Late Payment Calculator
How much can you charge on a late invoice?
Work out the statutory interest and €40 recovery fee you are entitled to on an overdue B2B invoice under the EU Late Payment Directive (2011/7/EU). The numbers update as you drag.
Your overdue invoice
Default 10.15% is the EU statutory minimum for 1 Jan – 30 Jun 2026 (2.15% ECB reference rate + 8 points). Some countries set a higher rate (e.g. Germany ~10.27%, France ~12.15%) — adjust the slider to match yours.
What you can claim
€41.71
Statutory interest
€40.00
Recovery-cost fee
€81.71
Total compensation you can claim
€5,081.71
Total now due (with invoice)
Total amount now due
€5,081.71
Invoice + statutory interest + recovery fee.
This calculator gives an estimate of statutory interest (simple interest, actual/365) plus the fixed €40 recovery fee under EU Directive 2011/7/EU, using the euro-area reference rate of 2.15% in force on 1 January 2026. National transposing laws and your own contract terms may differ. It is general information, not legal advice — check your local rules or a qualified adviser before issuing a formal demand.
What the EU Late Payment Directive lets you claim
Directive 2011/7/EU gives every business the right to charge interest and fixed compensation when a commercial customer pays late — the same rules across all EU member states, with national variations on top.
Reference rate + 8 points
Statutory B2B interest is the ECB reference rate plus at least 8 percentage points — 10.15% per year for the euro area in H1 2026.
€40 recovery fee
On top of interest, you can claim a fixed €40 per overdue invoice as compensation for recovery costs — automatically, with no reminder needed.
30-day default term
If no payment date was agreed, interest starts 30 days after the customer receives the invoice. B2B terms cannot exceed 60 days unless expressly agreed.
Automatic by law
The right to interest and the €40 fee applies under EU law without a contract clause — the customer cannot waive it in advance.
Late payment interest — common questions
Statutory interest, the €40 fee, and when an invoice legally counts as overdue.
How is statutory late payment interest calculated in the EU?
Under the EU Late Payment Directive (2011/7/EU), interest on a late B2B payment is charged on the overdue amount as simple interest: invoice amount × annual rate × (days overdue ÷ 365). The annual rate is the reference rate plus at least 8 percentage points. For the euro area in the first half of 2026 that is 2.15% + 8% = 10.15% per year.
What is the EU late payment interest rate right now?
For euro-area countries the statutory minimum is 10.15% per year for 1 January–30 June 2026 — the ECB reference rate of 2.15% (in force on 1 January 2026) plus the 8-percentage-point statutory margin. The rate is fixed every six months: the rate in force on 1 January applies for the first half of the year, and the rate in force on 1 July applies for the second half. Some member states set a higher rate (for example Germany around 10.27% and France around 12.15%).
What is the €40 late payment compensation fee?
Article 6 of the Directive entitles a creditor to a fixed sum of at least €40 per overdue commercial invoice as compensation for recovery costs. It is owed automatically once a payment is late, without sending a reminder, and is in addition to the statutory interest. If your actual recovery costs are higher, you can claim reasonable additional compensation on top of the €40.
When does an invoice legally count as overdue?
If you agreed a payment term, interest starts the day after it expires. If no date was agreed, the Directive sets a default of 30 calendar days after the customer receives the invoice (or the goods or services). For B2B contracts the payment period cannot exceed 60 days unless both sides expressly agree and it is not grossly unfair to the creditor. Public authorities must generally pay within 30 days.
Can I actually charge late payment interest to my customers?
Yes. The right to statutory interest and the €40 fee is automatic under EU law — you do not need a clause in your contract, and the customer cannot waive it in advance. Many businesses hesitate to enforce it for fear of damaging the relationship, which is exactly why a calm, systematic follow-up process matters more than one-off threats.
How does DueTrail help me recover late payments?
DueTrail turns overdue invoices into managed collection cases with automated, reviewable reminders, promise-to-pay tracking, and a full timeline of every contact. You stay in control — nothing sends until your team approves it — so you can apply consistent follow-up (and your statutory rights) without the awkward manual chasing.
Knowing the number is the easy part. Collecting it is the work.
DueTrail turns overdue invoices into managed cases with reviewable reminders and promise-to-pay tracking — so your team follows up consistently instead of dreading the chase.