What to Do When a Title Company Doesn't Pay You (Step-by-Step)

Introduction

You did the signing. You printed 150 pages, drove 40 minutes, walked the borrower through every document, dropped the package at FedEx before the cutoff. That was 47 days ago. Your $150 is still "processing."

Here's the process for getting paid — calmly, professionally, and without burning the relationship (until it deserves burning).

First, rule out the boring explanations

Before assuming the worst, check three things, because roughly half of "they're not paying me" situations are actually one of these:

Did your invoice actually arrive — and to the right inbox? Many title companies route payments through an accounting email that isn't your scheduler's email. If you invoiced the person who booked you, it may be sitting in the wrong inbox. Ask your contact directly: "Who should invoices go to, and can you confirm mine was received?"

Do you know their payment terms? Net 30 is standard in this industry, and plenty of companies run net 45 without telling you. If you signed up with a signing service, the terms were probably in the onboarding paperwork nobody reads. Day 20 frustration is premature; day 50 frustration is justified.

Did the file have your invoice number and their file number on it? An invoice that can't be matched to a closing file goes into a "pending" purgatory at busy title companies. Every invoice you send should carry their escrow/file number prominently.

The escalation ladder: 30, 45, 60

Once you've confirmed the invoice landed correctly and the terms have passed, work a fixed schedule. Not "when I remember" — a schedule. Late payers count on you forgetting.

Day 30 — the friendly nudge. Short, warm, assumes good faith:

Subject: Invoice #1047 — File #TC-2024-8812

Hi [name], hope you're doing well! Just checking in on invoice #1047 for the [borrower name] signing on [date] — $150, sent [date]. Could you let me know when I can expect payment? Happy to resend the invoice if that helps. Thanks!

Day 45 — the firm follow-up. Still professional, now with a specific ask:

Subject: Second notice — Invoice #1047 (15 days past due)

Hi [name], following up on invoice #1047, now 15 days past due. Could you confirm a payment date this week? If there's an issue with the invoice or the file, tell me and I'll fix it same-day. I'd like to get this resolved so we can keep working together.

Day 60 — the final notice. This is where you state consequences, calmly:

Subject: Final notice — Invoice #1047 (30 days past due)

Hi [name], invoice #1047 remains unpaid 30 days past due despite two follow-ups. Please remit payment by [date, 7 days out]. If I don't receive payment or a response by then, I'll need to pause accepting new assignments and pursue other collection options. I'd genuinely prefer to resolve this simply — a reply today gets us there.

Notice what's not in these emails: apologies for asking, exclamation-point anger, or threats you won't follow through on. You're a business invoicing another business. Act like it and you'll be treated like it.

When emails stop working

Call the accounting department — not your scheduler. Schedulers book signings; they don't cut checks. Ask the main line for accounts payable, reference the file number, and ask directly: "What's holding up payment on this file?" A live conversation shakes loose more checks than ten emails.

Loop in the signing service, if there was one. If the assignment came through a signing service, your contract is with them, not the title company — which means they owe you regardless of whether the title company paid them. Remind them of that, politely, in writing.

Tell the community — factually. Notary forums and Facebook groups maintain long memories about who pays and who doesn't. Once you're past 90 days with documented follow-ups, a factual report ("XYZ Signing Service, invoice from March, three follow-ups, no response") is fair game and often produces miraculous payments, because these companies need a steady supply of notaries who'll say yes.

Small claims court is a real option. For a documented $150–$200 debt, small claims is cheap to file and you don't need a lawyer. Most companies settle the moment they're served — the filing fee is often recoverable, and their time fighting it costs more than your fee. Check your state's small claims process and limits; requirements vary.

The part nobody wants to hear

If chasing this invoice required opening a spreadsheet you haven't updated since April, the title company isn't your only problem. Unpaid invoices don't get paid because someone follows up — and after four signings and a school pickup, that someone is usually nobody.

The fix is making the follow-up automatic. NotaryNext sends your invoices the moment you mark a signing complete, then chases unpaid ones at 30, 45, and 60 days with professionally worded reminders — the exact ladder above, running without you. The reminders stop the instant you mark it paid. You keep the relationship; you also keep your money. Try it free for 30 days — no credit card.