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Freelance Isn't Free Act calculator
What an unpaid invoice is really worth once New York's double-damages statute applies.
GEN. BUS. LAW ART. 44-A · NYC ADMIN. CODE § 20-933Since August 28, 2024, New York's statewide Freelance Isn't Free Act (General Business Law Article 44-A) requires hiring parties to pay on time and gives an unpaid freelancer double damages plus attorney's fees. Enter the invoice and the tool shows the deadline that was missed and the exposure your client is now carrying.
Read this before you rely on it. This tool is general legal information about New York law, not legal advice about your situation. It uses simplified assumptions, it may not reflect the most recent changes in the law, and it cannot account for facts it does not ask about. Using it does not create an attorney-client relationship with Hochman Law PC or Daniel Hochman, Esq., and the firm is not responsible for decisions made, deadlines missed, or letters sent in reliance on its output. Verify any number or date against the current statute or with an attorney before you act on it. Attorney Advertising; prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Worth knowing
Covered freelancers are independent contractors hired by a non-government party; the Act excludes attorneys, licensed medical professionals, sales representatives, and construction contractors. NYC work before August 28, 2024 falls under the City's 2017 law.
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The attorney-signed version is screened before you pay, signed by Daniel Hochman, Esq., and mailed within 48 hours. Flat fee, shown first.
Freelance Isn't Free Act letter. $499 flatQuestions
When is a freelance invoice due under the Act?
On the date the contract sets, or, if none, within 30 days after the work is completed.
What are double damages?
A statutory award of up to twice the unpaid amount for nonpayment, in addition to injunctive relief and attorney's fees and costs. Exact amounts are for a court to award; the calculator shows the exposure.
Does the Act apply if there was no written contract?
Yes. For covered work of $800 or more, the hiring party was required to provide one; the failure is its own violation.
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Reviewed by Daniel Hochman, Esq., New York Bar · Last updated August 2026 · About the attorney