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Demand Letter Template

Litigation Attorney and Legal Professional Resource

Write a professional demand letter with a template covering the parties, a concise factual background, the legal basis stated at a high level, the specific relief demanded (payment, performance, or cessation), a deadline, and where to send a response. Use it for unpaid invoices, contract breaches, or pre-suit notice when a statute or contract requires one. For attorneys and businesses working with counsel. This is not legal advice and is not a court filing; tone, notice periods, and whether a demand is wise strategy vary—confirm current law and have counsel review before you send a letter that could be Exhibit A.

Demand Letter Template form template preview

Key Benefits

State facts without over-pleading the case
Demand a specific dollar amount or concrete action
Set a clear response deadline and delivery method
Preserve a written record for later litigation
Meet contractual or statutory pre-suit notice if required
Keep tone professional enough to show a judge later

Common Use Cases

Attorneys sending a pre-suit demand on a contract claimBusinesses collecting unpaid invoices with counsel reviewCounsel giving a contractual cure noticeTort matters inviting early settlement talksIP owners asking a seller to stop using a markLandlords or tenants documenting a required written demand

Frequently Asked Questions

Should a demand letter cite every cause of action?
Usually no. A short factual story, the amount or action you want, and a deadline is enough. Over-citing statutes can box you in or escalate a matter you still hope to settle. Counsel can decide when a more formal notice is required.
How long should the deadline be?
Long enough to be reasonable on the facts—often 10 to 14 days for a simple debt, longer if a contract sets a cure period. If a statute requires a specific notice period, use that period and the required delivery method.
What delivery method should we use?
Whatever you can prove: email plus certified mail is common. If a contract or statute specifies an address and method, follow it exactly or the notice may not count.
Is sending this letter legal advice or a filing?
No. A demand is correspondence. It can become an exhibit. Have licensed counsel review anything that admits facts, waives rights, or threatens a specific filing. This template is not legal advice.

Checklist

Caption

Sender counsel or company letterhead and the recipient's legal name and address
Required

Use the contract notice address if one exists. Copy insurers only if strategy supports it.

Re line with contract date, invoice numbers, or claim identifier
Required

Makes the letter easy to docket and to attach later as an exhibit.

Body

Short chronological facts without argumentative adjectives
Required

Dates, amounts, and what was promised versus what occurred. Attach key invoices as exhibits.

Demand

Specific demand: dollar amount, performance, or conduct to stop
Required

State whether the amount includes interest or fees and the basis for those add-ons.

Deadline

Response deadline and accepted methods (email, mail, payment portal)
Required

Honor any contractual cure period. Name one person who will receive the response.

Legal

Reservation of rights and that the letter is a settlement communication if that is intended

Rule 408 protections are not automatic in every context. Counsel should choose this language.

Enclosures

Listed enclosures: contract, invoices, photos, or prior emails
Required

Bates or number them. Do not enclose privileged memos.

Records

Proof of sending: certified-mail receipt, email header, or courier confirmation
Required

Save a PDF of the signed letter as sent. Calendar the deadline the same day.