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FRL·005Get paid · Free · no account

Late-payment penalty calculator

The exact amount your client owes: penalties (art. L441-10 of the French Commercial Code) and the €40 fixed recovery fee.

By default, the ECB rate plus 10 points (12.4% since 1 July 2026). Between businesses, never less than 3 times the French legal interest rate (8.25%).

Today by default, if the invoice is not paid yet.

Business client?
This half-year's reference rates, already filled in (you can change them):

Légifrance — Arrêté fixant le taux de l'intérêt légal pour le second semestre 2026 (JO)

Default rate 12.40% (ECB + 10 points) · floor between businesses 8.25% (3 × French legal rate) · fixed indemnity €40

Source: Légifrance / Banque de France, checked on 01/10/2026

Calculated in your browser. No account, nothing stored.

Result

Enter the amount, the rate and the dates: the detailed calculation shows here.

How it is calculated

  • Between businesses, late-payment penalties are due from the day after the due date, with no reminder needed (Article L441-10 of the French Commercial Code).
  • The rate is the one set in your terms and conditions or on the invoice. It cannot be lower than 3 times the legal interest rate. If no rate is set, it is the ECB key rate plus 10 percentage points.
  • Formula: unpaid amount × annual rate × number of days late ÷ 365.
  • On top of this comes a fixed indemnity of €40 for recovery costs, per invoice paid late.
  • With a private client, these rules do not apply: only interest at the legal rate can be claimed, usually after a formal notice.

Calculation aid. Check the rate set in your terms and conditions and the current rates on the Banque de France website.

2027 e-invoicing checklist (free)

What to sort out before issuing e-invoices becomes mandatory in France, on 1 September 2027. Leave your email: the Forge Log (2 emails a month) flags every change to the checklist.

Your data is handled by Brevo, in accordance with our privacy policy.

Open the checklist

What the tool does not do

  • It does not claim anything on your behalf.
  • It applies to business-to-business invoices (art. L441-10); rules differ for consumers.
  • It does not replace legal advice.

Build notes

Version
FRL·005 · v1.0
Checked on
Sources
Tests
  • 1 000 € à 10 % pendant 60 jours → 16,44 € + 40 € · CI test:outils
  • Arrondi au centime, années bissextiles, client particulier · CI test:outils
Role of AI
AI-assisted first draft of the code and copy, reviewed and corrected. Maths and formats checked by automated tests.
Known limits
  • It does not claim anything on your behalf.
  • It applies to business-to-business invoices (art. L441-10); rules differ for consumers.
  • It does not replace legal advice.
History
  • · Day rate, late-payment and reminder engines tested on every change
  • · Late-payment rates for the second half of 2026 checked against the official source
  • · Late-payment interest calculator
Forge log

Three steps, no sign-up.

  1. Enter the invoice.

    The unpaid amount, the due date and the payment date (today if it has not been paid).

  2. Pick the rate.

    By default, the ECB rate + 10 points, already filled in for the current half-year. Or the rate in your terms and conditions, never less than 3 times the French legal interest rate.

  3. Claim the right amount.

    The detailed calculation, then the reminder letter pre-filled with these amounts.

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