Payment reminders in Germany: default, interest and the €40 fee

When is a client in default?

• When a payment date fixed by the calendar passes, such as “payable by 31 October” (§ 286 (2) no. 1 BGB).
• When you send a reminder after the due date (§ 286 (1) BGB).
• At the latest 30 days after the due date and receipt of the invoice (§ 286 (3) BGB); for consumers only if the invoice says so.

What can you charge?

• Default interest of 9 percentage points above the base rate for business clients, 5 for consumers (§ 288 (1) and (2) BGB).
• A flat fee of €40 per claim against business clients (§ 288 (5) BGB), credited against later collection costs.
• A higher interest rate if the contract agrees one.

What does a sequence of reminders look like?

This is Valtor's default sequence. You can create your own named sequences — with other days, fees and deadlines — and assign one per billing entity or contract.

How does Valtor handle reminders?

Every day Valtor checks open invoices against your sequence and drafts the next reminder with the amount, the due date and default interest. Interest is calculated to the day of release and split at every change of the base rate.

You set the tone: the opening text of each step can be written in German and English, and the facts always follow it. A person reviews each draft, releases it with a recorded reason, and can waive the flat fee. Valtor never sends a reminder on its own.

Payments from the bank feed — including approved early-payment discounts (Skonto) — update the invoice state, so a paid invoice is never reminded.

This page is general information, not legal advice.

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