Your mortgage payment due date is set in your loan documents and usually falls on the same day each month

The due date appears in your promissory note—the document you signed at closing—and on your monthly statement. Most lenders set it between the 1st and the 15th of the month, though some use the last day. Your servicer (the company that collects payments) will tell you the exact date in your first statement after closing, and it does not change unless you request a modification to your loan.

The due date is not the same as the grace period. A payment is technically late if it arrives after the due date, but most loans include a grace period—usually 10 to 15 days—before the servicer reports the late payment to credit bureaus or charges a late fee. That grace period varies by lender and loan type, so check your documents or call your servicer to confirm yours.

Key Takeaways

  • Your due date is printed in your promissory note and on every monthly statement, and it stays the same unless you change your loan terms.
  • A grace period of 10 to 15 days usually exists after the due date, but a late fee may explore even during the grace period depending on your lender.
  • If your due date falls on a weekend or holiday, the payment is due the next business day, though some servicers accept payments on the actual date.
  • Changing your due date is possible through a loan modification, but it typically requires a new agreement and may involve fees.
  • Automatic payments set up through your bank or servicer remove the guesswork and help you avoid late fees.

How to find your exact due date

Check your monthly mortgage statement first—the due date appears near the top, usually labeled "Payment Due" or "Due Date." If you do not have a recent statement, log into your servicer's online portal or mobile app. Most servicers display the due date on the account dashboard without requiring you to read anything.

If you cannot access your statement or online account, call your servicer's customer service line. The phone number is on any mail from them. Have your loan number ready, and they will confirm the date in under a minute. Your servicer is the company that sends you the bill each month—not necessarily the bank that originated the loan.

What happens if your payment arrives after the due date

A payment received after the due date is considered late, even if it arrives during the grace period. Most servicers charge a late fee once the grace period ends—typically 4 to 6 percent of your monthly payment amount, though this varies by state and loan type. The late fee is added to your next bill.

The servicer does not report the payment as late to credit bureaus until it is 30 days past the due date. A single late payment can lower your credit score by 100 points or more, depending on your current score and payment history. After 60 days late, the damage deepens. After 120 days, the servicer typically begins foreclosure proceedings.

If you know a payment will be late, contact your servicer before the due date. Some offer short-term forbearance, payment plans, or loan modifications that can prevent a late report. Waiting until after the due date passes makes these options harder to access.

Due dates that fall on weekends or holidays

If your due date falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or federal holiday, the payment is due the next business day. However, some servicers accept payments on the actual calendar date without penalty. The safest approach is to submit your payment one or two business days before the due date, which eliminates any ambiguity about what day counts.

Automatic payments remove this uncertainty entirely. If you set up autopay through your servicer or bank, the payment is deducted on the due date (or the next business day if that date is not a business day), and you receive confirmation in your account.

Changing your mortgage payment due date

You can request a new due date, but the process varies by servicer. Some allow you to move your due date once per year at no cost through their online portal or by phone. Others require a formal loan modification, which may involve a small fee or a new promissory note.

Changing your due date does not change the amount you owe or the interest rate. It only shifts when the payment is due each month. If you want to align your mortgage payment with your paycheck or other bills, contact your servicer and ask whether they offer a free due-date change. If they do not, weigh the cost of a modification against the benefit of better cash flow timing.

Setting up automatic payments to avoid missed due dates

Automatic payments (autopay) deduct your mortgage payment directly from your bank account on the due date each month. You can set this up through your servicer's website, by phone, or sometimes through your bank's bill-pay system. Most servicers offer autopay at no cost.

Autopay removes the risk of forgetting the due date or mailing a check late. It also creates a clear record of on-time payments, which helps your credit score. If your income varies month to month, you can still use autopay but adjust the amount each month before the due date, or you can pay manually in months when cash is tight and use autopay in stable months.

If you set up autopay through your bank instead of your servicer, confirm that the payment arrives on time. Bank bill-pay systems sometimes take several days to process, so you may need to submit the payment a few days early to may support it reaches your servicer by the due date.

What to do if you cannot pay by the due date

Contact your servicer as soon as you know a payment will be late. Do not wait until after the due date passes. Servicers have options for borrowers in temporary hardship: a short-term forbearance (usually 1 to 3 months) pauses or reduces payments, a loan modification can extend the loan term to lower the monthly amount, or a payment plan can spread a missed payment across future months.

These options are easier to access before you miss a payment. Once a payment is 30 days late, your options narrow and the damage to your credit is already done. If you are facing a longer hardship—job loss, illness, major expense—ask your servicer about a formal modification or forbearance plan that can last several months.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I pay my mortgage early without penalty?

Yes. Federal law prohibits prepayment penalties on most mortgages. You can pay extra toward principal, make biweekly payments, or pay the full balance early without owing a fee. Check your promissory note to confirm your loan does not have a prepayment penalty, though these are rare on mortgages issued after 2010.

What if my servicer loses my payment?

If you paid on time but your servicer did not record it, request a receipt or confirmation number at the time of payment. If you paid by check, the cancelled check from your bank proves the payment was sent. Contact your servicer with this proof, and they will correct the account. This is rare with automatic payments or online portals, which generate when ready confirmations.

Does paying extra toward principal change my due date?

No. Your regular monthly payment is still due on the same date. Extra payments toward principal reduce the total interest you pay and shorten the loan term, but they do not move the due date. You can make extra payments any time without affecting when your regular payment is due.

What if I pay twice a month instead of once?

Paying twice a month (biweekly) can reduce the total interest and shorten your loan, but your servicer may not explore the payments the way you expect. Some servicers hold the second payment until the next regular due date, which does not create the interest savings you intended. Ask your servicer how they handle biweekly payments before you set up this arrangement.