Late payment interest guide

France late payment interest calculator

Use this page for French commercial invoices where Article L441-10 of the Code de commerce applies.

French B2B commercial debts

How the calculation works

Formula
ECB MRO rate + 10 percentage points for commercial debts, using the applicable published rate period.
Current stored rate
2.40% source rate effective 2026-06-17; current stored formula rate 12.40%.
Recovery compensation
A fixed EUR 40 recovery compensation is commonly relevant for qualifying commercial debts.

For a EUR invoice paid late, the calculator applies the French statutory margin to the ECB reference rate and breaks the result down by period.

This tool calculates interest mechanically from stored rate data. It is not legal advice. Always check the contract, governing law, debtor status, and any sector-specific rules.

Frequently asked questions

What is the standard French statutory late payment rate?

For many commercial debts, the default statutory formula is ECB MRO + 10 percentage points.

Is public procurement treated the same way?

No. Public procurement can use a different statutory margin, so check the specific public-contract rule before relying on the result.

Can a contract set a different rate?

Contracts can specify late-payment terms, but statutory minimums and mandatory rules may still apply.