Source: https://tendernation.io/glossary/payments-compliance-notice [Skip to main content](#main-content) Glossary # Payments compliance notice A notice public buyers publish twice a year showing how well they have met the 30-day payment rule on their public contracts. Updated 14 Oct 2026 A payments compliance notice is a notice a public buyer publishes every six months showing how well it has kept to the rule that undisputed invoices under public contracts must be paid within 30 days. ## What it means [Section 68 of the Procurement Act 2023](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/section/68) implies a 30-day payment term into most public contracts. Payment must be made within 30 days of receiving an invoice or, if later, the day the payment falls due under it. [Section 73](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/section/73) passes the same terms down to public sub-contracts. [Section 69](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/section/69) then requires buyers to publish a payments compliance notice within 30 days of the end of each reporting period, if they made payments under a public contract during it. Reporting periods end on 31 March and 30 September. The notice sets out information about the buyer's compliance with the 30-day term, as specified in [regulation 38 of the Procurement Regulations 2024](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2024/692/regulation/38/made). The government's [payments compliance notices guidance](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/procurement-act-2023-guidance-documents-manage-phase/guidance-payments-compliance-notices-html) explains what buyers must report. ## Why it matters for SMEs Late payment hurts small suppliers most, because cash flow is tight. Payments compliance notices let you check, before you bid, whether a buyer actually pays on time. They also matter if you work as a subcontractor: the 30-day term applies down the chain, so a prime contractor cannot simply impose 60 or 90 days on you for public sector work. ## Practical tip Before bidding for a contract with a new buyer, look up its latest payments compliance notices on [Find a Tender](/glossary/find-a-tender). If a buyer pays a large share of invoices late, build that into your cash-flow planning, and make sure your invoices are correct and sent to the right place, since disputed invoices fall outside the 30-day rule. Find tenders that fit your business Search UK, EU and World Bank tenders in one place, get AI summaries and a fit score for each one, and track bids in a pipeline. Professional comes with a 14-day free trial, no card needed. [Browse live tenders](/opportunities)[Start free trial ](/register) 14-day free trial, no card required Browse by sector - [Construction work](https://tendernation.io/sectors/construction-work)412 - [Architecture, engineering & surveying](https://tendernation.io/sectors/architecture-engineering-surveying)149 - [IT services](https://tendernation.io/sectors/it-services)55 - [Business services](https://tendernation.io/sectors/business-services)198 - [Health and social work](https://tendernation.io/sectors/health-social-work)365 - [Sewage, refuse, cleaning & environmental](https://tendernation.io/sectors/sewage-refuse-cleaning-environmental)99 [All sectors ](/sectors) ## Nearby terms - [MModern slavery statementAn annual statement, required of larger businesses under the Modern Slavery Act 2015, on steps taken to prevent slavery and trafficking in their supply chains.](https://tendernation.io/glossary/modern-slavery-statement) - [MMost advantageous tender (MAT)The bid that meets the buyer's requirements and scores best against the published award criteria, which a buyer may award the contract to.](https://tendernation.io/glossary/most-advantageous-tender) - [OOpen procedureA single-stage competitive tender, open to any supplier, where everyone submits a full bid by the same deadline.](https://tendernation.io/glossary/open-procedure) - [PPipeline noticeAn annual notice from buyers spending over £100 million a year, listing contracts over £2 million they plan to tender in the next 18 months.](https://tendernation.io/glossary/pipeline-notice) - [PPreliminary market engagementConversations a buyer has with suppliers before publishing a tender, to shape its requirements, procedure and contract terms.](https://tendernation.io/glossary/preliminary-market-engagement) - [PProcurement Act 2023The UK law that has governed most public sector buying in England, Wales and Northern Ireland since 24 February 2025.](https://tendernation.io/glossary/procurement-act-2023) [Read our procurement guides ](/guides)