German payment default — from when is your customer in default?
A debtor who does not pay an invoice within 30 days of it falling due and being received is in default by then at the latest — a consumer only if the invoice specifically warned of this. If the payment date is fixed by the calendar, default arises the day after it without any reminder.
2026 rules — verified on September 23, 2026Free, no account
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Sources and assumptions
- gesetze-im-internet.de — BGB § 286 Abs. 3 Satz 1 — tax year 2026, verified on September 23, 2026
Excerpt from the source : « Der Schuldner einer Entgeltforderung kommt spätestens in Verzug, wenn er nicht innerhalb von 30 Tagen nach Fälligkeit und Zugang einer Rechnung oder gleichwertigen Zahlungsaufstellung leistet »
Calculation assumptions
- This covers default on a money claim for goods or services. Where receipt of the invoice is uncertain (BGB s. 286(3), second sentence), the rule is not modelled.
- The calculator shows when default arises WITHOUT a reminder. An earlier reminder sent after the due date (BGB s. 286(1)) can trigger default sooner.
- If the last day for payment is a Saturday or Sunday, the calculator moves it to Monday (BGB s. 193). It does not know public holidays — they differ between Länder and push the end of the period one more working day.
- The debtor is assumed to be responsible for the non-payment (BGB s. 286(4)) and no diverging agreement applies (BGB s. 286(5)).
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This result is provided for information purposes only and does not constitute personalised tax advice. Check your situation with the tax authorities or a professional.