Writing a payment reminder in Germany: templates and deadlines

Informal reminder or formal payment demand: what is the difference?

The reminder of payment is a friendly, non-binding note, the reminder the express request for payment with deadline. Only the reminder places the customer officially in default and triggers late-payment interest and, in business transactions, a cost flat rate.

The terms are often confused, but they are different. A friendly payment reminder has no special legal effect. It is an accommodating first step for customers who usually pay reliably and have simply overlooked an invoice.

The reminder, on the other hand, is the formal second step. From the moment the customer is in default, you can charge late-payment interest and set a flat rate for business customers. A professional reminder is binding without destroying the customer relationship and it documents the process for each subsequent step.

Legal basis: German Civil Code, payment default and late-payment costs, gesetze-im-internet.de, accessed July 2026. General information, not advice on an individual case.

When does delay occur, even without payment reminder?

Delay occurs in Germany even without any payment reminder, if on the invoice a concrete, calendar-specified payment deadline is mentioned and this passes. Thus, a reminder is not always absolutely necessary to trigger the delay.

A common mistake is that there can be no delay without payment reminder. The Civil Code sees it differently: If a fixed payment date is agreed, the delay begins with its expiry by itself.

In the case of business customers, a second rule is added. 30 days after maturity and receipt of the invoice This 30-day rule applies to consumers only if the invoice has explicitly indicated it. Nevertheless, the reminder almost always remains meaningful because it documents the delay and gives the customer a last fair chance.

The Myth of the Three Reminders

The idea of sending exactly three reminders before further steps are possible is persistent. This is wrong: in Germany, no regulation requires a certain number of reminders, legally, a single one is sufficient to make the delay.

In practice, two to three steps have proved their worth because they protect the customer relationship and gradually increase the pressure. However, more than three do not need it. Those who send reminders endlessly give away time, because with each month the probability that the outstanding invoice will still be paid decreases.

The recommended sequence of payment reminders

The following structure has proven itself in B2B everyday life: an optional payment reminder, a first reminder and a final reminder. The deadlines are indicative values, there is no legal minimum period, it must only be appropriate.

Deadlines are practical guidelines. Legal basis for default and costs: German Civil Code, gesetze-im-internet.de, accessed July 2026.

How high the late-payment interest rates are and how you calculate them, the guide shows Calculating late-payment interest in Germany. The costs of a subsequent debt collection procedure shall be borne by the defaulting debtor; the complete list is available on the page Debt collection costs.

What belongs in any effective payment reminder?

In order for your reminder to be professional and resilient, this information should be included. Above all, it is important to have a specific calendar date as a new deadline instead of vague formulations as soon as possible.

• Clear designation as payment reminder, at the second stage as last payment reminder
• Name and address of you and the customer
• Invoicing number and original invoice date
• exact open amount, plus, where appropriate, costs already incurred
• new payment deadline with specific calendar date, not only the word immediately
• Note on late-payment interest and, for business customers, the flat rate of 40 euros
• Payment details including IBAN and payment reference
• at the last reminder the announcement of the next steps

Copyable template: first payment reminder

The first reminder remains friendly, but becomes binding. It reminds of the invoice, sets a new deadline with specific date and specifies the bank details. You only have to fill in the placeholders in square brackets.

Copyable template: final payment reminder

The last payment reminder is serious, but without any threat. It sets a shorter deadline, shows the costs incurred so far and announces the next step objectively.

When to switch to professional collection

At the latest, when the last payment reminder has passed without fruit, the probability of success of one's own efforts decreases significantly. The change to professional receivables management is meaningful, because every further self-written letter costs above all time.

The change is worth it if:

• the last reminder has passed without payment
• the customer does not respond or repeatedly postpones payment
• the claim is undisputed and due
• handling reminders internally takes resources away from day-to-day business

From this point on, a licensed debt collection agency will take over structured enforcement without having to work out further escalation steps yourself. At incaseof.law, you hand over the claim digitally, see the stand at any time and bear no costs as a company, because the default costs are charged to the debtor.

Practically, this means three things: create the first payment reminder in minutes with the Payment reminder generatorIf the reminder is not sufficient, you can hand over the claim online and Debt collection services, without contract and without minimum volume. If the journey takes place in court, the guide to court order for payment procedure the payment reminder step by step.

incaseof.law is an officially licensed collection agency in Austria and Germany. Its model has been confirmed by the Supreme Court, its success rate is 88 percent and you retain 100 percent of the principal. For what happens after handover, see How debt collection works; what else you can do if a Customer does not pay, summarizes the associated guides.

This guide explains the legal situation in Germany in general and does not replace advice in individual cases. State of the cited standards: July 2026.