In short: Keep it short and specific: invoice number, amount, original due date, a new deadline of about seven to ten days, your bank details and a line saying to ignore the email if payment is already on its way. Check first that the invoice is correct and was received. Escalate in three calm steps – friendly reminder, reminder with deadline, final reminder naming the next step you will actually take. In Germany, statutory late-payment interest applies once the debtor is in default; between businesses you may also claim a flat €40. No threats, no invented fees.
Before you send anything
Check the invoice: correct client, address, invoice number, date, service, amount, tax details and payment terms. Look at your bank account again. With business clients, a short call to accounts payable often solves it – a missing purchase order number is a common reason.
Step 1: friendly reminder (about 7 days after the due date)
Subject: Reminder – invoice 2026-041 Hi Ms Smith, just a friendly reminder: invoice 2026-041 from 3 October 2026 for €480.00 was due on 17 October 2026. Could you please transfer the amount by 7 November 2026? If the payment is already on its way, please ignore this email. Thank you and best regards [Name, company, IBAN]
Step 2: reminder with a deadline (about 14 days later)
Subject: Payment reminder – invoice 2026-041, overdue since 17 October 2026 Hi Ms Smith, I have not yet received payment or a reply to my reminder of 24 October. Please transfer €480.00 by 21 November 2026. From the date of default, statutory late-payment interest may apply. If something about the invoice is unclear or you need to pay in instalments, just let me know – we will find a solution. Best regards [Name, company, IBAN]
Step 3: final reminder
Subject: Final payment reminder – invoice 2026-041 Hi Ms Smith, despite two reminders, invoice 2026-041 for €480.00 is still outstanding. Please pay by 5 December 2026. If payment has not arrived by then, I will pursue the claim through the court dunning procedure, which will cause additional costs for you. Best regards [Name, company, IBAN]
Only announce what you will really do.
Late payment rules in Germany
- Default (§ 286 BGB) starts with a reminder, when a fixed payment date passes, or at the latest 30 days after the due date and receipt of the invoice – for consumers only if the invoice points this out.
- Interest (§ 288 BGB): 5 percentage points above the base rate for consumers, 9 points between businesses; the base rate is published by the Bundesbank.
- Flat fee: €40 between businesses once in default.
- If nothing helps: the court dunning procedure (online application), a collection agency or a lawyer.
Levamio Payment Reminder Agent plans the three steps and has the text ready when a step is due – you send it yourself from your own mailbox. It is not a debt collection service. German version: Zahlungserinnerung schreiben.
Frequently asked questions
How long should I wait before sending a payment reminder?
About a week after the due date is common and friendly. If you agreed on a fixed payment date, the client is already in default once it has passed; a reminder is still a good idea before escalating.
Can I charge a late fee?
In Germany you may claim statutory late-payment interest once the client is in default and, between businesses, a flat €40. Flat “reminder fees” without a contractual basis are risky. Other countries have their own rules.
Should I send reminders by email or post?
Email is fine and fast. For the final reminder, an additional letter with proof of delivery helps you prove default and receipt if it comes to court.
The legal notes apply to Germany. Austria and Switzerland have their own rules on late-payment interest and debt enforcement. This page is general information and not legal or tax advice for your individual case.
Sources
- BGB § 286 – Default of the debtor (German)
- BGB § 288 – Default interest and flat fee (German)
- Deutsche Bundesbank – base rate
- Online court dunning application (German)