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It is very easy to confuse the use of these two phrases. In fact, if precision were required, one would have to know exactly how either is to be used.
The word BEFORE, when used to denote a certain time sequence, would look like this:
“You must come BEFORE Christmas Day” means one must arrive at the designated place on or before 12 midnight of Christmas Eve.
On the other hand, the difference in the use of NO LATER THAN may be gleaned from the following example:
“You must come NO LATER THAN Christmas Day”, which would mean having one arrive before the stroke of midnight on Christmas Day itself.
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