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Late payment interest in 2026: how much to claim on an unpaid invoice?
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Between businesses, an unpaid invoice automatically bears interest, from the day after the due date, at 10.5% a year in 2026 (statutory rate for commercial transactions), plus fixed recovery compensation of €40. Example: €1,000 paid 60 days late gives €17.26 in interest and €40 in compensation.
With a consumer, nothing can be claimed before a first free reminder and a 14-day period. After that, if the contract provides for it, interest is capped at the same rate and the compensation ranges from €20 to €2,000. Rate in force on 8 October 2026.
Between businesses: the Act of 2 August 2002
The commercial transactions rate is the European Central Bank’s rate for its main refinancing operations, plus 8 percentage points, rounded up to the next half point. It changes every six months: the rate of the ECB’s last operation before 1 January applies for the first half of the year, the one before 1 July for the second. A late payment spanning two half-years is therefore calculated period by period.
Example: €5,000 due on 31 March 2026 and paid on 30 September 2026, i.e. 183 days late, gives €263.22 in interest. With no agreed date, the invoice is due 30 days after receipt; the agreed period cannot exceed 60 days.
| Half-year | Annual rate | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| 1st half of 2023 | 10.5% | Published (FPS Finance) |
| 2nd half of 2023 | 12% | Published (FPS Finance) |
| 1st half of 2024 | 12.5% | Published (FPS Finance) |
| 2nd half of 2024 | 12.5% | Published (FPS Finance) |
| 1st half of 2025 | 11.5% | Published (FPS Finance) |
| 2nd half of 2025 | 10.5% | Published (FPS Finance) |
| 1st half of 2026 | 10.5% | Calculated (ECB rate of 2.15% + 8 points, rounded) |
| 2nd half of 2026 | 10.5% | Calculated (ECB rate of 2.40% + 8 points, rounded) |
The rate for the first half of 2027 will depend on the ECB rate on 1 January 2027: it has not been published yet.
With a consumer: Book XIX of the Code of Economic Law
Since 1 September 2023 (Act of 4 May 2023), the first reminder has been free. The consumer then has at least 14 calendar days to pay, counting from the third working day after a paper reminder is sent, or from the day after an electronic reminder. Only after this period, and if the contract provides for it, can you claim interest, at most at the commercial transactions rate, and capped fixed compensation.
| Unpaid amount | Maximum compensation |
|---|---|
| €100 | €20.00 |
| €300 | €45.00 |
| €500 | €65.00 |
| €1,000 | €90.00 |
| €5,000 | €290.00 |
| €40,000 | €2,000.00 |
Without a clause in the contract, no fixed compensation is due; in principle, only interest at the statutory rate (4.5% in 2026) can then be claimed, after formal notice. In the event of a dispute, ask a lawyer or FPS Economy for advice.
Calculate late payment interest
Enter the amount, the due date and the payment date: Indexo splits the delay by half-year and adds the compensation.
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Frequently asked questions
Do you have to send a formal notice to claim interest from a business?
No. Between businesses, the interest and the €40 compensation are due automatically, without formal notice, from the day after the due date.
What is the late payment interest rate in 2026?
10.5% a year between businesses, in both halves of 2026 (ECB rate of 2.15% then 2.40%, plus 8 points, rounded up to the next half point). The statutory civil interest rate is 4.5%.
Can you charge reminder fees to a consumer?
The first reminder is always free. Fees are only possible after that, if the contract provides for them and within the limits of Book XIX.
How is the interest calculated?
Unpaid amount × annual rate × days late ÷ 365, one rate period at a time. Example: €1,000 × 10.5% × 60 ÷ 365 = €17.26.
What next?
- Working days and deadlinesCount the payment or reminder period.
- Calculate VATExcluding VAT, including VAT, several rates.
- Structured payment referenceSo that the payment is matched to the right invoice.
- Accountant’s toolboxThe seven everyday calculations: VAT, interest, payment reference, IBAN, CBE, deadlines, depreciation.
Sources
Parameters in force on 1 October 2026. Each parameter links to its source, the official one where it exists; a secondary source is flagged as such.
- Taux d’intérêt légaux (statutory interest rates): annual civil rate and commercial transactions rate by half-year, up to the second half of 2025, FPS Finance (Treasury).
- Taux directeurs de la BCE: main refinancing operations (2.15% since 11 June 2025, 2.40% since 17 June 2026, 2.65% since 16 September 2026), European Central Bank.
- Lutte contre le retard de paiement dans les transactions commerciales: statutory period of 30 days, ECB interest + 8 points, fixed compensation of €40, FPS Justice.
- Du changement dans les délais de paiement à partir du 1er février 2022: 60 days at most between businesses (Act of 14 August 2021), Credendo (secondary source).
- L’intérêt légal spécial pour les retards de paiement dans les transactions commerciales: calculated pro rata to the days of delay (12 September 2024), Deg & Partners (secondary source).
- Le taux d’intérêt légal pour 2026 reste à 4,50 % (6 February 2026), Claeys & Engels, via Lexgo (secondary source).
- Livre XIX du Code de droit économique (loi du 4 mai 2023): free reminder, 14-day period, maximum interest and compensation, Forum for the Future (secondary source).
- Belgium: new rules on consumer debt collection (Act of 4 May 2023), Van Bael & Bellis (secondary source).