German payment reminder letter with interest calculator
This German payment reminder letter template works out default interest to the day at the base rate in force, then writes a friendly reminder, a first or a final reminder (Mahnung).
Independent site, not a law firm: a standard template, like a book of legal forms, not legal advice.
Example: €1,200 invoice, due since mid-October, private customer — change any figure to see your own result
Amount claimed today
€1,206.22
default interest 6.52% a year (s. 288 BGB)
| Principal | €1,200.00 |
| Interest since | 17 October 2026 |
| Interest to date | €6.22 |
| Flat fee (businesses only) | €0 |
| Pay by | 28 November 2026 |
A standard template, like a book of legal forms: no review of your individual case and no legal advice. What you type stays in your browser.
If a customer does not pay an invoice when due, a reminder puts him in default (section 286 BGB); without one, at the latest 30 days after the due date and receipt of the invoice, but for consumers only if the invoice says so. From default he owes interest (section 288 BGB): five percentage points above the base rate if he is a consumer, nine points if no consumer is involved in the deal. The base rate is published by the Deutsche Bundesbank each 1 January and 1 July; since 1 July 2026 it has been 1.52%, before that 1.27%. On €1,000 outstanding since 1 September 2026, interest up to 13 November 2026 comes to €13.22 from a private person and €21.33 from a business. From a business you may also claim a flat fee of €40. The first friendly reminder is calculated without interest. The letter prints in German.
____________________________ ____________________________ __________________
____________________________ ____________________________ __________________
__________________, den 14. November 2026
Mahnung: Rechnung Nr. __________ vom 2. Oktober 2026
Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren,
die Rechnung Nr. __________ vom 2. Oktober 2026 über 1.200,00 €, fällig am 16. Oktober 2026, ist trotz Fälligkeit nicht bezahlt. Sie befinden sich seit dem 17. Oktober 2026 in Verzug (§ 286 BGB).
Für die Zeit des Verzugs berechnen wir Verzugszinsen von 6,52 Prozent im Jahr (fünf Prozentpunkte über dem Basiszinssatz, § 288 BGB), bis heute 6,22 €. Offen sind damit 1.206,22 €.
Bitte überweisen Sie diesen Betrag bis zum 28. November 2026 auf das Konto IBAN ___________________________.
Sollte sich Ihre Zahlung mit diesem Schreiben überschnitten haben, betrachten Sie es bitte als gegenstandslos.
Mit freundlichen Grüßen
____________________
Checked by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · Method and sources
How the German payment reminder letter counts interest
Interest runs from the first day of default to the day of the reminder, to the day on a 365-day basis. If the base rate changes in between, the calculator splits the period. The table shows the rates it uses; each is published on the Bundesbank’s website.
| Base rate from | Rate | Consumer (+5) | Business (+9) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 July 2026 | 1.52% | 6.52% | 10.52% |
| 1 January 2026 | 1.27% | 6.27% | 10.27% |
| 1 July 2025 | 1.27% | 6.27% | 10.27% |
| 1 January 2025 | 2.27% | 7.27% | 11.27% |
| 1 July 2024 | 3.37% | 8.37% | 12.37% |
| 1 January 2024 | 3.62% | 8.62% | 12.62% |
When the debtor is in default
If the invoice states a calendar date for payment, default starts the next day without any reminder. If that date is a Saturday, Sunday or public holiday, payment on the next working day is in time (section 193 BGB). Without a date, only a reminder or the lapse of 30 days triggers default. Enter the first day of default above; the invoice number and your bank details complete the letter. Cancelling running contracts has its own templates, for example for a gym membership.