, client or borrower to pay what they owe by a set date before you go to court: the amount, what it is for, when it was due, the deadline to pay and how to pay, with the last day to start a claim and the court that fits the amount worked out from the province's own law. ReportDraft lays it out in 2 sections: demand for payment, additional details.
Do my province or territory's rules change the document?
Pick your province or territory when you start. Where we have checked a local requirement against official sources, it is added to your completeness list with a link to the source.
Can I change the wording?
Yes. The standard wording is a starting point: edit any sentence before you sign. The figures and dates are worked out again from your entries every time.
What do I get at the end?
A signed, locked PDF for your client and an editable Word file, both with your company details. Signed reports keep a fingerprint so later changes are visible.
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