An unpaid invoice is almost never a conflict, it is a badly run process. In France the law gives you a tool few creators use: late payment penalties and a fixed recovery indemnity are mandatory mentions on an invoice between professionals, and they apply without needing to be claimed.
What you should have done beforehand
A quote accepted in writing, even by email, with scope, price, deadline and rights.
A deposit from a first time client, between thirty and fifty per cent.
Delivery in two stages: a low resolution or watermarked version for approval, final files on payment.
One simple clause in the contract: the transfer of rights takes effect on full payment. It is the most useful sentence in the whole document, because a brand already running the video cannot afford to stay in default.
The sequence
Day 1 after the due date
A short, neutral reminder with the invoice attached. Most delays are administrative.
Day 8
A second written reminder, with the amount, the due date and a specific deadline. Mention the late payment penalties that apply.
Day 15
Suspension: you stop all other work for that client and notify the withdrawal of the usage licence while the invoice remains unpaid.
Day 30
Formal notice by registered letter, quantifying the penalties and the fixed indemnity.
After that
An order to pay procedure, designed for clear and largely undisputed debts, or a recovery professional depending on the amount.
The levers that work
Writing. Every important conversation ends with a summary email.
A compliant invoice. A missing mandatory mention gives a perfect excuse to postpone.
Composure. A professional tone achieves more than an angry message, and it is far more useful if the matter progresses.
The signals to spot before accepting
Extreme urgency with no quote, refusal to sign anything, payment conditional on the end client paying, and endless change requests. Each is manageable; all four together announce a problem.
Where to go next
Getting paid is part of the job. Our guide on how to become a UGC creator covers contracts, pricing and working with agencies.
- When a UGC Creator Should Leave Auto Entrepreneur Status in France
- UGC Creators in Annecy
- UGC Creators in Bordeaux
- UGC for Ecommerce Stores in France
- The complete UGC guide for France
Sources
- Urssaf, official auto-entrepreneur portal
- Service Public, how to become a micro-entrepreneur
- Service Public, crossing the micro-entrepreneur turnover thresholds
Checked on 26 August 2026. Thresholds and rates change: where this guide and the official source disagree, the official source is right.
