Happy Belated Birthday Wishes for Friends & Family

Last updated: May 8, 2024

Belated birthday wishes might come late, but somehow they always show up right when you need them. It's a little paradoxical, because I know that whenever I'm running late with sending a birthday card, I get so nervous that I procrastinate even longer. I always need to remind myself that it's better late than never.

So, you're here because you forgot a special person’s birthday, right? And now you want to make it up to them by sending a belated happy birthday message. Perhaps you need a heartfelt apology to cheer up the birthday person, or maybe a funny wish to keep it light? We can help you find the best belated birthday wishes for your friends and family. Whether sincere or humorous, the right message is probably below!

Our huge belated birthday wishes collection includes messages for friends and family, with sections for partners (to get you out of the doghouse!), for siblings, friends, and coworkers. Whatever the case, know that forgetting a birthday happens to the best of us. It’s okay to be a little bit late!

Short & Sweet Belated Happy Birthday Wishes

Oh dear! You’ve forgotten an important birthday. In this section, you’ll find a mix of short and sweet birthday wishes to help you sincerely apologize for forgetting the date. Be sure to wish them all the best for the year ahead… even if you’re a tad late!

You know what they say about birthday wishes – better late than never! Happy birthday!

Even though this is late, it’s never too late to wish you the best of everything. I hope you have a brilliant year ahead!

I may have forgotten your birthday, but at least I remembered that I forgot! I’m so sorry! sending my best belated happy birthday wishes to you!

May all your dreams come true! Wishing you a belated happy birthday!

Apologies for my belated happy birthday wishes! I hope your birthday was as special as you are!

There’s a very good reason why this birthday wish is late… I forgot. I’m sorry! I hope you had a great day!

It wasn’t your birthday I forgot… it was the date! I’m sorry. I hope you had a wonderful day!

Sending you the happiest of (late) birthday wishes. I’m so sorry I missed your special day! May the coming year be full of many blessings.

No excuse is good enough for missing your birthday! I am very sorry. A very (late) happy birthday to you!

Silly me! I missed your birthday! I’m so sorry... belated happy birthday wishes to you!

I can’t believe I forgot! I hope you had a really lovely birthday.

I didn’t forget your birthday! I just wanted to make it last longer!

Now that everyone else’s birthday wishes have worn off, here’s a great big one from me!

Let me be the first to offer you belated birthday wishes!

Happy belated birthday to you. I hope you had a wonderful celebration. I wish you a wonderful year ahead.

Funny Happy Belated Birthday Wishes

Forgetting someone’s birthday can make you (and them!) feel terrible. Try to give them a laugh to show that you do care by sending them a funny belated birthday wish!

I know you think this card is a few days late… it’s actually worse than that. This your card from 2015 that I only just got around to sending. Happy Belated Birthday!

I didn’t want to throw you off and actually send your card on time. This way, you know it’s from me! Hope you had a good one.

I thought I would leave you a while to come to terms with your age before sending your birthday card this year. You’re welcome. Happy Belated Birthday!

I know this card is late, but I just wanted to give you time to catch your breath after blowing out ALL of those candles!

How on earth did I miss your birthday?! You’re clearly looking older. Jokes! I hope you had a great day.

Happy belated birthday. I just didn’t want to remind you that you’re getting older… honest!

May this be the least belated of all your belated birthday wishes!

I’m so sorry for sending you belated birthday wishes. Honestly, I didn’t think you would live this long. Happy Birthday!

I promise this card isn’t late. It is intentionally arriving after your birth-day, because I think you deserve a whole birth-month. Happy Birth-month!

Hold up. It’s been a year? Why didn’t anyone tell me?! We’re gettin’ old. Guess it’s time to break out the walkers and canes… race you to the bar! Drinks are on me!

Happy Belated Birthday Wishes for Your Partner

Oh no! The absolute unthinkable has happened. You forgot your beloved partner’s birthday. Whether it’s for your husband or wife, girlfriend or boyfriend, you can get back on track (and out of the doghouse) with one of these belated happy birthday wishes! From sincere and heartfelt belated birthday greetings to something a little cheeky to make them smile, you’ll find it here.

Also, don’t forget to make plans for dinner reservations at their favorite restaurant. And make sure that you get them that special something that they’ve had their eye on!

Sweetheart! Your birthday has passed, but I want you to know that I love you and I’m so sorry for being late.

I am mortified. Words don’t begin to explain how sorry I feel for forgetting your birthday. You mean so much to me, every day. Happy belated birthday to you, my love.

To the world’s best (wife/husband/partner), I don’t deserve you, but I count myself so very lucky to have you in my life. Happy belated birthday!

Your birthday may have passed, but please let me celebrate with you again. [Insert personal message with date night plans!]

Happy belated birthday my love. I know your year ahead will be amazing. Please know that I am sorry and that I love you now, always, and forever.

I am so sorry that I missed your special day. I want you to know that you are always on my mind and in my heart. You are the best person I know. I’m so grateful for you. Wishing you a belated happy birthday!

Oh no! I forgot your birthday… it’s made me realize that a day shouldn’t go by without me celebrating you anyway! Please let me make it up to you.

Wishing you a very happy belated birthday and loads of love today and always. I’m so mad at myself for missing your birthday! Please forgive me.

Wishing you a happy belated birthday, my darling. No words can express how I feel about you, I’ll be sure to show you all year long. I have a lot of making up to do!

Happy belated birthday my precious (wife/husband/partner). Thank you for accepting my imperfections. I love you.

Belated happy birthday wishes to my favorite person. I love you with all my heart.

A million wishes and a thousand kisses all just for you. I’m sorry I missed your birthday. I hope it was a wonderful day!

I honestly don’t know how I didn’t realize what day it was. I have been planning your birthday for months! I am so sorry that time slipped me by, please forgive me! Happy belated birthday, my love.

I didn’t forget your birthday, I just wanted to catch you off guard! I’ve already made plans at our favorite restaurant. Wear something fancy!

You are just as beautiful as the day I met you, and I am sincerely sorry that I am so oblivious. Happy belated birthday, my darling.

Happy Belated Birthday Wishes for Your Brother

Oh no, you missed your brother’s birthday? Make it up to him with one of these belated birthday wishes, and get back on his good side! These messages could also be adapted for other close males (cousins, best friends, etc.) in your life too.

Sorry I forgot your birthday. But at your age, I don’t suppose it matters? Happy belated birthday old bro!

I would move the sun and moon, turn back the clock for you. But violating the laws of physics seemed like overkill, so here’s your card late. Happy Birthday bro!

I know I’m late wishing you a happy birthday... but mine is coming around soon, and revenge is sweet. I won’t mind, promise! Happy Birthday bro!

Technically I didn’t *forget* your birthday… I just didn’t remember it on time! Sorry!

How about we both just pretend that this was on time? Happy birthday!

Oh crap! I missed your birthday! I wish I had a great excuse like I was busy saving the world or something, but unfortunately not. I hope it was a good one!

Apologies for my time perception disorder. Belated happy birthday!

I know I missed your birthday, but I promise I won’t do it again this year! Happy late birthday wishes to you!

Forgive me for wishing you a belated happy birthday. I didn’t realize people live to such an old age! Happy birthday bro!

I feel terrible that I am late wishing you a happy birthday. Let me take you out for a burger and beer to celebrate/commiserate.

Happy Belated Birthday Wishes for Your Sister

Here, you’ll find a collection of sincere and funny belated birthday wishes that try to justify why you’re late! Good luck, and I hope you can get back into her good graces soon!

Happy belated birthday sis! I’m so sorry I forgot to write earlier, but how do you expect me to remember your birthday if you never look any older?

I’m so sorry I forgot your birthday. The good news is that I also forgot your age. Happy belated birthday sister!

I don’t think you have changed much since your last birthday. You are just as young & beautiful as you were last year. Maybe that is the reason why I forgot your birthday this year? Happy birthday my dear sister!

You do realize I didn’t technically “forget” your birthday? I’m just fashionably late… as usual... Happy Birthday dearest sister!

The biggest surprise is always the last one. Not wishing you on time was totally intentional. I just wanted to give you a surprise. Happy belated birthday sister!

If someone forgets your birthday, take it as a compliment. You must not have aged enough for them to have noticed. Happy belated birthday sister!

I’m not really that late in wishing you a happy birthday, it’s just that I didn’t want to be the first one to remind you that you’re getting older. Happy Birthday, sister!

Now that we are getting so much older, I really hope that you forget that I forgot your big day! Belated happy birthday wishes from one oldie to another!

I know you like to draw out your birthday celebrations as long as possible! So happy belated birthday!

If you were born just a few days later, then these could have been the first wishes on your birthday! But sadly not. Sorry they’re late happy birthday wishes!

Happy Belated Birthday Wishes for Friends

Uh oh! You forgot your friend’s birthday? Make it up to them with one of these belated birthday wishes. Let’s rescue your friendship before it’s too late! Here you’ll find a collection of late birthday wishes that are funny and sassy, and hopefully they’ll diffuse the situation that you’ve got yourself into!

Happy Birthday! Sorry this message is late. I want to celebrate your birthday 2.0 with you. The cocktails are on me!

Your birthday is over for another year, but I want you to know that I’m so sorry for being late. Next time the beers are on me.

To one of my favorite humans – sending you sincere belated birthday wishes. I hope you had a wonderful day.

HBBD! That stands for Happy Belated Birthday! Love, YTDF (Your Terribly Disorganized Friend).

I hope that your birthday was as wonderful and special as you are. Sorry for my late birthday wishes!

A very late happy birthday to you, may all your wishes and dreams come true!

I wish I could rewind the clock just to get back to the right time to say happy birthday. Please forgive me! I hope you had a great day.

I’m so sorry I forgot your birthday. The good news is that if you forget mine next year, I’ll forgive you. Happy Belated Birthday!

Happy Birthday! (Leave it to me to say the right thing at the wrong time.) I hope you had a good one!

I’m so sorry I forgot your birthday. But hey… at least I didn’t forget that I forgot. Happy belated birthday!

Sorry I missed your birthday! But you know me, always fashionably late. Belated happy birthday wishes to you!

Happy Birthday! Don’t think of this as a late birthday card. Consider it a very early one for next year. Here’s wishing you a wonderful year ahead!

Happy Birthday to a warm, understanding, kind, fun, and special friend. (See? Wasn’t that worth waiting for?)

I didn’t really forget your birthday… I just wanted to help you prolong the celebrations! Happy belated birthday!

I didn’t really forget your special day… I just figured you deserved more than one. Happy Belated Birthday!

You’re such a good friend with lots of wonderful gifts – lucky for me, one of them is forgiveness! Sorry I missed your big day.

Sure, everyone remembers you on your birthday. But a true friend remembers you on the days after too!

I am so grateful to have a friend such as you… who is loving and forgiving, and not forgetful, like me! Happy late birthday wishes to you!

Sending very happy and belated birthday wishes to you! I’m thankful that you’re in my life. I hope that you have an amazing year ahead of you.

Whoopsie! I missed your birthday. Let’s get together to celebrate soon! After all, you are (insert age here) years old all year long.

First of all, we both know that we do birth-months and not birth-days! Happy belated birthday bestie!

Happy Belated Birthday Wishes for Coworkers

Your coworkers know that it’s hectic, but they still love to be appreciated and remembered. Here you’ll find wishes for those coworkers that make work bearable!

I am so sorry I missed your special day. I’ve now put your birthday in my reminders, so I will never miss it again! Happy belated birthday.

I know birthday wishes are extra special, but so is getting mail and cards on any day... so I’m sending you some extra special late birthday wishes your way to be enjoyed on this non-birthday day!

Holy Cow, I forgot your birthday! Happy belated birthday. I am udderly ashamed of myself.

I want to wish you a happy belated birthday and give you my sincere apologies and all the chocolate you could ever dream of.

Happy belated birthday to you and cheers to a fabulous year to come.

I’m sorry that I lost track of your birthday. We both know I ham often unsure of which day of the week it is! I hope you had a wonderful day, regardless of my forgetfulness.

I know that you will have had a day of special wishes yesterday. Today, I am wishing you a very happy belated birthday. No need to thank me for keeping the celebration going!

Technically, in Hawaii, it’s still your birthday (if only a few hours late)! Wishing you happiness and health for the year ahead.

Happy belated birthday. I am very sorry that your birthday message arrived late this year. Cheers to an awesome year ahead.

It wasn’t part of the plan to send a late birthday wish. I hope you understand. Best wishes office buddy!

Is it okay to say “happy belated birthday”?

You might be wondering, is it correct to wish someone a “happy belated birthday,” or should you say “belated happy birthday?"

Technically, the latter phrase "belated happy birthday" is more grammatically correct because it is your wishes that are late, not the birthday. (References: Grammarly and Prof. Paul Brians.)

However, most people aren’t terribly picky about the order of phrasing, and it is quite acceptable either way. “Happy belated birthday” is commonly used, and you’ll find many greeting cards in the store that use that phrasing.

We hope that we can help you find the right words to wish your friends and family the best belated happy birthday, even if you’re a few days late!

Free Printable Birthday Cards

Free printable birthday cards in high quality PDF format that you can print and fold at home. There are also some color-in printable cards, perfect for kids who want to create a unique birthday card for family and friends.

Click here to go to Free Printable Birthday Cards

More Belated Birthday Wishes and Ideas

Still looking for just the right message? Maye you want a message for a particular birthday year, or an extra funny message? Find the perfect late birthday wishes on one of these pages:

30th B'day 40th B'day 50th B'day 60th B'day Birthday Wishes Funny Images Quotes Wife Husband Boyfriend Friends Mom Dad Auntie Niece Sister Brother Daughter Son Coworker Bible Verse Birthday Prayers Religious Birthday Wishes